[kin]

Dopamine is a chemical messenger in the brain that is responsible for: mood, movement, higher thought processes and the sense of well being.
A lot of the side effects with gambling addiction withdrawal are due to these low levels of dopamine and other neurotransmitters that are released when the addiction stops.
The worse the addiction, the more intense the withdrawal symptoms. Gambling addiction withdrawal is also due to membranes in the brain being destabilized.
This means that the ongoing addiction has altered the electrical and chemical balance of the brain and that it does not function normally. This brain destabilization may take months to year to correct.

[kin]

GAMBLING WITHDRAWAL SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
The signs and symptoms of gambling addiction withdrawal usually affect the mood and result in depression and or anxiety. The patient might also experience sleep disturbances and agitation.
Craving can be intense. The patient usually lack any feeling of pleasure or well being.
The vital signs can be affected and at times require medical supervision. The intensity of addiction determines how intense the therapy should be for gambling addiction withdrawal.
The cause of the withdrawal and cravings are due to electrical and chemical changes that occur in the brain during any addiction. The same is true for gambling addiction withdrawal.
To be more specific, addiction changes levels of dopamine in the pleasure center of the brain.
During the addictive process , dopamine levels are increased and this floods dopamine throughout the frontal cortex of the brain.
There is a specific area in the fore brain called the nucleus accumbens that appears to responsible for most of the reinforcing addictive behaviors.
This ongoing use of dopamine eventually down regulates the dopamine receptor sites and decreases endogenous dopamine as well.
Dopamine is a chemical messenger in the brain that is responsible for: mood, movement, higher thought processes and the sense of well being.
A lot of the side effects with gambling addiction withdrawal are due to these low levels of dopamine and other neurotransmitters that are released when the addiction stops.
The worse the addiction, the more intense the withdrawal symptoms. Gambling addiction withdrawal is also due to membranes in the brain being destabilized.
This means that the ongoing addiction has altered the electrical and chemical balance of the brain and that it does not function normally. This brain destabilization may take months to year to correct.
Some researchers believe that the brain may never heal completely. Gambling addiction withdrawal may continue in an attenuated form for a long time.
Cravings will come and go indefinitely. Some of the cravings may be stimulated by environmental ques which remind the addicted individual of their addiction.
This is true for gambling addiction withdrawal as well.
AFTER GAMBLING ADDICTION WITHDRAWAL WHAT THEN?
Once the person has completed gambling addiction withdrawal what then? Well relapse back into addiction is about 90%. Why is that?
There are many reasons for this dismal statistic. Just because an individual goes through gambling addiction withdrawal does not mean that he or she is cured.
This represents the beginning of the recovery process not the end. Recovery from addiction require an ongoing awareness of the problem.
This can be accomplished with a good behavioral modification program. The most common of these is the 12 Step program but there are many others as well.
The idea is to do something any addict who goes through gambling addiction withdrawal should have some sort of an ongoing support group. As long as the recovering person feels good in this support group this is strong.
The bottom line is that generally speaking, recovering addicts can not do it on their own. After gambling addiction withdrawal the recovering, individual should examine a healthy life style as well.
Studies have shown that recovering people who exercise are 50% more apt to be successful in recovery after gambling addiction withdrawal.
The actual structure of the brain can change with addiction. This is scary.
The individual who has experienced gambling addiction withdrawal and is in a recovery program must remember that they are never cured from addictive disease.
If the person gets back into their addictive life style or addiction, they will have to experience the whole painful process of gambling addiction withdrawal again.

[kin]

it was so nice to see familiar old friends in here.

how are you and how have life been?

blessings

Kin

[kin]

Autobiography of an addict in 5 short chapters

Chapter 1

I walk down the street,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk,
I fall in.
I am lost.……I am hopeless,
It take forever to find a way out.

Chapter 2

I walk down the same street ,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk,
I pretend I dun see it,
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place.
But I believe it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter 3

I walk down the same street ,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk ,
I see it is there
I still fall in…..it‘s a habit
I know where I am
It is my fault
I get out immediately

Chapter 4

I walk down the same street ,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk ,
I walk around it

Chapter 5

I walk down another street.

Where are you now?

[kin]

A Parable About Cracked Pots

A water bearer had two large pots, each hung on an end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the masters house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his masters house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.

“I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.”

“Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”

“I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your masters house.

Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts.” the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As we return to the masters house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some.

But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again the Pot apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pots side?

That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them.

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my masters table.

Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”

Each of us has our own unique flaws. We’re all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father’s table.

Have you ever felt like this pot with its crack – imperfect and ashamed?

Don’t be afraid of your flaws, acknowledge them because you too can be the cause of beauty.

Know that in our weakness God’s strength is made perfect. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

”And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’” 2 Corinthians 12:9

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves ;” 2 Corinthians 4:7

Blessings to all my crackpot friends

Praise the Lord!

[kin]

Dear diary,

I read and hear the promises many times in the support group meetings I attended in the past, it didn’t mean much to me, I feel that it was just some customary and routine reading in the meetings before the sharings start.

After I found my Higher Power, I was hit hard by a message, something magical happens to my life, the words in the promises keep coming to my mind. My Higher Power is telling me that one by one they are materializing in my life now.

I realized that the promises is The Truth now.

The 12 Promises of GA,NA,AA…..

1) We will know a new Freedom & Happiness.

2) We will not regret the Past, nor wish to shut the door on it.

3) We will comprehend the word Serenity.

4) We will know Peace.

5) We will see how our experiences would benefit others.

6) That feeling of Uselessness and Self-Pity will disappear.

7) We will lose interest in Selfish things.

8) Self Seeking will slip away.

9) Our whole attitude and outlook on life will change.

10) Fear of people and economic insecurity will leave us.

11) We will intuitively know how to handle situations that used to baffle us.

12) We will suddenly realize that GOD is doing for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves.

my Higher Power has a name, He is Jesus Christ.

[kin]

Dear diary,

I am thankful to be at this stage of recovery now. I am not down there and I am not up there, I am moving forward.

Just had a chat with my sponsor yesterday, he talk about God ‘s dislike especially the part about money I don’t have to work hard to get.
Check myself with a recovering person and I was reminded of step 4, whether my actions are selfish, dishonest, self-seeking due to fear or inconsiderate.
If I do not have an addict’s past and I am not in recovery, I wouldn’t be examining myself whether what I did is harming another person or self destructive in nature.

I agree with many in here that recovery is more than abstaining, recovery is about getting well but how can an addict get well without abstinence from gambling in the beginning.
It is always about first thing first, one day at a time. After a while, a person who have stay abstinence for a period of time will find out that recovery and getting well is more than about staying abstinence. It was about changes inside us, the changes we experience in the way we think and do, how we live life, have help us found a new freedom, peace and happiness we have never experience when we are gambling.

This is the best year I had in here and in recovery, I must work hard for it to stay this way……

I must be willing and I still need help, to get close to God.
I must check myself regularly while I enjoy living today. I need to make sure I am not slowly drifting to my old ways, I must look at my motive and intention, what is driving me to do those things which is not perfect in the eye of God.

I am human, I am not perfect but I am ok, I am grateful to God and more happy now.

[kin]

Hi Steph37,

I am a recovering video / slot machine addict too.

Do you remember what were you thinking and feeling before you head for the video / slot machines?

Hope you wouldn’t mind me asking you these questions to find out; What made you act out in the video / slot machine? What drives you to act out ? What are you trying to fix?

In my case, I found out that I was using the video / slot machine to fix the feeling I have inside, I could have use other better alternative and more healthy ways.

In the early days, I stop gambling at the video / slot machines because I did not have the money, I can be financially very tight every day and can stay gambling free for 29 days of the month. On the last day of the month, when the salary comes in, it become a big temptation, I feel like a different person.

Imagine how much torture and pain I had in my life when this cycle repeat every month. I was trapped in it for a long time.

I thought that since I have 2000 dollars, I had enough to pay my bills and still afford to lose a small amount at the video / slot machine, I plan to limit my losses to 300 dollars and stop at 300 dollars. I want to do what I want not what I need, I want to use the video / slot machines, I felt that I need to use the video / slot machine and I was thinking that I was in full control, thought I could walk away from the video / slot machines if I wish, that was always not the case. I was different from the other normal people, I cannot stop when I start using the video / slot until I lost all in the end. I discover that I was powerless over video / slot machine.

When I was fully convince that I am powerless over slot machine, I surrender and admit powerless over it, not only do I start to seek help, I start to learnt ways to keep a distance and stay far away from using the video / slot machines.

Video / slot machine are like drugs and alcohol to me, it make me loose my clear mind and bring insanity and unmanageability into my life.

I cannot control the thoughts that comes to my mind, if I am thinking about it, if I feel like using the video / slot machine, I cannot do it! I don’t have to listen and follow my thoughts. I cannot use the video / slot machines ever.

Video / slot machine = pressing the self-destructive button in my life.

How many more times do I want to hit the rock bottom ?
How much more pain and suffering do I want ?
How many more times before I really believe that it is enough, enough is enough! I am not going to use the machine anymore ever.

My recovery program is a one day program.
I only need to be clean from video /slot machine today.
Tomorrow will be another today.

Grateful to be clean from video / slot machine today

When I am free from the bondage of video / slot machines, I don’t need the money anymore to feed the machine, it goes into the bank now and stay there.

Thank you Higher Power

There is hope!

[kin]

Hi Andy,

if this happen to me, it is a big sign I am in danger because they are one of the biggest trigger for me.

I must get more proper rest or sleep and find a healthy alternative to reduce the stress.

Have you seek help from any trained counsellor?

Take care.

Best regards,

Kin

[kin]

Hi P,

It was nice to read your post.

You are one of the first people here who encourages and remind me not to be too hard on myself.

I have understand now that life is not perfect, man is not perfect, recovery is not perfect. It is ok, this is normal, nothing was wrong but it is not an excuse to go back to old destructive ways. We shall continue to seek progress in recovery, we improve and become better but not perfect, it is good enough.

GA,AA,NA,OA,SLA have a recovery slogan that say we seek progress not perfection.

I really hope I am wrong and you are not too hard on yourself.

Looking forward to your reply and post again

blessings

Kin

[kin]

glad to see your post.

hope to hear from you again.

[kin]

Dear diary,

felt tired more than usual on Thursday.
It was a sign some thing was not right

In the past, I never thought I was falling sick, I would think that it is one of those bad days.
I will turn to alcohol and slot machines to fix my feelings
thought watching and occasional punt on a football game can also be relaxing

I actually only need to be patient and be still for a few days but I was lacking in these areas in the past.
By the time I realized what was really happening, it was too late, the damage was done.

This time, come Friday, it was obvious and I notice I had flu and fever. If I knew I am sick, I will see a doctor and take medicine, rest and sleep as much as possible

If I am sick, alcohol, slot machine and going to a football match is not going to cure it. In fact numbing my feelings with alcohol cover up the real cause, I wouldn’t know I am falling sick until I sober up.

I am thankful for the patient and awareness.
it kept me safe.

In the past, I thought I was doing the right thing trying to fix my feeling in moment like this, I was wrong in the end.

[kin]

Chapter 1

I walk down the street,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk,
I fall in.
I am lost.……I am hopeless,
It take forever to find a way out.

Chapter 2

I walk down the same street ,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk,
I pretend I dun see it,
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place.
But I believe it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter 3

I walk down the same street ,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk ,
I see it is there
I still fall in…..it‘s a habit
I know where I am
It is my fault
I get out immediately

Chapter 4

I walk down the same street ,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk ,
I walk around it

Chapter 5

I walk down another street.

Where are you now?

[kin]

enjoy

[kin]

God created all things visible and invisible
Like the visible tree and its invisible root.

If a recovering person is free from gambling
but not deep rooted with spiritual principles.
Any strong winds will uproot the tree.

Just like the person is waiting
for some good or bad news to happen and
he/she will lose his/her sobriety.

Some things to think about
A recovering person can stop gambling
But the living problems is not going to stop
Everyone can stop gambling but the trick is staying stop.

[Author]

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