[stephtexas]

Its been 45 days since I last gambled. Things are going well. I have chosen not to gamble, and my husband has helped keep me on track. I’m so used to being stressed about money, and now that I don’t have to hide my debt that stress is gone. I still stress that I have the debt, but the worst was hiding it and keeping it hidden.
I’m feeling better about my recovery and I’m looking forward to it’s lasting effects. Best wishes to all.

[stephtexas]

Hi everyone and thanks for the supporting words of wisdom. To answer Mreds question, right now I don’t go to any GA meetings. I have found 2 that are the only ones within 50 miles. They are not very close to me, but I know where and when the meetings are held. I can’t really say why I haven’t attended one yet, but as my recovery progresses I will seek more support.
Fortunately, I haven’t had too much trouble managing urges and tomorrow will be one month since I last placed a bet.
In the near future (by the end of the year) I will have to deal with the debt I have accrued due to my gambling. Right now I am concentrating on not gambling and managing any urges.
There are so many things that I have ignored due to my gambling, so my current thoughts are about getting back on track with those responsibilities. I get overwhelmed quickly, so I have to start slowly. There are so many triggers that I’m already aware of, so I try not to let my brain go there. Really I truly would escape difficult situations by going to the casino. I always feel better if I just tackle things head-on and get past it. Thank You all for listening and supporting me.

[stephtexas]

Hi Harry. I do my best to stay away from most triggers..like commercials, billboards and things like that. The triggers that have been the toughest are “old habits” mostly. For instance, on weekends, if I did not have plans (I think my hubby counted too much on me to make plans for the family, so my plan was always to go to the casino and the kids can stay with their beloved Aunt) so this left everyone’s weekend up to me..pretty much. Now, when there are no plans I feel more compelled to go to the casino because that’s what I have been doing for years. Now that my husband knows that I cannot gamble period…he has been more supportive in helping plan our weekends and days off. Again it’s only been 3 weekends, and old habits are really hard to break but I’m hoping through reading on this site I can put the necessary barriers in place. It also helps that I desperately want to stop forever.

Any advice on additional barriers would be helpful. Right now I pretty much keep very little money… (A huge trigger was having a good amount of money left over after paying bills) My husband checks all accounts periodically…Technically I have access to most accounts because my name is on them, but I have never taken money from the household account to gamble and I don’t see myself ever doing that. Again if I somehow do access the account my husband will see it and then I will be removed. Like I said I truly want to quit and will do whatever it takes to stop completely.

[stephtexas]

Hi All, I just wanted to update my journal and say that I’m 24 days since I have last gambled. It really seems like an eternity, but its been less than a month. I have run into some triggers recently, but having the barriers in place really has helped me get passed those anxious moments. Also, now that my husband knows about my gambling he knows that I cannot be “allowed” to have too much alone time. This has really helped. I have started keeping a calendar and I mark a black X on the days that I have not gambled. For me this makes me feel good for some strange reason. I like to see all of those X’s. Another thing is that I try to not dwell on my finances too much. I simply pay my bills and move on. I don’t look at how much I owe or how much I have in the bank account. I think that is a trigger for me. Good Luck to everyone and Thanks for reading.

[stephtexas]

Hi Jack, Just wanted to give you a virtual pat on the back for not gambling. I’m with you and just being kinda lazy here at work. I guess we need to change how we react to different feelings and emotions, and just try to find something to lift our spirits…maybe funny cat videos…just a thought.

[stephtexas]

Hi Jack..I’ve been reading your posts and I’m praying for your recovery as well. You are absolutely right, I have a ton to be thankful for and I’m ready for gambling to be part of my past and not my future. I’m busily making plans for this weekend to keep me busy. Thank you for your support and I hope I can be of some support to you too.

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