[Dave1]

Didn’t survive day 2. Guess I was too stressed.
The most difficult thing atm is the acceptance that I need to live with a small budget.

[Dave1]

I have these thoughts too. Winning the lottery, so it won’t be a problem anymore if i gamble. Crazy..

[Dave1]

The lack of trust is annoying me when I ask for money to buy things. I need to hear a long discourse about the moments where I did go wrong and, instead of buying something, gambled.

It makes me angry and annoyed, because I don’t want to gamble. And the difficulty of the way I do finally get what I asked for, gives me an urge to do go gamble. Do you get it?

That has been an excuse for many times that I went gambling. I’m still angry, but I need to remain calm. I’m doing this for myself . And because of the fact I’m being judged, by my actions, I need to stay strong and patient.

Sometimes I think our loved ones, make it even harder for us to stop.

[Dave1]

thanks for your post.

It’s exactly as you say. I’m feeling elated to free myself from this imprisonment.

Take care

[Dave1]

A life without gambling is just wonderful. The days pass, whether you gamble or not. The latter however will give you gratification, instead of despair.

Gambling= losing time and money, and a good mood.

[Dave1]

Most of the time I want to escape reality. Wanting to live in a fantasy-world or just to get a numb feeling, which I get when I gamble.

My problems are caused by gambling and when I think of them, all I want to do is gamble. Seeking the solution in the one thing that caused all the misery –> I have an addiction.

Living in a fantasy world and gambling makes the real life look like a hell. And eventually the real life is all that we really have.

In short, gambling makes me hate the real life–> Hating the real life makes me want to gamble.

Gambling will only make me more depressed and makes me want to gamble more.

Gambling=gambling more
No money= no gambling = feeling miserable
Feeling miserable= wanting to gamble

It’s no wonder that an addiction is considered as a brain disease.

It needs time and with that patience to recover.

The last few months have gone so quickly and I haven’t done anything really. My mind is just so preoccupied with gambling.

There’s a reason why I named my thread like that. To recover I only need to do one thing, or in fact I need to not-do one thing, and that’s gambling. I’m still free to do whatever I want to do, yet this addiction gives me a feeling of being imprisoned.

The brains is such a complex thing. Even when knowing all this, the urge won’t fade. You would think that the intelligence will stop the urge and to do something that’s doing you harm.

Life isn’t that bad and it will only get better If I won’t gamble.

[Dave1]

Still hating my life. I dont feel like doing any thing. Very depressed, desperate and frustrated because of the situation I’m in. I just want to get out of this shit, go far away from everyone and make a new start. I hate the fact that I can’t.

All I know is that gambling wont solve anything. I just need to be patient and wait till the point I’m able to get out of this shit and leave everone behind. That’s my main motivation to stay abstinent.

[Dave1]

Well done on your 10 Gamble-free days. Being grateful and finding hobbies that will give satisfaction, like painting is a great way to be more positive (satisfied) in life. And I think that is the key to stay away from gambling.

My compliments.

Dave

[Dave1]

Never mind the smoking, just bought a pack of cigarettes. Maybe it’s indeed to soon to stop that as well.

As regards to gambling, I think the real problem for a relapse is dissatisfaction about things(problems) and seeing gambling as potential solution to these problems, that mostly are caused by gambling in the first place.

Every gamble-free day is a step closer to sort out our problems. It just needs time and because of the fact I’m impatient, and I think the most CG’s, gambling is an easier/ quicker option to deal with (escape from) our problems for our addicted brain.

[Dave1]

Day 1 no smoking
Day 6 no gambling

[Dave1]

This is day 5 without gambling.

I don’t have control over my finances for a period of 7 years now. The first 4 years I managed to found ways to get to my finances at some points, but the last 3 years every road to do that is closed.

The last month’s I was gambling with my money for the week and excuses to get more at some points.

The real problem for me, and I think for more of us, was not truly wanting to stop gambling. I just wanted the misery to stop. Or over time forgetting why it was so important to stop. Magically thinking: ” this time I will win, in that case it won’t be any trouble to go gamble. Or feeling so miserable that I just couldn’t care anymore.

I’m now so aware of the fact, that my problem is that I can’t walk away. So why bother to win, if I just will lose it all. Still lots of thoughts going on, but awknoledging and make myself aware of the fact that I can’t walk away, makes me able to put away the thoughts.

I’m not very productive right now, but that will get better over time I’m sure. Just focusing on not gambling at the moment and finding distraction.

[Dave1]

Hating my life, but gambling isn’t a solution.

[Dave1]

Today is day 3. 3 days not been losing money. It feels good. Lot of thoughts going on. Wanting money –> thinking of gambling as an option. Then realizing gambling just makes me want to gamble more, like it always does. I can’t walk away when I’m gambling, except when I’ve lost it all. Sometimes I just wanted to lose it all, just so that I can go home… If I don’t gamble I don’t need to walk away in the first place–> Freedom + more money in my pocket. Not gambling= winning. And all I wanted was to win, so I now have what I wanted.

[Dave1]

It can be as easy as you make it. Gambling won’t make you feel better. CG’s gamble just for the thrill and winning. Winning is not possible. The losing will make you feel worse and makes you want to gamble more. See the vicious cycle.

There’s no point to gamble…

[Dave1]

Well done on your first 2 day’s! The lenght of your gamble-free days isn’t important. You need to be gamble-free just for this day, today.

Yes you have a problem, I have a problem as well. Compulsive gambling is a disease, we tend to forget that sometimes.

Feelings of superiority, superstition and magical thinking lead to thoughts of spending your future winnings.

Chasing losses, is a feeling of not accepting your losses. But losses aren’t important. Realize that in the end it doesn’t even matter if you do win. Winning leads to gambling more, which eventually leads to losing again. As compulsive gamblers, we gamble to win, so we can gamble more and longer.

Of course you’re a good person, most of the compulsive gamblers are. Sometimes I think that gambling is a crime commited by good people. Just like criminals we like(d) to make money fast and in an easy way, but we want it in a legal way. Never ever did we thought we will end here.

Stopping is the right choice.

Wish you the best,

Dave

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