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...
As I have mentioned before, I believe that you should still reward yourself with "treats" for staying gambling free. So while I am still PAINFULLY making my debt payments every payday, I decided it was time to buy my fall/winter handbag. I normally go shop for something cheap that doesn't last long at Kohls or Penny's, but decided to get something nicer so I went to Dillard's. I found a bag on sale that I thought was a pretty decent brand, but before all was said and done, the saleslady had me talked into a Brahmin handbag because they were so much better quality and they warranty them. The bag was $305 and on sale for $213, but I could not bring myself to pay it. She said if I came back on Wednesday for customer appreciation (using Dillard's credit card), I could get anywhere from 30%-50% off the pink tag price. So I left, hoping it would still be there Wednesday since it was the only one left. I don't know why I am having such a hard time buying myself this nicer thing, but I am. And what is so stinking funny is that I wouldn't have thought twice about throwing $200 in a slot machine and losing it in 5 minutes!!!! Very freaking sad, huh? I have got to change this mentality and just go for it. I keep advising other people that if you just spend every single dime paying the mountain of debt and never doing anything for yourself, you will grow weary and negative and the feelings toward wanting to gamble will come back. I am trying to find the happy medium here and somehow I think buying something excessive like this is not good.....I dunno! I continue to bargain shop for everything like I did when I gambled. So very sad that I can't retrain my stupid brain and for once say it's okay to buy a nicer item. Part of me was in the store thinking, "well if I spent the $200 playing VP maybe I could double that and then buy the Michael Kors bag." That was an even more retarded thought, which went away quickly!!! My husband thinks it is all silly and then said, "well buying that bag is better than throwing the money away in a machine because at least you have a tangible item to show for it even though it is a freaking purse." Thanks for listening to this silly Monday night crazy ranting....:-)
JohnnyZ36
hi naynee. makes perfect sense to me i have done same thing numerous times. there were times i would not buy sneakers or put off going to the dentist because i wanted to make sure i had enough $ to buy in with at casino . then would proceed to lose a ridiculous amount of $ and still have no sneakers or dentist appointment. weird how gambling twists your mind to think its your main priority . i do agree you must not spend every $ paying off debt . a small treat every now and then wont hurt. im sure you will find a happy medium eventually takes abit of time to change our old ways of thinking. best wishes moving forward. johnny
Naynee
Thanks Johnny. I was trying to get the final credit card paid before buying "nicer" things. I still have the loan against vehicle, but I made a big payment the other day. And my daily use credit card, I pay every month. Anyway, I am just dreaming.....haha! One of these days, I will be in a place where I don't owe anything and it will feel great. Sometimes I get pissy, but I keep telling myself I am making a dent and I don't need to go backwards. Last time I caved to gambling when I was so close to having credit cards paid, I was within $1,000 of CC debt being paid off. I still had the vehicle loan. I have to stay on this track and I feel like if I just buy myself something once in a while, it would make me not feel so bitter about putting every single dime towards my debt. Know what I mean?
JohnnyZ36
hi naynee. i know exactly what you mean. i started with small rewards for myself. cant focus on debt all the time and never treat yourself. i have started buying all my favorite movies on blu ray . every week or so i buy one . at least i will have the blu ray forever unlike the $ i would have just wasted at casino. figure i will work up to better things eventually. guess im on a recovery rewards program! haha. best wishes to you. ! johnny
newstarttoday
Hi there! I know what you mean. It is always said that gambling does not have to do with money. I am out in a limb, but I disagree. Money is really a tangible item for displaying our emotions. The idea that I don't have enough money is one of my triggers. My relationship with money,how I view it and how i use it really is for me part if my problem. I am not sure about the bag,but you know you will use it worth the price. I just know that I need to "train"my mind to think differently about money and my errant thinking started before gambling. I think if you have a little extra due to not gambling then maybe you should purchase it if it is something you need. Peace and love to you!
Join the Conversation