[finding_laura]

Thank you Vera, for you very thoughtful post. I am reaching out to that support. Had a very good one on one with a very good recovery friend. We were very close with our time in the program. She is still going strong. Heard about another friend who had never admitted to a problem still losing all kinds of money. And here I am, with my big toe dipped back in the pool of recovery. I am ready to jump back. And as I’ve learned the lessons before and have had years of experience it would be much like never forgetting how to swim once you’ve truly learned. I’ve been talking a lot to my husband about where my money is to go once I receive it. So that he knows if it doesn’t go there. Slowly i’m working on my barriers. And using the tools of recovery. – Laura

[finding_laura]

Hi Lynda, i often talk to God too when I am gambling. Oh please God just let me win enough to make up for what i lost. I’ll do the responsible things with the money. I deserve it. Then when I lose, because even when i win, i will lose. I don’t deserve this God, what have i done to deserve this? Please take this addiction away. But really the slots i play are a man made machine that is designed to entice and thrill and hook. They are designed to make the venues money. The only guarantee is that the more you play the more you will end up losing. It is not God who is responsible for whether I win or lose. God gave us free will in this life. I need to use mine to say no to gambling. I need to put in place the things that will help me get through the bad times. Keep working on your issues Lynda and prepare for when you have money again. Because the desire will really start pumping through your veins as soon as your money arrives. Well done on your progress! Stay strong, Laura

[finding_laura]

That urge to get your money back is just the addiction trying to get you to play! Because like you said, even when you won, it was put back in again. We are never satisfied. We just want more. One bet is too many and a thousand is not enough. Try and get it in your mind that you will not get that money back. It was a very expensive lesson. Look at everything you will gain by no longer gambling. More time being invested in your family. Being present when you are with them. Knowing the value that your family holds for you and that you would do anything to keep them in your life. You are recognizing these things already! Have a good gamble free day 🙂 Laura

[finding_laura]

Hi Rua, it was good to chat with you the other day. I hope you have been able to put to use some of the information and suggestions given here. I know we discussed blocking software. I hope you were able to get some installed. Let us know how you are doing, I am hoping that you are still here reading and learning about this addiction and what it takes to stop it. Take care,
Laura

[finding_laura]

thanks Charles for the advice as always. It has been good to make it to some of the earlier sessions when there are facilitators to talk to. Tonight I had a little company too. It did me good to talk barriers with someone new. I need a little reminding of the tools of recovery. Rusty. Still not gambling. ODAAT

[finding_laura]

Good for you!!! Tell the man where to get off! 🙂 On a serious note, amazing job getting those barriers up and in place for when you get urges. And soon or later, one pops up its ugly little head. Each day you see progress must feel good! Well done! Laura

[finding_laura]

Hi Lynda,

welcome to the forum and well done on posting your story. Now you have a place to come and put your thoughts relating to gambling, as well as a place to learn from others We support each other through this process of stopping the madness and then staying stopped. I think one of the hardest things is getting it into our heads that we can never gamble responsibly again. No matter what we will lose control eventually and hurt ourselves once again. Charles has some really good advice on stopping. Like perhaps you can self exclude at the casino if that is where you gamble? Or perhaps restricting your access to cash somehow? I too am working on putting some of these barriers in place. Now that I have stopped I want to stay stopped. Keep posting. Never give up trying.
Laura

[finding_laura]

Hello Greenstar and welcome to the forum. It may be hard to believe but you are catching your addiction early. You are absolutely right when you say it will cost you all your savings, but that would only be the beginning. I lost what I had then I borrowed to try and win back what I lost and then some. There are those that would tell you they only wish they had lost money, and not their wife and their family. When we can’t control our gambling or be an occasional responsible gambler it’s like we can never go back to being one. Our brains have changed and it is difficult to stop.

You have taken some great steps so far. Closing your accounts and coming here! Not having access to money helps also. I’m not an online gambler, so maybe some of the more phone savy members could give you further suggestions on how to block gambling totally on your phone.

Keep posting, reading, and learning about this addiction or compulsion. Sometimes the words themselves are the reminder you need not to gamble.

take care,
Laura

[finding_laura]

Thanks I Did It, I think it will feel good. But I have to make sure I make it to that point. I’ve been on the site regularly since my last bet. Re imursing myself in recovery is helping to keep away urges so far. Never anyone around in group. I’ m thinking I should take in a GA meeting. 10 days no gambling. Happy Easter everyone

[finding_laura]

really sorry to hear how you are currently feeling. No matter what, things can be worse. I hope the light of morning sheds some new hope on your situation. Laura

[finding_laura]

Hey Dave, that’s a lot of pressure at one time but perhaps that will work for you as we are not all alike. I understand what you meant about not wanting to stop. For the longest time I would dream or fantasize about winning the lottery so that I could afford to sit there and play the slots all day. And i played in a little dingy smoking room with poor ventilation and some pretty off putting fellow players. Not the typical idea of paradise or what you want to be doing if money was no longer an issue. But to my gambling addled brain that was paradise. Gambling messes with our brains, takes a while for them to sort of balance out. Can affect our moods. Quitting smoking of course has its own set of challenges. Wishing you all the best. Laura

[finding_laura]

Awesome to hear I did it! Laughter is the greatest medicine and a good source of feel good chemicals. No urges come with time although I don’t know if there is a guarantee of never ever having an urge again. The best part is you didn’t act on any. I too am very grateful today. Laura

[finding_laura]

hei AVFC godt gjort på to uker 🙂 du har gjort noen gode endringer og føler at du tenker klarere etter et par uker unna. Jeg vil foreslå at du fortsetter å gjøre endringer. Har du en programvareblokkering på telefonen? i tillegg til å ekskludere fra nettstedene? Det tar bare et sekund med svakhet, eller til og med bare et minutt med å bli distrahert og uvitende om å forbli spillfri. Jeg måtte også gi opp kontrollen over pengene mine i begynnelsen. Jeg kunne bare ikke nekte fristelsen. Jeg håper vi hører fra Hammo snart da dere to virket så god støtte for hverandre. Jeg er et tilbakevendende medlem som hadde nesten 6 års ren tid i. Og så en dag stoppet jeg meg ikke. Selv om det blir lettere med tiden, blir hjernen vår klarere, den kan i noen tilfeller retrigges. Husk alt dette kan ta fra deg og vær sterk! Laura

[finding_laura]

Hola, AVFC bien hecho en dos semanas 🙂 has hecho algunos cambios buenos y sientes que estás pensando con más claridad después de un par de semanas. Te sugiero que sigas haciendo cambios. ¿Tiene un bloqueador de software en su teléfono? además de excluir de los sitios? Solo toma un segundo de debilidad, o incluso solo un minuto de distracción y no ser consciente de mantenerse libre de apuestas. También tuve que ceder el control de mi dinero al principio. Parecía que no podía negar la tentación. Espero tener noticias de Hammo pronto, ya que ustedes dos parecían un buen apoyo el uno para el otro. Soy un miembro que regresa y tenía casi 6 años de tiempo limpio. Y luego, un día, simplemente no me detuve. Aunque se vuelve más fácil con el tiempo, nuestro cerebro se aclara, se puede reactivar en una instancia. ¡Recuerda que todo esto te puede quitar y mantente fuerte! Laura

[finding_laura]

Ei, AVFC gerai padaryta per dvi savaites 🙂 padarėte keletą gerų pakeitimų ir jaučiatės aiškiau mąstę po poros savaičių. Siūlyčiau ir toliau daryti pakeitimus. Ar jūsų telefone yra programinės įrangos blokatorius? be pašalinimo iš svetainių? Trūksta tik vienos sekundės silpnumo ar net minutės, kai esi išsiblaškęs ir nežinai, kaip likti laisvas. Iš pradžių taip pat turėjau atsisakyti savo pinigų kontrolės. Aš tiesiog negalėjau paneigti pagundos. Tikiuosi, kad išgirsime iš Hammo, kai jūs abu atrodėte toks geras palaikymas vienas kitam. Aš esu grįžęs narys, turintis beveik 6 metus švaraus laiko. Ir tada vieną dieną aš tiesiog nesustojau. Nors laikui bėgant jis tampa lengvesnis, mūsų smegenys tampa skaidresnės, tačiau tam tikru atveju jis gali būti paleistas iš naujo. Atminkite, kad visa tai gali atimti iš jūsų ir išlikite stiprūs! Laura

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