YES, it will get better and way to go on the weight. I get bored sometimes too but now I try to find other interests to fill the time. At least I do not have to be part of the frantic past that I lived,playing cards all night and betting sports I never even really cared about. Gambling was truly The Great Imposter stealing two wives,countless friends,so much wasted money I can not even think about, but most of all it stole Me. After almost nine months I am just now starting to know myself,the true me. Some things I like about me and others I do not,but at least I have learned to accept "It is what it is" and make the best of it. Some days are a lot better than others but at least now I can tell the difference, not in a trance like state with my every thought as to what my next bet would be. I will take this new life and live it to the fullest.

I don't know if it gets better. I am only 13 days into this journey. What I do know is that more gambling would probably make things worse. You have done so well. I'm on your team... Pulling for you to find happiness and peace. Just knowing that I will wake up tomorrow and not be in a panic over a night of losing at the casino makes me happy.

Read something like this recently:

'You have to go through it to get through it'.

That thought helps calm me, maybe will help you, too. :-))

Yes it gets easier, but for me it didn't seem to get to a point of real relief until around 90 days of abstinence. My counselor said it takes 90-120 days to normalize your dopamine. We can't spend our time or allow our thoughts to continue to look wistfully at casinos or gambling as though we are missing out. We are not missing out on anything! In my case, all I am missing out on is pain, misery, loneliness and self-loathing.
If I keep that in mind, I can redirect any thoughts to gamble before they become urges. Having things in mind to do, or some kind of plan, when you have a thought or urge is crucial. Writing out a "goodbye " to gambling helps set your resolve to stay quit.
Meanwhile finding something creative to do relieves anxiety, boredom and depression. It does not matter what creative activity you choose, gardening, cooking, poetry, photography, even coloring in a child's coloring book, it is relaxing, focusing and contemplative at the same time.
Remind yourself everyday that you are worth it, this is a battle for your future and your life and everything you value. Today I know, I have too much, beyond money to loose. You can get through this.

It definitely gets better. At 9 months I do not get an urge to gamble. My mind is able to rationally see the damage gambling did to my life as well as understand it is not possible to ever come out ahead. It is not possible to ever come out ahead. Knowing that makes it much easier to stay away. Before I throw my money down a black hole I would be much better served buying something I need, something that brings me comfort and isn't designed to steal from me. I make lists all the time now. Different goals I want to to achieve. Some are simple (clean the bathroom) and some are complex (learn to fly plane). Every day I try to accomplish something. Sometimes I'll just research something to see what it costs and how do you go about doing it if for nothing else to keep busy and give me something positive to daydream about. Instead of worrying about progressive jackpots I fantasize about what the ocean in Aruba looks like in person and how I'll get there someday. Instead of getting home at midnight after 6 hours of gambling, exhausted and defeated, now I come home after work, cook a healthy dinner, work out and relax in a clean, comfortable, good smelling apartment (this is important to me after being locked up for years in a smoke filled dungeon). After a while of not gambling you will grow to love and appreciate how stress free and relaxing just being a regular person is, able to enjoy the simple stuff like a funny sitcom, making a delicious seared Ahi tuna on your own, going up 10 pounds in your bench press, being able to treat yourself and just being in control of your destiny.