Hi,
Congratulations on your time well spent. I was so happy to read your little post, it’s been pretty quiet here lately. I’m grateful to be in recovery, it’s changing my life. One day at a time.

Congrats to you! Thanks for posting about your progress. One day at a time does add up! Stay well and keep doing the next right thing.

I actually wrote a much longer post.. don’t know what happened to the rest of it... I’m tempted to go back to online slot gambling which I have t done for 1 year and 4 months. I have been playing slots for fun apps.. not sure if that is even a good idea.. but I have been so bored with the Coronavirus .. not an excuse.. but at least I pay for coins and win extra turns .. anyone have an opinion on this.. good or bad?

Nah, Cristiangel, you don’t want to gamble online, you’re in recovery. Just calling it out helps, we hear you, you’re not alone. The Coronavirus pandemic is causing boredom and depression for so many. Use your electronic devises to reach out, not to hurt yourself more than you’re already hurting. Listen to music, maybe? I’m not good at telling others what they should and shouldn’t do, but in your case I KNOW you don’t need to trip yourself up this way. Again, thank you for being honest and open with us. Keep in touch.

Thanks for ur reply Robin!

For me, playing free games for fun online is dangerous. Not just free slots, but even games like Candy Crush put me on a slippery slope. They generate dopamine just like "real" gambling, and before I know it I'm antsy and craving more. Too risky. I think if you're questioning whether something is a good idea or not, your inner wisdom is trying to tell you not to go there. I'm glad you posted, and I wish you well!

I am a little on the fence about the online games. I also find myself playing the free slots. Truly probably not the best for me to do but an occasional $4.99 for coins is nothing compared to what I did in casinos. I don't feel those things I felt at the slot machines. Loosing is ok and I don't go crazy chasing losses. Just my thoughts. Take care all.

If an online game takes you to that place where you’ve been before, don’t play it. The place you’ve been to before, brought you here, because you have the desire to change your life, by not feeding your addiction to gamble. That feeling of a little won’t hurt is exactly the lie we’ll tell ourselves, if we’re not diligent and stay on course.

Everyone has to decide what is a trigger for them. I too, cannot play CandyCrush. I cannot play "pretend" gambling, as it just gets me going. As in my dopamine gets flowing and I start to feel lucky. I try to limit my online games to word games, puzzles, and solitaire games. I do not enter to win anything anymore, I do not patronize stores with lottery scratch offs at the counter and I do not play the Safeway or McDonald's collect and win games. I allow myself an occasional entry in a door prize drawing if it is an event I was planning on attending anyway and if there is no charge for the entry to the drawing or raffle. I agree with Robin, that thinking I can just do a little, is a way to set myself up to start a cycle that I won't be able to stop. I will have to listen to/monitor my thoughts in order to stay out of the "danger zone" and redirect myself, for the rest of my life. It seems exhausting but avoids the chaos I created in the past. It allows me to live and behave more intentionally rather than reacting.