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...
I haven't been on here in a few months. I won't go into all the sordid details, pretty much the same old story we've all heard before. I wasn't serious enough about quitting so I had to lose thousands more to shake myself into realizing, once again, that it's time to stop. But even as I sit here writing this, I feel that sinking, depressing, trapped, hopeless feeling that I won't be able to stop myself. It's so depressing and scary. I am so so so so so scared of what this problem will do to my life and finances. I don't want to ruin my life, it's the first time in my life I have been doing well financially and it feels like I'm flushing my money down the toilet like an effing idiot.
The one thing during the last few months that kept whispering in my ear was "I can't win because I can't stop".
I feel desperate inside. I feel panicked. I went to a conference in Vegas this past month for business and on my first night, I lost over $1000. I went back to my room crying and feeling totally panicked. I felt this crazy panicky desperation that I needed to GO HOME and not stay the 5 days of the conference or I'd go freaking broke! I stayed. I lost thousands more. Then, if that weren't bad enough, I came home and lost more at the Indian casinos here...another $800 in two days. What the???
My big question is how to start this process once you're really serious and ready to stop. I called a gambling counselor today, and that for me is a big step. Had to leave a message. I looked at meetings in my area. I feel like I REALLY need to take action this time and not just get upset and cry and feel badly but then go back and do it again. It's so goddamn frustrating to go through that cycle over and over again. Total madness.
For the people who have managed to stop for a good length of time and get a handle on this...what helped the most when you were really ready to stop? I am afraid if I don't jump on this feeling of wanting to do something it will fade and I will forget how much I want to stop. It's so sick.
Thanks for the help.
The one thing during the last few months that kept whispering in my ear was "I can't win because I can't stop".
I feel desperate inside. I feel panicked. I went to a conference in Vegas this past month for business and on my first night, I lost over $1000. I went back to my room crying and feeling totally panicked. I felt this crazy panicky desperation that I needed to GO HOME and not stay the 5 days of the conference or I'd go freaking broke! I stayed. I lost thousands more. Then, if that weren't bad enough, I came home and lost more at the Indian casinos here...another $800 in two days. What the???
My big question is how to start this process once you're really serious and ready to stop. I called a gambling counselor today, and that for me is a big step. Had to leave a message. I looked at meetings in my area. I feel like I REALLY need to take action this time and not just get upset and cry and feel badly but then go back and do it again. It's so goddamn frustrating to go through that cycle over and over again. Total madness.
For the people who have managed to stop for a good length of time and get a handle on this...what helped the most when you were really ready to stop? I am afraid if I don't jump on this feeling of wanting to do something it will fade and I will forget how much I want to stop. It's so sick.
Thanks for the help.
I remember all those feelings ... continually running up the cash advances on the credit cards even though I was losing thousands of dollars. What helped me to stop -- and I really don't think I could have stopped without doing this -- was to self-ban myself at the local Indian casinos. I haven't been back to those casinos for a year and a half now. Had to white-knuckle through it the first six months or so, as the habit and temptation takes awhile to wear off. Had to find other things to do. Since I was an escape gambler and used it to unwind, I'm afraid I have replaced it with other mindless computer games such as solitaire, games on facebook, online crosswords and sudoku, and that type of thing. But at least I'm not losing a penny when I waste my time doing these things! I wish you the best!
I started gambling about six years ago and it has broke me. I have borrowed from every institution you could borrow from and I have been so scared. We can do this.
I am
With the help of this site and GA and God, I am now just over 2 months since I last gambled. My life is already improved dramatically. My bills are now on time. The loans I have are dwindling down and my self-esteem has greatly improved. I have a new place to live and I no longer feel Hopeless!
When asked "Is it Easy to stop gambling", the answer is NO. But, it can be done. The people here and at GA are proof of this. If you want something bad enough, you do whatever it takes to make it happen. For this it takes One Day at a Time. It takes Focus. But, it is worth every bit of effort that we put into it.