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...

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FocusNow 10/04/2015

I can officially say I have been gamble free July 4th-Oct 3rd and that I have every intention of keeping it that way for even longer. What has been accomplished in the last 3 months, paying things off, getting caught up on payments, arranging a debt pay off plan, improved mood, improved relationships with family and friends, renewed ambition, new goals, creativity, the numbness I felt for years beginning to lift...it is the best life "jackpot" I've ever hit. For those of you struggling with the urges, feeling like it is never going to stop, it CAN happen, you CAN stop. Every morning, I pray for strength and courage to make it through the day, I am adding a prayer in there for those posting in this forum that one by one, we all find our strength and courage and beat this addiction once and for all.

strength2stop 10/04/2015

Congrats!

happycamper1963 10/04/2015

Good for you ! Wonderful ... and thanks for sharing your experience and hope for yourself and us here as well.
You are right ... we can do this together ... one day at a time.

lhbyrdie 10/04/2015

Congratulations!

Qwit4Good 10/04/2015

Well done! You've made it through the toughest part.

frank12 10/04/2015

Glad to read you are doing well :)

nancyzoman 10/05/2015

Congratulations! I'm right around where you are -- day 103 is today -- and I agree, I can barely recognize my life now from where it was just three months or so ago.

FocusNow 10/06/2015

Congrats to you too, Nancyzoman! Excited to hit the three digit mark of "100" myself very very soon! Keep up the fight!

nancyzoman 10/08/2015

@focusnow - I had a special dinner out with my significant other for Day 90, and took myself out for a massage, shopping (though budgeted), and a nice meal for Day 100. If it hasn't passed already, I suggest you do the same. It really solidified what I was doing -- and it helped me realize just how much fun outside the casino a relatively small amount of money can buy!

FocusNow 10/12/2015

@Nancyzoman thanks for the celebration suggestion. Today was Day #100, and a nice family meal out, helped it all come together...what I'm really working so hard fighting for. By reading some other members posts, I can tell its important to not expect TOO much at this point, that all the precautions need to still be taken, watching for any leads heading towards relapse. I do have to say life is feeling pretty good, my head is feeling so much more clear, finding passion in life again. Hope things are going well for you still as well!

nancyzoman 10/12/2015

@FocusNow - I'm so glad you went ahead and did the celebration! We definitely need to celebrate milestones as much as possible. It's so reinforcing.

Since you asked -- Day 110 now. There are still good days and bad days, honestly.

I hadn't really learned how to "self-soothe" during periods of stress or discomfort with anything other than gambling. A lot of this has been learning how to do things other than gamble to take the edge off.

What has worked for me: Running, walking, reading, journaling, meditating, making birdhouses (who knew?!), drawing art for my home (again, who knew?!), massages, shopping, long baths, making vision boards of what I want to be, do, and have.

What hasn't worked: Parties, going to see friends who don't understand, cleaning.

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