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Well done Amg- that’s really great progress .
You will earn far more money by not gambling .
Keep strong .

[i-did-it]

Well done Amg- that’s really great progress .
You will earn far more money by not gambling .
Keep strong .

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Berta
Steev has made a great suggestion. The online “live support” on here is really good and it runs for most of the day.
I often really felt I needed to go to the support but I worried about wasting their time – even when I did connect I felt
I had to get off really fast .
I’m not sure why I felt I wasn’t worthy of the online counsellor spending time with me and my problem.
Recently (after ten miserable years ) I have started reaching out and I am finding these people really do want to help . I guess there would be little job satisfaction for them if they didn’t feel they were helping people in their chosen career as a counsellor. So I guess in a way I’m helping them feel fulfilled!

Berta you at worth so much and you deserve to be free of this – in your own time perhaps connect anonymously with the online counsellors on here or on another site. You have nothing to lose and you might find it helps .

Keep strong xx

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Thank you Kathryn
Sound advice ! I am tough and you know life could be a lot tougher .

I bought new sandals yesterday – I feel so nice today. I bought them in a “good” shop but they were on sale.
They are so much nicer than my usual cheapie shop buys and they are comfortable. Little things can lift us so much and yes I look well !

I think I am nearly two weeks gamble free – not trying to deceive anyone but I actually can never keep track – my last fling with gambling was two all nighters which left my brain barely functioning – one session I gambled for 16 hour non-stop.

I feel changed – I feel opening up to my counsellor as somehow taken the power gambling has had over me. Vera often said on here “we are only as sick as our secrets” which to be honest I often found annoying (sorry Vera xx) because I didn’t believe there was a connection.

It’s not the secrecy in itself that is the issue, it’s the burden of carrying it all inside of us that drags us down.

Hope everyone is having a great gamble free day and if not brush yourself down and start right now!.

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Hi Kathryn

Thank you for your post on my thread – it really means a lot that you take the time to write .

I’m sorry to hear you are struggling financially but I’m guessing the camping trips cost very little if you already have all the equipment and they are a nice break from “real” life!

It is so difficult to manage when money comes irregularly but an idea might be to decide your husband’s pay is for a few specific things for example rent / mortgage and then stick it into an account and let it pay only that by direct debit .

This way it might seem like a more regular source of income as it will stretch ! It is so tempting to splash out when money comes in irregularly as it does feel like a windfall of sorts !

There you go – sound financial advice from someone who is paying off a payday loan, just got referred to two debt collectors and has just about enough for food until payday !

How come is so much easier to give advice than follow it !

Keep posting – I love your updates !

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Another gamble free day had passed.
I am doing well except for one thing – I told my spouse a little about the addiction and as I already knew, it has been a huge mistake. I should Have continued to ignore the appalling advice I was given about honesty. You don’t give ammunition to an abusive person ! However, recovery is happening -and with it change will happen. I don’t have my gambling escape but I have a clearer mind, a child almost grown and freedom almost within reach!
Life is going to get so much better !!

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Hi Stephen
Well done on day 3 – it is not easy to stop but you have made that break.
One of the uses of NAC is indeed for lung conditions – it seems like a bit of a miracle supplement – it has so many uses!

Keep strong Stephen and try to not look back. Perhaps if you made a plan as to how you could earn or save money to replace what is lost it might help you focus on the future .

Onwards and upwards !

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Never a truer word was spoken Jen .
I like how you give new meaning to the word windfall.
It makes me realise that every day I wake up to a healthy family and a roof over our heads I have my windfall right here.

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Hi Meghna
This isn’t the same as your original day one because you have learned lessons and these will strengthen your recovery.
I think counselling might be helpful for you – I certainly remember feeling really lonely when I had my baby and although I absolutely adored him, I felt quite isolated from the life and people I had pre- baby.
Gamcare provide free counselling which you can do online and might be worth considering .
Well done on raising your barriers .

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Well done on your week gamble free AMG – it will get easier and the finances will improve. Keep strong !

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Started clearing out the clutter in my home – found bag with decade old birthday cards and gifts. That bag represents how long I have been in a gambling bubble.

Today I got worried that the bailiffs might call- not sure where the thought came from but as there is nothing of value in house it occurs to me that it might help with the de-cluttering! Lol. Really though I guess it’s a reminder that have to start taking action to sort out my ignored finances and start opening that stash of letters I couldn’t face.

The thoughts of gambling are still there, the thoughts of a big windfall are still there but the inclination to actually gamble seems to be absent. I am feeling positive .

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Brill Jen – it offers nothing except pain, shame and misery !
Xx

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Well done Meghna!
That’s a great achievement xx

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Hi Berta
You may feel like an outsider looking in but you are very much part of this support group. I think gambling addiction makes us feel like that – it completely isolated us until eventually it is just us and our gambling world .

If you are in England would you consider getting online counselling through Gamcare. I journal a lot but it certainly isn’t enough for me- in fact sometimes my journal annoys me because I am afraid to be really open in case I am identified and Jen the responses don’t rally correlate to where I am at at.

When you say you are a loner – is this by choice or do you find it difficult to mix with others perhaps due to shyness. It’s ok to enjoy your own company but it is good to seek out the support of others when we need it.
Berta Perhaps we will meet in group sometime- it is easier to communicate there .

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Happy 21st!
Keep strong !

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