[M1ke]

How do you stop? Ive tried so many times. I always tell myself no but then i do it anyway… or ill say “only $20” then i end up spending a few hundred. I can stop just fine when im winning, but its the chasing loses that always gets me. Ive only been gambling 4-5 years so its not even that long but it feels like a struggle trying to quit. To make things more difficult i live on the same block as one of those video slot machine places so im always tempted. I have people ask me why i dont just stop but its hard to explain it to someone thats never done it. I always find myself in that “ive got nothing to lose” position. After dropping a couple hundred into a machine one more $20 doesnt seem like such a big deal. I often fimd myself saying “just get up and leave” but i never do it. Im thinking about making a calendar to challenge myself and mark off each day that i can avoid gambling. Im just looking for some ideas. Thank you for your time. -Mike

[i-did-it]

Hi Mike
Well done on seeking help.
I think this post probably belongs in the my journal section.
We try to cut three things – money accesss and time ATM

Money – we can get someone else to take control of our account and just give us an allowance as we need it. We can cut up cards, save into accounts we can’t access without a lot of notice .

Access – we can self ban from local casinos (like your video slot place), join Gamstop, self ban from sites, fit gambling blockers on our phones and other internet devices.

Time- we can plan our time so carefully that we simply don’t have time to gamble. We can find new hobbies to replace gambling .

If you write on the my journal section Mike , you will get lots of more ideas – also there are groups on here which you could attend .

Most people cannot stop without support so this site willbe really good for you .

Hope this helps

[Steev]

I can tell you how I did it. But I know that it will be different for each person with this problem – so what worked for me might not work for you. But first I had to admit I had a problem. Not just a problem but an addiction which had only 3 solutions if I didn’t get help – being destitute – being in prison or being dead (from suicide.) When I admitted it was that serious, then I became serious about getting help. I lived near a gaming arcade and part of my recovery was to move! I basically set up a whole new life for myself and the main factor was getting support. Talk to people on here – people in your own location that know about addiction and recovery both self help and professionals (if you can.) Put your recovery first and it will become easier over time.

[charles]

Hi Mike.

How to do it? The best advice i could ever give anyone is to use the support that is available – if we could do it on our own then no one would be here in trhe first place.

The good news is that these days there is a lot of support available.

Check out the My Journal Forum – you will see many things that you will relate to. You will also see the success stories, see the sort of thigns that are helping others stop gambling and then apply them to your own situation.

Just carry the money you need oin a daily basis – walking past the slot machine place with no “spare” cash in your pocket is a lot easier. if you can ask them to ban you as well.

Use support – start a journal in the My Topic forum, check out the live support groups here as well, download the app. Checkout other support as well. Gamblers Anonymous meetings is an option that helps many.

The good thing about living somewhere that there is lot of gambling is that there also tends to be lots of help available – use it and you can stop gambling.

[M1ke]

Thank you for the responses. Just a minor update. Im not sure im in a position where i nessesarily want to quit completely or just get it under control so im not spending my entire check in one day. I havent gambled since joining here so 5 days approximately? Granted ive only had like 10 bucks but i live in a house full of gamblers so i usually wouldve gone thru that by now. Either way it feels like progress. I did make a calendar like i had planned. It feels good looking at it and making progress each day. I feel like im on a good path. I just hope i can hold onto it. Ive missed many advancement opportunites at work because i was focused on gambling when i ahouldve been trying to get a vehicle. Well thanks for your time.

[i-did-it]

Mike , The truth is none of us on here want to stop gambling completely – we all love gambling and would gamble all day every day if we could .

However most of us NEED to stop gambling – it takes so much time from us (not just gambling time but planning and regretting time), it takes our money and the good life we could be having.

Once gambling becomes compulsive and we find we  are gambling more than we intended to, and for longer than we aimed to – gambling has become an addicting for us – it is really hard to cut back for most people as we just don’t have that stop button inside us once we start.

Most of us eventually ( and I am a particularly slow learner ) come to the realisation that we need to stop completely . Well done on the calendar and the gamble free time . Perhaps for now aim to stay gamble free- you might like life a lot more without gambling .

[M1ke]

Thank you, you make a great point. It does seem to be more about needing to stop than wanting to. Even when im not gambling i never have much money but it makes me feel better when i spend it on things i can actually get something out of. Even if its something as simple as a video game or movie at least im getting something out of it rather than just dropping money im a machine and leaving empty handed. Theres been many occasions where ive spent my entire check in one run and then sat there frustrated and disappointed thinking about all the other things i couldve spent it on

[i-did-it]

Thank you Mike – I thought perhaps I might have come across preachy – and trust me I am in no position to preach!

You are so right – we feel much better when we spend the money on ourselves – we can enjoy our purchases without the awful guilt that gambling brings us .

Keep working at it Mike – we work hard and deserve to be able to treat ourselves to a game , video, clothes or even a trip.
We are as worthy of a good life as anyone else and we need to believe this .

Keep strong

[M1ke]

I got a $100 bonus from work today. It was hard resisting the urge to hit the machines, but i resisted and chose to buy an Amazon Firestick instead for $35. I’ll get enjoyment out of it for much longer.

[charles]

Hi Mike, well done on not gambling. When it comes to “getting it under control” and just gambling a litle I think most of us tried that in the past, didn’t you? The way I see it is that if we were able to exercise that sort of control then, to be blunt, we wouldn’t have been in the chit in the first place. I CAN stop gambling. Control it? No chance. I hope you are able to come to the same conclusion. Keep posting

[i-did-it]

Hey Mike – I hope you enjoy your fire stick – a much better purchase than gambling chips !
Well done!

[M1ke]

I get paid today and I can already feel that urge. I hope i can make it thru. Ive been battling a cold the last 3 days and i haven’t left my bed so i have that urge to get out and do something.

[jen3]

Just hurry up and pay your bills and if thier is money left give it to someone to hold or put it where you can not easily access. No money=No Gambling=No Missery.

[i-did-it]

Yes Mike stay in bed and look after that cold- you know the pattern – a few hours fun, times we feel great because we are up so much but ultimately misery that lasts until next payday as we can never resist losing it all again .

Don’t do it- put the money out of reach !

[Steev]

Hi Mike. I hope it is still going well for you.  I’ve also got a cold so am laid up at the moment.  I would echo others on here and say try and place your money with others until you are strong enough to handle it again.  I wasn’t able to do that being a loner with no family, so in order to keep my money safe I decided to “invest” in stuff that I could sell later at a profit.  Needless to say I still have most of this stuff which I’ve relabelled as “clutter.”  

Just to say if you ever do slip back – don’t feel you can’t come back here.  It took me a long time to completely stop – to use the corny phrase, “one day at a time!” And I know that I still could be tempted. But I think all I want right now is cough medicine!  Keep strong.

[M1ke]

Im proud to say i made it through another day. I did manage to spend $18 on 20 jumbo beef sticks at my work that were buy one get one free but it felt like a good investment lol.

I know what you mean by one day at a time. Every time i hear that phrase im reminded of a documentary i seen on a pro wrestler that won a battle against drug addiction and he said he would just think make it one more day and he would do that each day until he regained control and woke up one day and the world in a sense seemed brighter all around him. Not exactly the same thing as gambling but nonetheless an inspiring story on battling addiction.

[M1ke]

Well i failed… 🙁 another lonely saturday night led me to the machines. Down $180… I did manage to leave with $40 still in my pocket although im not sure what difference it makes.

[i-did-it]

Mike
It is horrible but you stayed gamble free longer Than other weeks and that is progress. You have shown yourself you can do it.
You have learned that you need to plan your Saturday nights .
Progress not perfection – you are learning and changing and you will get there.

You will get there – for now maybe aim to hold onto the money you have left and then make definite plans for your next payday . For example – go buy yourself something new to wear so you feel good.

I’m really sorry you gambled – but keep working at it mike .

[M1ke]

Its been a while. Im still struggling. I cant remember the last time i wasnt. Ive been tryimg to focus my mind on other things. I was about to go out gambling the other day when something hit me. I was on youtube about to leave and noticed one of my favorote singers released a new song. Its called “Twin Lakes” by Rittz. It got to me exactly when i needed it. The song itself is about alcohol recovery but the message is pretty clear. Ive listened to it at least 80 times in the 3 days its been out. Ive always been inspired by music and i think that thats going to be what pulls me out of this problem. I ended up just staying home and watching tv.

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