[charles]

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Hello 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.

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!

[charles]

Hello Depress and welcome to the Forum. I expect you will already have read many stories similar to your own in the other threads we have here. You will also have read some success stories; what are they doing that you could apply to your own situation?

I see you haven’t had much response so far but the site has been a little quiet over Christmas. You will no doubt hear from other forum users here over the coming days. You might also want to copy and paste this, or say a little about yourself, in the My Journal Forum. It’s a busy forum and a good place to tell your story and see your recovery progress.

This is a tough addiction but you no longer have to tackle it on your own. There is a lot of support available for you both here and at other sites or places like Gamblers Anonymous. It’s important to use that support; if we could do it on our own then neither of us would be here.

You mention suicidal thoughts so here is alink for you to look at as well

Home

You wil find support there as well.

As well as the forums we have live groups and a one to one help line. Hopefully I will see in one of the groups soon. I myself aam a Compulsive gambler and I can promise you that there is a lot of life after we stop gambling.

Keep posting.

[charles]

<

Hello 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.

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!

[charles]

If anyone needs to know whether thay have an addiction then for me the best place for them to look would be at the Gamblers Anonymous website and check out the 20 Questions they have there.
This is turning into a good discussion.

Revolution can I ask, what would I gain by being “cured” as a Compulsive gambler? As a CG there is only one thing in life I can not do normally and that is to gamble. Part of my recovery is to accept that and then get on with enjoying everything else life has to offer. If I ever considered myself “cured” then what would be there to stop me gambling? After all if I was no longer a Compulsive gambler then why would I not place a bet?

I really hope you start your own thread Revolution. You say you are “gambling again and again”. Maybe you can tell us a little about your own story, what things have or haven’t worked for you? What barriers you can put in place? The things you are doing in your own recovery?

If anyone considers themselves a “Recovering Compulsive gambler” that’s fine as long as it works for them. Personally I’m happy to remain a Compulsive gambler who isn’t gambling. My own recovery hopefully will never reach an end as for me it is a life long process as I continue to work on improvement. I never want to think I am perfect with no more work required. 🙂

[charles]

You could say that I will always be a Compulsive gambler, who isn’t gambling, but I AM recovering as a human being 🙂

[charles]

Hi Trinity. I certainly know many people who have been through what you are going through and their relationship has survived. I also know many cases where that isn’t the case, where the opposite is true.

You are working recovery. it is important you are working that recovery for YOU. By doing so you will be showing those around you are determined you are to fight this tough addiction. You will be showing them how strong you are and mean what you say. That you are better than the impression they may currently have of you.

Will that be enough to get your boyfriend back? Unfortunately no one can answer that right now, it’s something that you nor anyone else can control. Even your boyfriend can’t honestly answer that question right now as he, like the rest of us, can’t predict how he will feel in the future.

So best case scenario? The dream scenario? You impress him with your recovery and win him back. Stay focussed on your recovery though and worst case scenario is that you will move forward. Have a gamble free life, work recovery and be better placed to have future relationships. Not that that is what you want to hear right now. Relationships and break ups are part of life unfortunbately, for CGs and of course everyone else. Who knows maybe your b/f will want you back but you won’t want to return to someone who hasn’t stuck by you now.

To cut it short, none of us can tell what will happen in the future. Whatever your future holds you will be better placed to deal with it but focusing on NOW.

Stay strong, one day at a time.

[charles]

Hi Revolution, thanks for the question.

I don’t do Facebook or social media. I tried it once and soon found I had loads of friends I didn’t actually know lol

My family know I’m a Compulsive Gambler and a few other peole who “need to know” do as well. I also declare that I am a Compulsive gambler at the GA meetings I go to each week.

The point I was trying to make though doesn’t really depend on who or how many people I declare it to. The point is that I have accepted the fact that I am a Compulsive gambler and am quite happy that I will always be one. This acceptance makes it harder for my addiction to try and convince me I can ever gamble “normally”.

I don’t “fight” the addiction any more, it’s won!! Now i don’t have to fight it it can no longer bloody my nose, it can’t hurt me unless I ever decide to return to the ring so to speak.

By accepting that I am a Compulsive gambler, always will be and can never return to that normal gambling, I can just get on with the rest of my life.

I still couldn’t do it on my own of course, if we could do that then none of us would be here in the first place. That’s why I still get to my meetings.

I think this is your first post here? It’s good to meet you. I hope you can post a little more about yourself by starting your own thread. Then you can start getting the support that will help you deal with this addiction.

[charles]

Lifes good. Enjoying the time of year and have most of my presents bought and wrapped. Looking forward to visiting family over Christmas 🙂

[charles]

Hi Sam,it was good to meet you in the group. You asked about posting so i thought I’d bump this up for you. To keep your “thread” running just type in the “Comment” box at the bottom and click on save. that way your journal, thoughts and feedback all stay in the same place and is easy fro both yourself and others to follow. Keep posting and see you again in a group soon.

[charles]

Hi Reds, welcome back it’s good to see you. When you work out the new site hopefully I will see you in a group sometime soon.

[charles]

Hi Trinity, sorry I had a connection problem and missed you. If you are still around to reconnect to the group I am there now.

[charles]

Had a good day today. I’ve already spoken to someone focussed on their recovery in a Group. Yesterday I also had a good day. Went on a canal boat with some younger relatives and Santa hopped on half way round. The kids loved it and so did I. Recovery has given me some great things, the little “normal” things are just as important. Good thread p.

[charles]

Hi Trinity,

The more positive actions you take the less out of control you will feel. take things a day at a time. The Topic group today was on Patience, be patient with your recovery. One day at a time.

[charles]

Hi Jonathon and welcome to the forum. Hopefully you are also reading some of the other stories here, you will read a lot you of stories similar to your own. You will also read some of the success stories – what are they doing that you can apply to your own situation?

I am a Compulsive gambler myself as well, I couldn’t stop on my own either. Luckily we don’t have to do it on our own these days, there are a lot of places around where we can get support. Here and sites like this, Gamblers Anonymous meetings, counselling etc Use that support, keep posting and reading here, check out your local GA meeting. You will then have a lot of peole you can “have these conversatuions” with, lots of peole who can relate and understand.

It sounds like you can’t bet at teh moment because of your financial situation? Good, now use this opportunity to put things in place. What barriers can you put up BEFORE you get your bonus?

Keep posting and let us know what positive steps you are taking. One day at a time.

[charles]

Great post P. I’d say my own recovery is very much about acceptance as well. I have surrendered to the booikes, now they can’t hurt me any more 🙂

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