Gambling Addiction & Recovery Support Group

I am like you. I have lost WAAAAAY TOO MUCH MONEY, GENERATED HUGE DEBT lied, scammed and all that you described.....there isn't a compulsive gambler who hasn't done all that and maybe MORE.

START FROM THIS MOMENT. IF you are not gambling right now, you have this moment. Every minute adds up. I am now 48 hrs & counting since my last binge. Take it minute by minute and JUST DON'T DO IT....there is a journal function on this site, I suggest you use it. It can be very helpful.

Gamblers Anonymous.

Stay strong.

I pray for you and your family.

I know it might seem impossible to stop gambling, but it's not. I don't know why, but we each need to get to the point that we've reached our bottom, our lowest of lows. Rock bottom. Then what? Will shame and guilt help? I don't think so. Willingness to do whatever it takes to stay away from that next bet, and honesty with ourselves seems to be effective thought processes for the compulsive gambler. I'm a compulsive gambler, I don't know why, and today, I don't care why. I've discovered I can lead a better life without gambling, there is no shame in that. You would be amazed if you could get inside my head, I've discovered so much more than just the fact I can't gamble like "normal" people. I'm beginning to accept myself for who I am, not what I cannot do. Little by little I'm gaining self respect and respect for others. It all started with a willingness to do whatever it took to stop gambling. My husband handles all our finances now. For many compulsive gamblers this seems like a hard hurdle to get over. And in some cases it isn't possible to hand over the finances to someone else. Willingness to stop is probably the most important element in regaining our lives. There is just so, so much to learn about this addiction, and this site is a good place to start. GA meetings have literally saved lives. It's strange, but the mind is where our addiction starts, and in the mind is where our healing begins as well.

Geez...I sure don't want to sound like MS know-it-all, and I don't want to pop up on a soap box and start lecturing. I wish there was some way I could clump together what I've learned about myself, and others, in one sentence or two. But that isn't possible. We all found ourselves in the same predicament, addicted to gambling, despite the fact we all come from different walks of life, with a different story to tell. In order to lead better existences, certain elements of recovery have to be the same for all of us, willingness to stop, a desire to stop, and the honesty to back it up.

There is no cure, once an addict, always an addict. But that isn't a life sentence unless we want it to be. It gets easier, it gets better, one day at a time. Embrace one day at a time, and never give up. You've come to the right place, we all need each other here, and thank goodness we have each other, because recovery can't be achieved without the support of others.

Keep reading and writing, a better life is possible.

Angiebby..
The hardest part for me 'was stopping..
First I had to 'give over my reigns to monies .
;But before I did that 'I had to come to terms with my gambling.. I did not want to give over because in the 'recess of my wharped mind ,, was 'maybe 'I might be able to 'clean the slate with a big win..
When that dream 'died ,, I was ready..
Until Acceptance came ''I 'was in the game''.
Complete Honesty of 'the Consequences.
Maybe Gamblers Anonymous ..to start.
They say : Prison, Insanity or Death .
Don't listen to your mind..it will lie to you that part where the cg lives..
I know.. I am a cg.. not gambling ; but I remember how I was.
BE Well sandra gams5

Thanks for all the advice. I am on day 2 since I havent gambled. I not sure I am ready for GA yet. I live in a small town, I to scared who I might see. I decided just to work as much overtime and take care of the that I neglected for a month. This site is very helpful it make me feel like I can talk to someone without
judgement. I just got my letter in the mail from the gaming commission regarding my self-exclsion.

I will be gamble free for 4 months on July 6. I have done it with the help of this site and by taking it one day at a time. At first, I actually counted the minutes. It does get easier. Read some of our journals. We all have lots in common.

You're not alone, crazy or a bad person. You have an illness and the only cure is to not gamble.

Writing your journal will help. You can mark it 'private' if you don't want others to see it. It really helped me.

We are all routing for you to beat this monster. Welcome to Daily Strength.

I called my husband yesterday and told him that i needed to talk to him.....because the urge was so great to go to the casino...since I have confessed my addiction to him it makes talking about it much easier....i feel i am responsible to someone now besides myself.
Gambling is an addiction....just like crack, smoking, drinking, porno, whatever it may be....everybody has something that is addicting. You have to work at it every day...and it is very hard...hopefully you and I can do this together.

I spent alot of time beating myself up and asking myself 'Whats my problem?' but the Serenity prayer says 'Accept the things you cannot change' so I've determined that although the addictive personality is something I may not be able to change, the resulting behavior is. Oh, yeah, I've slipped a bunch of times since that first day, but everytime there are more and more days in between. July 1st I began again - the support, encouragement, and respect we get from all the folks on this site keep me motivated to keep GOING. How long would you give a baby to learn how to walk, no matter how many times they fell down? I just keep going, one foot in front of the other one day at a time. Best wishes!

Hi angiebby....I started my recovery on July 3rd. I can't handle the financial pressure anymore. Something had to be done. I can relate to what you have written and what you have done. I haven't told my partner and I am not ready to. I want to get clean first and take it one day at a time.

I just joined this website and others as well. Reading posts and stories helps. I hope to see you continue visiting this website daily. Take care.