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Hi Craig,
I have relapse many times. Each time I came back starting from day one.
It is my day 540 today, this is like the longest I have stay stop.
We are all work in progress.Just wanted to let you know that I hope you are able to stop and stay stop.
Will be cheering and supporting you on the sidewalk.Step 12
Having made an effort to practice these principles in all our affairs, we tried to carry this message to other compulsive gamblers.Hi risingphoenix
I really hope that this setback will build you and not break you.
Let us learn the lesson together from this mistake. I am sure this will made you stronger.Your presence has help many here.
There are many who are still struggling and could not stop gambling for more than a month, 6 months, a year or multiple years.
You have given us hope and your support gives us strength.
I am now counting my gamble free days exactly just like you, I look forward to counting gamble free days together with you.
By the grace of God, I have fully paid the purchase of the smallest flat I can buy and the renovation this year.May the people suffering in pain come in here to see the light and hope you can bring to them.
Hi Craig,
I really hope that you find this information helpful.Problem Gambling Withdrawals and Post-Acute Withdrawals (PAWS)
Making changes and stopping problem behavior of any kind is very difficult. We would like to help you better understand what you will go through physically, emotionally, and biologically once you have made the decision to stop gambling.
It is important to understand that when you stop using substances or gambling you may experience withdrawals, depression, and cravings.
Studies show that when a person ingests a chemical like drugs or alcohol, the substance stimulates the reward/pleasure center of their brain. Did you know that the same process occurs when gambling? This is what makes you feel good and why for some people, gambling can become an addiction.
There is something called neurotransmitters in the brain and body that fire off substances when needed. Some of these that are involved in the feel good of addiction you may have heard of: dopamine, serotonin, adrenaline and endorphins.
A couple of examples would be when you work out or do any cardio where your heart gets pumping, you feel more relaxed and less pain. This is the neurotransmitter called endorphins causing you to feel better.
If you are on anti-depressants, which are prescribed by a doctor, the antidepressants light up the neurotransmitters of dopamine and serotonin, which make you feel better.
With compulsive gambling, you only have to think about gambling or remember a past gamble in order to fire off these neurotransmitters. This makes it more difficult to stop. Even though you are not ingesting anything, a chemical change is still occurring within your brain!
In the absence of problem gambling or substance abuse, the brain fires off these neurotransmitters by itself when we need to feel good.
Someone suffering from problem gambling begins to rely on an outside source to fire them off. After some time, as the addiction progresses, the brain forgets how to fire them off by itself – and the person becomes dependent on gambling to make them feel good. The result is called a craving, caused by the brain wanting the stimulant. There may also be depression or withdrawals.
There are two steps in the withdrawal process:
Acute Withdrawal can have symptoms lasting 3-10 days after stopping the behavior.
Post-Acute Withdrawal (PAWS) happens over time, with symptoms lasting up to 18 months or longer. Some may have withdrawal cravings for the rest of their lives.
During the withdrawal process, there are certain times when the brain is healing and learning to reboot or repair itself. These times can be particularly difficult and cause cravings and depressive symptoms. If you are working on your recovery, be aware of these times by noticing your behaviors.
Here are some things to look out for at these times:
Irritable
Overreacting
Anxious
Having difficulty concentrating
Feeling rage
Short- and long-term memory loss
Rapid and repetitive thinking
Sleep problems
Gambling dreams
Low energy Headaches
Mood swings
Less stress tolerance
ImpulsivityThe first 60-120 days of recovery are critical, because not only are you going through physical changes (withdrawals), but you are trying to make changes in your life and fix the problems caused by the behavior. Relapse can and does happen, so expect it. If you slip and gamble then learn how and why it happened, pick yourself up and keep going into recovery. The best approach would be to find a trusted person and share with them this information and what your thoughts and behaviors are around cravings and withdrawals. You then must give them permission to tell you what they are noticing, and you cannot get mad about it. Be careful not to use this as an excuse to go gamble and try and blame them for the relapse.