[Plaza]

Totally get you and I wish you the very best going forward.

Even though I’ve been addicted to slot machines for over 40 years, I’ve never been a compulsive slot machine addict, so I’ve never had the unfortunate addiction like yourself. I may of lost over £200,000 in those 40 years, but never craved the need to play slots.
So apologies for suggesting what I did.

[Plaza]

Same name, same problem, but……

My vice is slots and I’m about 5 weeks into it and not one spin, not even free spins that’s been put on my account.
How I survive is because I do have a bet on the football. I allow myself that privilege every Saturday and it’s whats keeping me in check. It’s not much, just £20 a weekend but I’d rather lose £20 than hundreds and thousands which I’ve done previously.
Of course, it depends if Football betting is one of your vices.
If I was told to give everything up, I know I’d have zero chance.
Just an idea.

Plaza

[Plaza]

Hey,

I to have just recently give the slots and I like yourself have emails with free spins and keep whatever you win blah blah. I’ve been addicted to slot machines for 41 years and I thought about playing the free spins, even playing the free version on play money, but I’ve resisted.
The next time you get the urge, try writing about it instead. Time goes quickly when you are typing away and I always get that sense of pride when I beat the urge and feel comfort when I read back what I wrote to. I started a journal, two in fact. One on here and the other in my notes a bit more personal. They have gotten so big since my day 1 of slot free and now I’m on day 35 ish. Give it a try and the best of luck on your new journey.

Plaza

[Plaza]

Very touching read.
Steev hits the nail on the head perfectly. He explains when he relapsed he did not lose as much as he did the time before and he eventually stopped altogether.
My story is different, I have never been a compulsive gambler and so don’t know how bad it is. But from reading your posts it sounds like a right problem to beat.
But at the end of the day, we are all here because of similar stories and that’s horrid losses. I may be wrong, but I doubt you get winning players who sign up to this site. That tells you everything you want to know. There are no winning players. All of us have lost and all of us admit we have a problem.
I decided I needed help after playing the slots for over 40 years. How I’m beating my addiction is to write about how I feel when I have the urge. Writing a journal is definitely helping me and the odd time I have had the urge, I just simply open up my journal on here, or the other journal that’s a bit more personal on my iPad. I believe WillPower is my answer and I know the worst is yet to come. Mind you I’m now 1 month and 5 days slot free and no meetings in sight. I decided the best way to help myself was to tell everyone that I was addicted to slot machines and had been for 41 years. I told everyone I spoke to and I also told them I was in the process of stopping by letting them know how long it had been since my last slot machine play. It’s working for me because I feel I’m not just letting myself down but everyone I told to. So I have the added pressure not to fail.
So think about writing or starting a journal and write about it daily if you want. Anything to stop that urge. Will power and writing are what’s stopping me from falling back into my habit.
Don’t think I have no problems either so it’s easier. I lost my daughter 8 months ago tomorrow along with my in laws in the past 13 months to. I’m classed as 40% disabled after a routine back op went wrong leaving me living with severe Chronic Back Pain which I am heavily medicated. Top that off with losing my mum and fighting to keep my special needs brother out of the care system along with fighting with the courts for mums house so my special needs brother can remain in the house. How I do not fall back into my addiction every day is literally a miracle. I have a shit load to deal with on a daily basis and if I can still be slot machine free during all the above, then I believe in you and everyone on this forum. You MUST fight and if you think you are going to relapse, open this post and think to yourself, if Plaza can stop under that enormous pressure, then I certainly can try harder. That goes to everyone who reads this. 41 year addiction combined with 41 years of depression and if I can stop then there’s no excuse for anyone else, I mean that.
Good luck with your journey my friend, I wish you all the luck in the world.

Plaza

[Plaza]

Thanks for reply.

You ask if you should give the whole story. In my opinion I think you should. If you read my journal, I go into great detail about my life which funnily enough exactly like yours. The poor thing, the school uniforms, school holidays that even my teacher paid for once and dad give me cash to go with but when mum found out she took that money off me and I couldn’t go.
I think my childhood was 100% behind who I grew up to be. Me like you with can’t save, gotta spend it before it’s taken off me etc etc.
I also think if I had not met my partner 17 years ago I wouldn’t ever be able to break the shackles off. Not that I’m saying it worked straight away because it didn’t. Even now we both have our own money and split everything 50/50 and I still wracked up £42k debt when I was forced to retire at 41 because of the back op that went horribly wrong. But it’s taken me 41 years like I have said, were if I had not met my partner it definitely would of been for entire life.
God, I’m speaking like I’m cured here and I am only 3 weeks 4 or 5 days in, but I feel the urge because I have options which help. I still Sports bet Football and play poker. Both of those are responsible gambling which is fine to me. But ask me to drop everything, that unfortunately will never happen. Why should it, I don’t drink smoke or do drugs. I’m not religious and I do t go travelling because of my dogs and partner. So I need something at least.

Anyway I will close because partner due home soon, but tell the story on here is my advice. Peeps then know the real you and how it all started and anyone new reading it could relate to it like I have. I think that’s important. By the way, you might be in your 60’s but age is just a number right???

[Plaza]

Hey,

Having read your opening post, it so reminded me of my story.
Same with dad gambling particularly slots, dad being cheated on and no doubt a big reason for him gambling.

I was exposed to it from the age of 10 and 41 years later I still find myself totally addicted to the slots. No money in the ‘new’ family and what little was about, that went on my mums new man in the pub.

I To suffered at school and when I left school and I suddenly had money for the first time, I knew I could really play the slots and ‘try’ and win more money. It’s been a battle for a lifetime now and just 3 weeks and 4 days in, for the first time ever, I believe I can beat this this.

Trust me, if I can do this then absolutely anyone can do it. If losing my daughter last September and both my in laws within 13 months with my daughter In between wasn’t a trigger point to gamble every thing I have then I do not know what else could push me over the edge. Battling suicide thoughts whilst being classed as 40% disabled and taking one of the highest prescribed OxyContin dosages in the U.K. to combat severe Chronic Back Pain and I can still stop or try to stop my slot machine addiction, then everyone on this planet can stop.

I have to go now, but feel free to hit me up if you want to talk. I’ve been there and got the T-shirt.

Plaza

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