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Hi Monica,
have a few minutes free while I have my coffee this morning. Maddening to lose a favourite scarf. I lost mine while shopping in a bargain store. I called later to see if it turned up but they happen to sell scarves in this bargain store (one of many items) so I figure someone got a great steal on my most favourite treasured scarf. So I say a prayer to bless whoever found it and hope it was meant for them. Sometimes that’s how things work I like to believe.
Magnesium is a basic requirement for all cells as I’m sure you are aware. I get quite tired if I don’t take mine for a few days.
Keep taking care of yourself in any way you can. Lots of rest. Glad you made it through those urges. Feelings can pile up so make use of your contacts.
Looking forward to a good catch up!
LauraCongratulations 3raser on your achievement! No small task. I’m so happy to read your update as I have thought of you often and wondered how you were getting on. You really summarized how the advice of taking one small step at a time can lead us out of the darkness towards a new life. One little change at a time.
What plans do you have for your future debt free life? Any thing special planned? Travel, new car, retirement savings? So very proud of you and how far you have come.Laura
Hi John,
that took a lot of courage to put plainly in black and white. We hope the insanity of it staring us back in the face will make us change. But the addiction often barely skips a beat and takes right over again.
A lot of courage is required to protect any remaining funds you have from your gambling self. There are ways for rent to be paid without handling it yourself. Perhaps your father will help with your banking once again.
Is there any counseling support through the university that can help you begin to sort this out? Can you reach out to the help desk here in the day time to see if any support can be given through gambling therapy? Are there any gambler’s anonymous groups near you?
It will take a lot of effort to overcome an addiction like this. You didn’t ask for it. But now you know you are a CG, you can ask for help.
Please do!
LauraHey Jack,
that last post is pretty thoughtful with lots of possibilities. I think we really do have to learn to be well in our selves without any external escape or distraction. We have to deal with it, whatever is driving this addiction currently. Keep at it. If at first you don’t succeed you try adding or changing something. Eventually something will click. I’m praying you keep at it. Laura
Congratulations on making that milestone. It’s a testament to the many one day at a times you have lived gamble free. I’m glad you stopped by to let others in on your success. It gives hope when others see someone who has managed to loosen that hold. I don’t know if it will ever let us go completely so always good to keep aware. Keep doing whatever it takes. It hasn’t changed. It still takes everything from you. I wish you much success. And an update from you in future is always good too. take care,
LauraDear Kin. Today I have soaked up the wisdom in your posts. Being wise isn’t all knowing so don’t feel undeserving of this compliment. You really have grown a lot and through your learning you are helping me learn as well. I realize your main intention is to help yourself but you are still doing it in a way that is helpful to others. It is like maybe you feel good wearing the lessons of the program and of life. And this new life is fitting you well. Progress not perfection. Thank you for sharing the following with RIP as it is so helpful to us all. Please keep progressing!
———————————————————————————The US national gambling impact study commission called these electronic gambling machines the crack cocaine of creating new addicted gamblers. ~ John Kindt , Professor, Business and Legal Policy, University of Illinios
The worst thing that ever happen to me was winning some money, I ended up spending more money trying to replicate the feeling. ~ Slot-machine Player.
Once you interact with these machines, the dynamic changes, and what you get out of these machines is not necessary the excitement and thrill of winning but the pleasure of being in this rhythmic zone. ~ Assistant Professor Natasha Schull
It was like a trance that came over me ~ Slot-machine Player
When you are sitting in front of that machine, you are intoxicated. You have not taken a pill, you have not taken a drink, you have not put something into your vein, but that doesn’t mean your brain chemistry haven’t change. ~ Dr Robert Breen, Director, Gambling Treatment Program, Rhode Island Hospital
In 2001, Doctor Hans Breiter and colleagues at Massachusetts General hospital conducted an experiment comparing the brain of a cocaine addict receiving a dose of cocaine and a healthy control subject playing the game of chance.
You look at the brain images of the activation of the primary reward system in the center of the human brain when they are a cocaine addict expecting a cocaine infusion vs a normal control subject expecting a monetary win, we saw the same thing, they are nearly identical, I could not distinguish who have receive cocaine and who have won a gambling task. ~ Doctor Hans Breiter, Director, Motivational and Emotional Neuroscience Center, Massachuset ts General hospital
The Gambling industry members talk about how to keep the people playing the machine longer, faster and more intensively and the way they speak about their aim is an aim of player extinction. Keeping the player there until their budget is thoroughly exhausted , until they have zero the player out.
Hi Rip and welcome to the forum. I hate to tell you but if you continue it will only get worse. I can say from experience. In four years of gambling over a roughly six year period of time I managed to sabotage my life.
You threw away your cards but we all know how to get replacements or new ones. Can you ban from the casinos? Not possible? Well then can you ask a trusted family member to help you with money? If we don’t have access to money we can’t gamble.
Thank you as from me as well Kin! You have always been so smart, intelligent. We know that falling for this doesn’t mean we are stupid people. Thank you for being here.
Keep posting RIP. We are often isolated because of our addiction. Staying connected to those who know what this addiction is like can be part of the answer.
Keep searching for answers and knowledge. Take care,
LauraHey Nick, just catching up! Glad to know all your attempts have failed so far. Brain says yes? Switch the channel. I don’t gamble anymore. Not for me. Waste of time and money. You have got it right. The reasons not to far outweigh any possible benefit. It is our primitive brain looking for a fix but we know how much chaos that can bring to our lives. Hope your weekend has gone well. Good to see you posting. Take care, Laura
Hi Craig and welcome to the forum! Thank you for your post on my thread. I’m her for a quick post and then time to get ready for the day ahead. Time is something we never get back. Time with our loved ones whom we’d be devastated without. Yet we have taken them for granted that they will always be there while we chase pipe dreams. So it makes me very happy to read that you are making an effort this weekend to break the habit and make new memories that are positive. Keep at it. One day at a time. Laura
sorry, to continue or clarify,
perhaps you can find some counseling re addiction through your university or mental health system. Gamblers Anonymous can be a very supportive place. To hear the words of people who know what it’s been like and have put it behind them can be helpful. And you find out that there are all different people from all walks of life that can become affected by this. You didn’t ask for this addiction. But you can ask for help. Look for people you trust to support you. Not everyone needs to know your issues and most wont understand. Surround yourself with a positive support network. Take care, Laura
Hi EKW and welcome to the forum. Your story of gambling addiction and how it makes us behave and feel is a familiar one. Our details may be different and the amounts may be different but it’s devastation and the havoc it wreaks are the same. The suicidal thoughts, the thoughts of criminal activity to bail oneself out or even feeling like your losing your mind are all the same. It sounds like you are taking a lot of positive steps. Admitting to your auntie that you gambled, trying to add physical activity back into your life and reaching out here. There are more things that you can do. Obtain credit counseling from a non profit group if you can. Find counseling, is there anything offered through university? Join Gamblers Anonymous. I’m sorry I just missed you in chat. I will keep checking for you. And please keep posting.
Take care, Laura
Good move Slot junkie. I wish I could ban. It would be another tool in the tool box to help you make it through today. Keep using all sources of help. Recovery is all the little gains and improvements that add up. Recovery is remaking ourselves. So well done again on banning. It is another step in the right direction. take care, Laura
I’ll be on in 10! I put a little post above for you. Look up 🙂