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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Avoid down time with nothing to do

jlou47
jlou47
Yesterday didn t go as planned. Dumped 1000.00 more on my cc to gamble online. I was winning but as usual lost it all. I went out after and could t even concentrate. Today s been fine because I was back to work which keeps me from being bored. That seems to be my biggest trigger. Off days with nothing to do. At least I learned that much this time. Hopefully there won t be another. One day at a time and stay busy. It seems to help me. Down time is deadly.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Yes, downtime is deadly. Sorry to hear about your recent relapse. Don't give up!
Rainietoo
Rainietoo
I remember when I first quit gambling a couple of months ago now, I hated having nothing to do. Then I decided that I hated the feelings I had after I gambled and lost more so I began to make myself go out with friends, go shopping, go for bike rides etc...now I would rather do any of those things than gamble.
I find the temptation for me is my brain telling me I am normal again and I can just go up to the Casino and gamble to prove to myself I can do it in moderation. I know I cannot gamble sanely so won't even go there.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Trying to prove to myself I can gamble in moderation is pointless. Been there, done that. Even a $5 win is enough to give me a rush.
jlou47
jlou47
I m starting to realize that vegasaddict. It s not easy to give up every aspect of gambling. What choice do we have?
deleted_user
deleted_user
Jlou47, gambling, and every aspect of it, is a lifestyle. To stop gambling, you need to stop eating at the restaurants of the gambling establishment. You need to stop going to the bowling and movie theaters there. You need to stop associating with other gamblers who enable you to continue being an addict. You need to have a new relationship with money. You need to change your entire mindset on what the point of working and making money is. You need to forget that gambling is even a legal activity. It's much more complicated than, just realizing, "oh, I just need to stop gambling." For those of us who have literally become engrossed in the gamblers lifestyle, we need to restructure our entire lives. It's difficult, but definately something that I have no doubt that you can achieve.