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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healing57 10/07/2018

Well I am 20 some days gamble free and pretty miserable. To top off the withdrawal of gambling I have severy depression, anxiety, ocd and some psycotic issues. I call it psycotic depression. I have given all of my money to someone so I cannot gamble even though I so want to. I try to keep my time scheduled ahead of time and always have something planned to do. Well they sent me home 4 hours early today because of lack of business, I work in a restaraunt. Someone had invited me over today to play games but I said no because I had to work. So I texted them that I was free after all but they already asked someone else. "sorry" I am very dissapointed, for one thing what is one more person? so now I have unexpected free time on my hands. There are plenty of things I could do but instead I will go back to bed ,cry and feel sorry for myself. I don't know how I am going to get through this, it is so hard. I know all of the things I could and should be doing to help myself but I am pretty unmotivated. Life is so hard for me. But still, today I won't gamble.

yes2recovery 10/07/2018

I think dealing with disappointment is one of the hardest things for gamblers to manage. When we were gambling, sure we might have a setback or get our feelings hurt, but we always had our dopamine fix to make it all feel better. Too bad that was all fantasy and really only setting us up for more disappointment later on. Early in recovery - by which I mean in the 60 to 90 days it takes for our brains to adjust to somewhat normal dopamine levels - I think we're exhausted just by surviving minute by minute, so taking a nap or going to bed early might be just what the doctor ordered. By giving up your money, you've wisely made yourself safe from digging the hole deeper, no matter what disappointments might come your way. With every day that we don't gamble, we get stronger, and give ourselves a fighting chance to get better. Motivation sometimes comes from just the smallest step forward, so take care of yourself and let it unfold. I'm not going to gamble today, either.

healing57 10/07/2018

well after my crying and my nap I took lunch to a friend in the nursing home and we played rummy, than I went to my 12 step bible study , then I brought my little grandson to my house for games and puzzles, So though I don't feel great, I got through the day with out gambling, or killing myself, which is always on my mind, and helped other people and took my mind off of myself for a change. Thanks yes to recovery for validating that its ok to feel not ok right now.

Qwit4Good 10/10/2018

Helping others has always helped me. Writing one thing a day that I am grateful for in a gratitude diary helped me stave off depression. I believe I started gambling because I was grieving and depressed. I have learned to manage my depression in a similar way that I manage my gambling. First I am hyper aware of of thoughts and started intervening in my own thoughts when they started to go do a downward spiral of depression. If I catch my thoughts early enough I can change their direction, or I can physically change my setting and put myself in a physical place that one would have to fight to stay depressed. (Like a comedy improve, a beautiful part of nature, or a playground of children.) Sometimes I would pick up litter all the way around my block, because it made me feel better to be making an improvement.

Robin-Mc 10/11/2018

Qwit - lots of Love

Robin-Mc 10/11/2018

healing57 - lots of Love

joycatcher 10/15/2018

You're doing great.

Aside from our own individual mental health problems / diagnosis - the true WITHDRAWAL from not gambling is a REAL PHYSICAL PHENOMENA. Do not doubt this fact.

Skin crawling, uncontrollable thoughts, cravings, depression, fear, panic, and many more awful conditions. I had them. I would guess most of us have -- all different amounts and symptoms. But do not discount them. AND do not forget, it WILL get better.

It will improve. and it will improve sooner and without additional pain if you can use every tool to stay clean. 90 days and you will see a difference. Give this your all.

Best to you

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