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Hi Onmyway

Welcome and really well done on starting a thread – i too became addicted to gambling in my 40s. It is so difficult to stop but what has helped me is having a lot of barriers . I have gambling blockers on all my internet devices – I think maybe you can get self- barred for your local casinos . It might be embarrassing but it will give you complete freedom. .

Nobody gets it like we do on here -one part of our brain
screams stop while another completely over powers it with the scream of you can win it back !

We can’t and won’t – because even if we win we cannot withdraw it and keep it withdrawn. We have lost control over this – it controls us .

It is time for us all to take our lives back – many have done andyou can too.

There are groups on tonight which I think you will find really helpful- you will get to chat to others and get lots of advice

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Hi Lizbeth
It does i deed sound like divine intervention.
Perhaps this would be a good time to look at any extra barriers you may need – I say this because for me the only reason I haven’t gambled is that I can’t. I got a text from a casino yesterday and it is still causing urges for me – a sum of money landing in my account would make it very difficult for me to resist . Maybe you and I will always have urges – but we can take action to avoid gambling. – lecture over – it’s just that I know how gutted you will feel if that lump of money slips away !

It’s so sad that your mum has to watch her memory fail and I’m sure this worry will impact on your urges – remember for so long gambling was our number one coping strategy .
On the bright side your children are doing well , you can be debt free very soon and it’s good that your urges have lessened .

Your hobby can becomes money spinner , you have so much to look forward to – don’t let this addiction steal another second of happiness from you Lizbeth .

Onwards and upwards xx

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In chat now ?

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Today I am feeling the after effects of too much red wine . My alcohol free May lasted 3 days .

I feel a peace that has been unknown to me for almost a decade.

I feel happy .

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Hi Jaykay
Well done on your achievement and the progress you have made in life . I too remember that feeling of dread – imagine us working all week and then being unable to pay for a burger !

I have been gamble free for a much shorter while but I know I am far from cured -I still get urges; triggered mostly now by advertising on tv, and I know the only real thing between me and my next bet is my barriers.

I think. The fact that life becomes so much more fulfilling and happier really helps us to stay stopped – it is the best feeling to know that there is a little money behind me .

Please keep reminding us all of how well you are doing.

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Many of us are so lost Kin that we have lost our moral compass. We have lied to ourselves and others for so long we have lost our sense of truth.
Everyday we don’t gamble we regain a little of our own truth – and our moral compass grows – as does our self respect , our love of life and so many other positive things
.
Keep strong Kin, keep questioning and keep on making us think with your insightful posts .

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That’s sounds very positive – any boost in energy is good .you said before that you are very sensitive to any drugs (I am too so I get it ) so perhaps they are acting a little stronger I. Your body.
I was at a marvellous course about health – I will tell u about it in chat as I think it might identify me if I write about it here .
Let’s just say I always wondered why I am so healthy despite breaking all the rules. I now think I know why. The supplements I am are definitely tweaking a few things and although unfit I feel the best I have done in years .

One day there willbe a computer which will be able to give us all exactly the prescription we need in exactly the right amounts, simply their reading our genes !
Until then I guess it’s trial and error .

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I think the more busy we are the more we forget . Technology changes so fast none of us can keep up.
What are the herbs you are taking ?
Maybe I could do with some !lol

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Phone keeps deleting my posts so I will be brief .
I wa s questioning whether this is something to do with feeling less than or belittled in your child hood ?
We carry so much baggage that we are unaware of ?

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My phone has gone crazy -it posted a just started post and deleted a long one – Monica I saw u had urges – I got a text from a casino and I had urges too- important thing is we didn’t gamble ! We are free and today I love that I have choices !

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Thank you Monica
GT has always had cycles where it is quiet – it gets really busy just before and after Christmas and in the new year when people are panic stricken , or when people make new years resolutions .
Many people forget about GT when gambling again takes hold( i have often had time out for this reason ). Now, thank God I recognise that the reason I am here less often is because my life and my thoughts have become filled with non gambling stuff. I guess it is the same with many others .

I guess it would not be a good sign if we were gamble free and all our time was spend on “not gambling “. GT is here when we need the support.

However I will stay checking in with GT as I don’t want to lose contact with the lovely people I have met on her, , I also like to remind myself of how far I have come and of course writing is therapeutic for me !

I also try to make Charles group at least once a week – he is much less annoying when you are gamble free I find (joke Charles!). He reminds me of teachers- he takes our anger and our annoyance ( which is often easier to direct at others than ourselves ) and greets us with a smile and a welcome the next day . He is a bit like Dr Phil – he tells it as it is , but without the sting or the putdown that many of us find difficult to withhold.
And he celebrates with us when we succeed !
OMG Someone should put that man forward for one of those awards the queen of England gives out ! Take note GT staff!

Onwards and upwards !

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Hi Johnny These are the posts I love to read -the posts where it is clear that so much more than finiances are being rebuilt – the relationship with your wife is going from strength to strength and it is nice thatout brains now allow us to put others first.

You sound so happy in yourself Johnny – it is like your brain and your life is being rebuilt. I am in awe of your inner strength that you could avoid all those casinos on the ship and even give away your “free” money.

How happy you sound and how deservedly so. I feel it is a measure of the person you are (gambling aside) and a measure of the person your wife is that she has stuck with you through it all. You both deserve many more wonderful experiences

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Hi Kin, congratulations on the new jobs- i have just read your post about Abraham and Isaac and amazingly in the background the very same passage is being discussed on my tv!
I think I might have to go and read that passage !

You know you can have that peace every day (you don’t have to wait for 365 days ) . Just read over the passages you discussed and trust in God to provide – he has provided for us all so far despite our many faults .
Once we truly trust in God we have that peace .

Keep posting , keep trusting .

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Hi Laura
It feels like ages since we met in chat .
I have decided that being less reliant on GT is a great sign of a recovery going in the right direction- despite the slight urges , mostly caused by advertising , I kinda feel I am making it.

I hope to catch you in chat over the weekend and find out how things are going with your new venture !

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Hi moNica
That’s good news about your daughter- well not as bad as things could have been.
Glad to hear life is going well- Monica where did we ever get time to gamble? I feel it’s good when people post less because they are busy living their gamble free lives but it’s nice to stay in touch .
That’s a good observation about Pete’s stomach trouble – anxiety is often expressed as stomach pain – I wonder if maybe he is anxious about his future without you as his safety net ?

Yes poor William Hill- what a wonderful company to worry about the employees who will lose their jobs ? I wonder how many of them give their money straight back to the company through gambling ? I am so happy to read that there will be one less bit of misery in the world . I hope they drop the stakes are dropped to the lowest bet level.

Hope to catch you in chat over weekend – just missed you last night !

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