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Hi echo
You are not alone – there are many of us on here who struggle with this addiction . Well done for seeking help.
I too have a parent who gambled away lots of things – and I didn’t think I would repeat the cycle.
You can stop gambling . Barriers would help you like a gambling blocker on your phone or cutting up cards you use to gamble.
For me I have to make it impossible for me to gamble .
There is also GAMSTOP which you can sign up to.

I hope this helps – you can have a great future – and you will make many friends on here .
Keep strong

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Hi Monica
I have to have one of those facials !!
It was worth locking your keys out to get a compliment like that .
I look 11 years older.
Still gamble free – thank you for all your non-judgemental support . Looking forward to Christmas for once xx

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It is so nice to wake up and know I haven’t gambled yesterday.
I feel a sense of freedom that I haven’t had in so long (since I upgraded my phone in August.). I don’t know why I didn’t lock down my phone sooner – in truth some part of me didn’t want to . I have bought the correct cover and tempered glass for this phone – so hopefully I won’t have to change it for many years.

I did try to get around my phone blocker last night – but only for half an hour or so- I just be improving !lol !

Checked my bank account – still looking ok- a little more frugal living and I should be ok this month if there are no emergencies ! I didn’t buy clothes yesterday ( I need them badly ) , I will survive with what I have until next payday.

Today I am going to say well done to me because despite everything I have managed to hold down a job and work hard for all these years! It will stand me in good stead now I am not gambling

Have a great day everyone .

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Lizbeth
So sorry to read you gambled – it is so hard to stay stopped.
I took on extra work two years ago and I have not seen the benefit of it due to gambling so I know what that feels like.

I don’t know if there is any way you can put barriers in place to protect your earnings.

Today is a new day- you have money coming to you and you have enough to scrape by. You will be ok Lizbeth – it feels so horrible right now but this too will pass .
Hugs xx

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Hi Lizbet
You have got this – its temporary unlike when we gamble and the money is gone forever! I know it’s a pain and so disappointing after working so hard but none is as good at surviving with little money as us !!

I hope you feel Better – I have Been making a kind of turmeric milk(except I use cream and a few other spices with it ) and I hve to say it really seems to be keeping bugs at bay ! It must be milk or cream though not tea because the fat helps it to work! Might be worth a try!

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Hi Monica
Hope your back is much better – how is your skin now after the facial? Do you notice a difference ?
Hope work is going well.
Talk soon xx

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Hi Craig – well done on reaching the seven week mark .
That is a great statement – we are all tough- those of us who never give up on giving up gambling!

Hope you are enjoying all your gambling free time .

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Had a very industrious day – already feeling the benefits of not gambling – I think maybe my finances are somehow quite good despite gambling a huge chunk of my monthly wages- I have been careful since.!

I have not bought new clothes in a while./ but tonight I think I will go shopping – I had thought maybe I will go to bingo but think I might prefer a new top. Just having the space the blocker gives me to clear my head and think is amazing. .

I feel more in control of my life – it’s like the way I view things had suddenly been illuminated – I can see what helps me and what is unhelpful !

I am doing ok!

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Hey Kathryn
I do most of the father/ son moments in my house lol!
Matches always seem to come first unless of course it is a trip to where a match might be on!

I get this post – it could have been my house !
Well done on the ciggies – u will be very rich soon !
Xx

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And I am so glad I have that blocker tonight ! 

Yes it’s a shame I had to test it – but it’s great that it stood the test !

Trying to gamble when you have cut off access is  so disappointing and such a relief at the same time .

it’s  strange – you can almost smell freedom but some part  you hates to let your old friend go. 

I  guess if it was easy I wouldn‘t need to have barriers.

i wonder how much better off I am going  to sleep tonight – I wish I had an app like Kathyrn has for smoking. I will make a conservative estimate  I have saved £140- that kinda feels good!  I will treat myself to something new !

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Thank you for your post.
I felt everything was relevant .
I have known for many years what ATM is – explaining it yet again onmy thread After several times in group exemplifies exactly what I am saying !.
I simply felt people heard what they wanted to hear – rather than listen to what I was saying.

I have made the most important change for now which is installing a blocker to help me “take control of my life “.
I am happy with this for now .

I am taking Harry’s advice and being kind to myself !

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I have just come from the worse group where I felt unheard.
It was horrible, demotivating and I’m not sure why I go .
I gamble online – for me I need to limit access to online gambling. (ATM) So carrying a few extra quid in my purse to work is not going to make much difference. It has never on all my years occured to me to go to a casino where I live (almost 30 years) . (I do find It hard to say no when I visit my mum ) Cutting off access to online will and has in the past stopped me from gambling
I have set up my phone blocker to do this
And I know i it was foolish to stop using it when I got my new phone. This worked for me . I have gone two days with urges but no online gambling because I simply can’t.

We are back to this truth that one size doesn’t fit all- in the past I have emptied my bank account so I can’t gamble online – this has worked for me also . Others can’t have a spare tenner in their wallet or they will end up in a casino or bookies !

Goes to prove – one size doesn’t fit all!!

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Thank you Kathryn , Monica and Velvet for your posts .
Kathryn I thought it was perceived as a significant problem
In Australia as some of the best resources online which I have come accross are from there . However I guess they don’t have many laws or rules to protect those with addiction.

Velvet , your comments are so true . As a result of this addiction I find that I am a much more compassionate person and I understand that life isn’t always black and white . This has been hugely helpful to me in my work and in my friendships – in both I deal with people who are doing their best even though it might not look like enough to others.

Today has been a good day. – Driving home from work, I again felt that if I just made a big deposit and played really big bets I would have a Big win. Interestingly these thoughts always come with specific amounts of winnings which seem unrelated to anything .

I can live with urges – I can no longer live with the consequences of acting on them.

Onwards and upwards !

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Oh and one more thing- I am finding that people on this site are being so kind to me… and I realise this so kinda new for me … I am battle weary !

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Thank you Laura , Nick and Monica .

Yes I can self certify for a week I guess.
The perfectionist part of me hates taking time off work (sad I know ).
Nick I understand The need for not telling people – to be honest laura my work does have free counselling but I don’t trust them not to blab- I think we could safely say I don’t trust many people- and I think recent misjudgements on my part have reinforced that .

Just as well I have shut my phone down because I am so sure right now that I have the formula to win- I just need to make bigger deposits and place larger bets – much larger !
Now doesn’t that make a lot of sense ? Crazy brain is feeling frustrated that I can’t gamble – in fact I just bought a £2 scratch card – lottery is not good for me because I have to face people and ask for the cards – it’s not anonymous enough – so could Only buy one .
Already crazy brain is telling me to start buying £10 tickets and pretend they are for Xmas presents – luckily sane. brain is too embarrassed to ask for them

So there’s my struggle – am I in recovery ? Maybe on my way there ..maybe …

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