Gambling Addiction & Recovery Support Group
Compulsive gambling is an urge or addiction to gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. A preferred term among many professionals is problem gambling, as few people described by the term experience true compulsions in the clinical sense of the word. Problem gambling often is defined by whether harm is experienced by the gambler or others rather...
Before, at around Day 7 or even less on my who knows how many attempts of quitting, I had read other milestone dates posted by others and I always thought, "I'm so jealous, how did they do it? Maybe they were not as addicted as I am". Now here I am, posting about my Day 120. It. Can. Be. Done. You have to know after the numbness starts to fade, you will again realize and feel the value of the things you are about to lose if you don't quit. I finally realized I was going to lose everything, my family, my business, I had already lost me...because I had already lost any self respect for myself. The person I hated most in this world was me.
I finally chose LIFE. 120 Days of LIFE. I am loving and celebrating each day as I wake up, another day to NOT gamble. Another day to again really feel and absorb my surroundings, hug with no guilt my loved ones, giggle with my friends while not thinking about the next time I will play. So much more time to focus on living, not thinking the only thing that will make it go away is the opposite. I finally believed myself when I cried, "I have to be done, or you will die this way".
YOU too can be done. If you are reading this, wishing you too could make it to 120, 90, 60, 30, 14, 7...even 1 Day....It. Can. Be. Done.
I finally chose LIFE. 120 Days of LIFE. I am loving and celebrating each day as I wake up, another day to NOT gamble. Another day to again really feel and absorb my surroundings, hug with no guilt my loved ones, giggle with my friends while not thinking about the next time I will play. So much more time to focus on living, not thinking the only thing that will make it go away is the opposite. I finally believed myself when I cried, "I have to be done, or you will die this way".
YOU too can be done. If you are reading this, wishing you too could make it to 120, 90, 60, 30, 14, 7...even 1 Day....It. Can. Be. Done.
Thankyou for sharing your experience and hope for Us here :-)
I am barely 2 wks gamble free ... still coming out of the fog, Im still having withdrawls ... and I knew it would be like this ... I expected to feel this way.
One day at a time ... I will get better.
I too realized that quitting was the only way I could regain myself and life again. What I was doing was not living, I had become as close to zombie as one gets without actually dying. I contemplated suicide frequently in my gambling days and attempted three times over the years of gambling.
I realized if I continued to gamble my life would continue to be miserable and I would never have money. It was not living, it was barely going through the motions.
Gaining self respect and self-love back took a while but was the most precious gift that I will not let go of again.
We are fighting for our lives and thank God it does get easier.
Thanks for this inspirational and hope filled post!
Keep up the good work, prayers and hugs sent your way.
I am on day 17. I have plans for next week, got to stay busy.
Good point, "Focus on Living."