[Cregan13]

Hey guys 

Just wanted to share my experience and her from other people’s experience. I started out gambling when I was in university and slowly but surely it turned into a really serious addiction.

It was mainly roulette fobt machines and online gambling. I never even knew about fobt until one day my friend introduced me to them. I remember him losing £100 and I was so shocked and anybody could lose that sort of money. Now at the height of my addiction i wouldn’t think twice about putting £100 in a machine. 

Over the years it’s ranged from online roulette, blackjack, sports betting and occasionally dogs and horses. I messed about I’m early days and fell behind where my friends where in there lives and probably used gambling as a sort of an escape. But now having graduated from uni I have a full time job and still the last year and a half there hasn’t been a single payday where IV blew around 80% of it. 

Lucky enough the fobt stake has been reduced to £2 and I have banned myself from all online accounts I can think of. I know this has to be the end of it or it will ruin my chances of ever having own house and family etc 

Gambling has turned me into somebody I’m not and when I was in the height of it I genuinely felt like I was a bad person. Just curious has anyone else felt like this? And what practical methods did they use when quitting for good? 

Sorry for the long post!!

[velvet]

Hello Cregan and thanks for starting a thread in the Gambling Therapy forums

Here at Gambling Therapy we pride ourselves on being a caring and diverse online community who can help and support you with the difficulties you’re currently facing. We understand that this might be a tough time for you, particularly if you’re new to recovery, so come here as often as you need to and participate in the forums, access online groups and connect to the live advice helpline if you need one to one support. We’re in this together!

Here on the forum you can share your experiences in a safe, supportive and accepting environment. The beauty of writing it all down is that you can take your time and you will be creating a record of your progress that you can look back on if it ever feels like you’re not moving forward. So, share as much or as little as you like but do try to stick to keeping just one thread in this forum so people know where to find you if they want to be updated on your progress or share something with you.

As well as the forums New Members are invited to join Charles in the New Members Practical Advice Group On Mondays at 21:00 (UK) and Thursday at 19:00(UK)

And on that note….

I’m going to hand you over to our community because I’m sure they will have some words of wisdom for you 🙂

Take care

The Gambling Therapy Team

PS: Let me just remind you to take a look at our privacy policy and terms and conditions so you know how it all works!

[Steev]

Although I’m about 40 years older than you – that sounded like my story.

The first thing I realised was that I was in the grip of a powerful addiction – and I had to take it seriously. I couldn’t ban myself from places (that is more recent than me) so I moved away from my “haunts” to a new town. I made it difficult to access money and I kept myself busy. Evenings I went to GA meetings and at weekends I either worked or found courses to do that took all day. I tried to be as “compulsive” about my recovery as I was about my gambling. I had relapses but they became fewer and fewer and eventually I stopped – not sure exactly how long but I have been about 8 years free of my poison.

I was not a “bad” person – it was my behaviour that was bad – and I needed to work on things like my low self-esteem and issues from my past – anger etc.

Of course I can’t say if I will ever gamble again or not – I feel far away from it at the moment. I still keep away from all forms of gambling in case I have a lapse – but I feel that is only like a person with a strawberry allergy avoiding the fruit. Others can eat – but not me. I hope that helps. I wish you well.

[Cregan13]

Thanks steev.

8 years is a fantastic acheivement very well done and thanks for the response.

All the best.

[Author]

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