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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riverboatrecovery 09/14/2016

today was a better day! Although I have no cash to spend due to my poor decisions this last weekend I've began to find some peace in my daily life this week. I started back working out. I reached out to friends and have gotten some great support here on this forum. I have began to come to terms that I must take each day as a fresh start to improve on me. I am just a couple days clean but I've began to read I've resumed writing and as each hour passes it becomes a little easier. I tell myself not to stress. I tell myself that I still have my family friends and my amazing girlfriend and money can be replaced. I am behind still but as each day passes I'm that much better than yesterday. It's not easy. Nor will it get any easier when I get paid. I know that I can't gamble anymore and the longer I go the easier it will become. Online sites make it so easily accessible to sports gamble and I've closed off all avenues of funding my account. I emailed the sites which i used to buy pay safe cards from and told them I have a problem and I'd like my account closed. I am on the long road to recovery and want to thank you all for being there to help by letting me know I'm not alone. To all of you here thank you for your time and kindness

bigtimeloser 09/14/2016

Thank you for sharing your post! Ive only been gamble free for 60 days but they have been most clearest days in the last 16 years. Just remember to be patient with yourself and give yourself one day at a time =)

Qwit4Good 09/14/2016

Good Job! You have gathered a lot of tools for just a few days in recovery.

riverboatrecovery 09/14/2016

I am cognitively aware of what needs to happen and what I want to happen. The only one who can make it happen is me! I have to continue to educate myself to train myself to push myself. This isn't easy in fact it's gonna be the biggest challenge I've ever faced, but there's no easy way! Gambling isn't the answer it isn't a way to make things better and all my problems have come from it. So one day at a time I get a little bit stronger

pennyluv 09/15/2016

Glad to hear things are easing up a bit. That emotional peace is what sustains me - it's what I want to hold on to the most. Sounds like you have a good frame of mind. Hang in there.

skip88 09/15/2016

You have nothing to gain and everything to lose by continuing to gamble. Do not look at the lines in the paper or watch the games if it bothers you. It is almost 2 years since I bet a game or held a deck of cards in my hands. This is from someone that gambled non-stop all of his life . If someone as sick and addicted as I have been can stop Anyone can if they apply themselves and do the work. Find your niche in recovery and use what works for you. Stay busy and try to think of other things and remember the urges to gamble will pass unless you act on them and then they will only increase and put you right back on the treadmill to nowhere.

katmandu34 09/16/2016

I am so glad to hear that today is better. Remember to be kind to yourself because you are healing from a very serious disease right now. If you were sick with cancer you would not beat yourself up. This addiction is a documented disease and it will take a while for your brain chemistry to regulate itself. Keep fighting the good fight!

healing57 09/18/2016

How are you doing? You haven't posted for awhile.Still handing over your money to your girlfriend? Keep us posted.

riverboatrecovery 09/18/2016

Still going strong! Almost a full week now. When I get an urge I tell myself NO! Think about how much I hate the feeling and try and think of something else. I haven't been following sports as much as normal. I have told the people who ask me for picks not too. It was a bit tough today with NFL Sunday and college ball yesterday but I am still going strong. I really wanna get better. Been trying to get to the gym everyday some days it's harder then others. I work 21 days straight for 12 hours a day so times I'm too tired. It's not easy that's for sure but I'm hanging in there! Thanks for your message!!

pennyluv 09/19/2016

River, Glad to hear you're doing well. Keep hanging in there. A week becomes a month, then six months, etc. As time goes by and your life takes on a different routine the day to day will get easier. For me, there have been a couple of bumps in the road but I'm still thankful to be on that road. It's a million steps up from where I was when I began. Take good care......

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