* was also afraid of my own issues with the casino. I had promised myself to never enter the casino.

I got another call from him and asked me to pick him up. This time I took a friend and asked him to go in, which didnt work either. We ended up leaving and I kept texting him to give him the courage to leave in a cab asap.

I know I could have dealt with the issue differently, maybe just walked in and get him out, But I had no idea how I would keep my urges in control and deal with the anxiety I was already having being outside. At that point I took control over myself and made the best decision for me.

I am been gamble free for 19 days and hope to stay strong with people like me here. I have been happy I havent gambled but sad that I was not able to help a friend in need.

Ali85 - I am very proud of you for not gambling! I don't know that I would have the strength you had to not go in! I strongly feel that you went above being a friend. You put your own recovery in jeapordy to try and help out a friend. I sounds to me that your "friend" just wanted someone to gamble with - you. You went there twice and he wouldn't come out. You did your part - twice. He didn't. Does he know you're trying to quit? If yes, I would be re-examining that friendship.

I am SO PROUD of you for thinking to take a friend to help you. If ever you find yourself in that position again, make sure you take a non-gambler friend with you the first time! You did what you could. The program does not require you to mess up your own recovery to help out a fellow gambler. You should not have gone in, you stayed true to yourself, but did what you could to help a friend in need. You did good!

First off also... congratulations on not gambling. You were in a very tough situation but you cannot stop anyone from gambling if they dont want to and for you to try and get him out of there would only have frustrated you and possibly led you to gambling. He knew you were outside but didnt come out to you. If you had gone in he would have put up the same fight. You did the right thing. Well done. Your friend has to find his own path.Concentrate on your recovery and your new life will be an example to him.
John

always self-care first! i admire ur strength!

Thank you everyone for helping me with this situation I have been. My friend did blame me and others for letting him gamble, but I know a few days down the line, he will think about what he was asking me to do.

He does know that I am a recovering gambler and I need all the power to stay, hopefully now he understands it as well.

Thanks again...Stay strong and take it one day at a time!!

If your friend truly is sick, I am sure that you feel like the only right thing you can do is help him. At the moment he calls you to come pick him up, I'm sure that seems like the helping thing to do. But, I don't know. Maybe it's not. Maybe helping him looks like something else entirely. Know what I mean?
Good for you for not going in and for 19 days! You can do this.

I feel you made the right choices that night. Trying to help someone get home when they shouldn't drive is good, trying to get someone help to get out of a casino is good, not going in there and risking your own recovery is best.

I would not have gone inside either, knowing that it would trigger my own gambling addiction. Some people love to blame other people for their issues. I'm learning to let people be responsible for their own actions. We can be there for them when they walk towards us.... But we can't pull them out of their behavior. We are not the police! lol


Good for you for trying to be there for him. that is all we can do.