Gambling Addiction & Recovery Support Group

Hi Emptyloser.............'obviously 'money is 'at hand for you ..
NO money 'no gambling ..
For me.......I gave over all reigns to money of any type.. liquid to 'assetts..
Being a Cg.. and in the beginning. My mind 'was on alert at the best of times when monies available..
Please put it in someones hands besides yours.. ''or in bank with a limit on ATms..
Cut up 'Credit cards..whatever 'safety net '
It took me several months to understand what ''money in hand was'......The fuel for my next bet..
Gambling ''returned off and on 'when ''I had money.
As long as 'money is 'kept in Control of a cg........me.. ''Gambling will happen.. when 'new ', raw.. and not at a 'honest ''level of thinking..
Be Well ''Sandra gams5..

Hi,
What can I tell you that you? You're right, by giving into the urge to win back everything that you've lost, you are fueling a fantasy. When you wrote about your "sinful" ways I have a feeling you where writing about your gambling. Gambling is legal, but is it a sin? I'm a compulsive gambler and that is why I chose not to gamble. When I gamble I don't want to stop, not even if I win. Gambling led me to "sinful" ways, I lied to gamble, I stole to gamble, I put gambling before myself and everyone else in my life. Before I realized I could change, I wanted to "end it all", just like you're feeling right now. I couldn't see that I was my own worst enemy. There wasn't a light at the end of the tunnel, my life was out of control. Now I can see that when I gambled, I was a junkie, an addict, stuck in an addiction, unwilling to seek help, unwilling to help myself, doing whatever it took to satisfy my addiction, despite the fact I hated myself who I had become, and what I was doing my letting my addiction control my life. Because the "fuel" for my addiction was money, I caused financial damage to my family, there's no doubt about it. It wasn't just me going without the extra things that money can buy, it was my entire family. I stopped gambling and now money is no longer the problem, I always say my addiction wasn't about the money, and I still believe that. It was all about me. All about me not being willing to take responsibility for my actions. Would I want all the money back that fueled my addiction? Or would I want the serenity I lost back, because of my addiction? Is it possible to go back in time and fix all the pain I caused my loved ones? No. To go back and buy all those nice things we could have had? No. All I have is now, and now is enough. Because now I chose not to gamble and torment myself and the people I love, and who love me. I know it's not an easy choice to make for a compulsive gambler who is still living in a fantasy world. I often write about my fantasy world as being horrid, absolutely dark and ugly. It makes me wonder if I've actually ever understood where fantasy was suppose to fit into my life. My fantasy world has never been normal. I don't know why. Today I don't care why. Today I know that if I allow myself to crawl back into that dark, unhappy place, I call my fantasy world, I'm done. That dark fantasy world of mine led me to the edge of sanity. I had to pick living over gambling. Today living isn't based on how much money I can win, it's based on how honest can I be with myself. Please don't give up, it's really possible to stop gambling and regain self respect. Know that we have all been in similar situations as you are right now, and that we are here to share how it was then, and how it is now.

I agree with both Moyer & gams5.....and I think you can find a better way to quit gaming if you really commit to a support group and maybe join GA.

You say you feel guilty that you come to this group only when you CAN'T gamble.....but this group can truly help best when you CAN do it but you CHOOSE NOT TO. The love that we have for each other is based on the fact that we are ALL EMPTY LOSERS....you are not the only one.

I am going to GA in a couple of hours, and that means I won't be gambling.....I will take it minute by minute. Maybe you should too.

Emptyloser please come here daily. Whether you gamble or not. This is a good place to get started. Read lots of journals and the discussions.
You will see that most all of us here, started off feeling exactly like you. We hated who we had become and our behaviours because it was not what we wanted for ourselves. It was what addiction sent us to. That is the insanity of addiction, we keep on doing over and over something that we really don't want to do anymore, but that has its hooks in us.
I also suggest GA meetings whether it be face to face (in person) or online. It is a place to start.
Maybe you could even change your pin name because it is negative, maybe "former empty loser" or "loser no more"...anything to help change your thinking.
Hang in there...keep coming back no matter how often you slip.
Blessings

You're not alone. We are all in this together. Give control of your money to someone else for a few months. Find a gambler's anonymous. If you need more than this support group, and it seems that you do, there are other ways you can help yourself.

Have you tried anything else? We're all different

As I am going on almost 4 months GF, I can tell you that I still have urges. What works for me is reading the posts and journals of the others on this site.

Seems we all backslide sometimes and it doesn't make us happy. That helps me remember that I can't just go for fun. Not today. Not ever. I have an illness. I am a compulsive gambler now and always will be. The only way I can win... the only way any of us can win, is NOT to gamble EVER.

I'm going to take everyone's advice. And give control of my money to a family member. Thanks to all above. Good Luck to you emptyloser, I am in the same situation .