[kin]

It depends how honest you want to be.

You cannot gamble anymore. You will only make it worse.

Put the remaining money away to settle debts and keep the rest.

This isn’t a life sentence.

It is not too late for you to stop gambling now.

If you try to gamble, you’ll cause yourself more hardship.

I was reading hambone post, I copy and paste it here to remind myself to be careful.

very short, very true, very real.

[kin]

Hi Monica,
Thank you for your sharing.

[kin]

Our gambling addiction will trigger a series of automatic and habitual reactions to life’s problems.

Problem that will create so much pain and discomfort that a return to gambling will seem like the best option. What are you going to do about it?

No?

When the pain of not gambling; pain from life ‘s problem become more painful than the pain of gambling. Is this the breaking point?

[kin]

Hi Meghna,

I am so sorry to read about your last gamble.

You are doing well and I thought the arrival of your newborn can stop your gambling.

I really do not wish you to go through the pain and suffering that I have went through in search of recovery from addiction.

I took almost 20 years to realize that staying gamble free alone is abstinence without recovery.

We need a Higher Power and a recovery program to help us recover. May you find them now.

[kin]

I just woke up. The fatigue and exhaustion I had yesterday is gone, the thought to eat, drink, gamble or go for a massage has disappear completely.

[kin]

It seem like every time such and such a thing happen, this will happen.

Every time I feel mentally exhausted or stress after work, I will gamble.

I must not sit and do nothing. I must replace gambling with something else.

Since I am tired, I will sleep. This is my plan.

Step 1 of Emotional Anonymous:

We admitted we were powerless over our emotions, that our lives had become unmanageable.

Everything is ok and I am ok tonight unlike last friday when everything was not ok but I was ok.

[kin]

Have I truly admit my powerlessness over my gambling?

Have I honestly surrender to gambling?

Do I really think I can control gambling?

Do I really think I can beat gambling?

What has cheating in recovery done for me?

What has cheating in recovery done to me?

[kin]

Hi I did it,

It was great to meet you in the group meeting and thank you for asking me an honest question, I appreciate it very much.

What does recovery means to me? This question made me reflect on the reason why I do it.

I thought about all the benefits and advantages it has given to my life right now.

[kin]

It seem like everytime such and such a thing happen, this will happen.

If I have something to pay and I do not have enough money, I need to win the money, I would gamble.

“It was going to be $2800 to fix. Normally, I’d instantly think I needed to win the money – this time, I paid for it when I got paid. It set me back about 10 days in my plan, but that’s life.” ~ Hambone

Thank you Hambone for showing me that I have a choice and do not need to gamble.

[kin]

When I believe that gambling can solve my problems and forget what gambling can do to me, I am in real trouble.

Thinking about past winning experience from chasing losses and the painful, pressuring, discomfort feeling from stopping gambling can trigger me and keep me trap in gambling.

They promote gambling and made staying stop in gambling difficult.

[kin]

Step 1 of Emotional Anonymous:

We admitted we were powerless over our emotions, that our lives had become unmanageable.

I feel very lousy and experience anger, resentment, fear, helplessness, anxiety on Friday. Instead of gambling and alcohol use when I feel pain and discomfort, I replace it with reading recovery books, listening to newcomer sharing and share in meetings.

I was relieve that I did not do anything stupid this time, 12 midnite on Friday, I receive my salary, I resisted the temptation of holding on to the money and paid all my bills. 

I have failed countless time in the past but I did not self-destruct on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. From feeling fear and insecurity on the job on Friday to stability and certainty on Monday…I survive this storm.

Thank God and the recovery program.

[kin]

“Money that comes easily disappears quickly, but money that is gathered little by little will grow”. Proverbs 13:11

[kin]

Working recovery in Gambling Therapy – My Journal Forum can be so fun especially when I do the question and answer found in some recovery program here.

I can always go back to the same question to edit and add some more whenever the answer to that question come to my thought, feeling and emotion. I can answer those question slowly and carefully; Easy does it.

This really help a problem gambler like me with incredible short memory and so many blind spots to be mindful of slipping into old ways.

I revisit these questions and answers whenever I need.

Thank God for the power, mercy, grace, guidance and direction in Jesus Christ almighty name.

Thank you Gambling Therapy and everyone in the My Journal forum.

[kin]

Thank you for posting on my thread. I hear you well.

We can all learn to enjoy life and recovery.

I remember hearing a speaker talk about city people buying expensive condominium and getting themselves into debt, stress and having to work a lifetime to repay that loan like a slave.

He return to his village and start building mud/clay/brick/straw houses. Today he has no debt but has many houses, he jokes that he need to decide everyday where he would stay for the night.

He enjoy the freedom, peace, joy and beauty that mother nature has given him.

He was a graduate just like those city people but choose to wear donated clothes and plant his own food.

He is self sufficient and even have enough food to give away.

[kin]

What would I have to do to cause a relapse?

I don’t have to do anything.

I only need to stop gambling and start counting gamble free days

I continue to live my life the way I always have.

My disease will do the rest.

It will trigger a series of automatic and habitual reactions to life’s problems

Problem that will create so much pain and discomfort

One day I will feel that the pain and discomfort of staying gamble free was much greater than the pain of gambling. A return to gambling will seem like a positive option

[Author]

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