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 seen a lot of people mention the longer they go gamble free, the more they begin to see, feel, and live life again. I am on day 16 and can already say I understand fully what people mean by a haze being lifted. I think about gambling less and less everyday I don't gamble. I am slowly replacing gambling with hobbies, friends, family, and this website.
I also read someone talk about when you are deep into gambling, the moral compass begins to disappear. How true is that!!?! I would think and do things that were not morally right. Now as everything is beginning to clear up (haze), I am beginning to think about the past, what I did, who I hurt, who's hearts I broke, what grief I made family go to. I was monster, absolutely hateful towards people that wanted to be in my life. I have found out the only road I can go down is honesty. I have been honest with everyone I hurt and really that made them understand why I did everything that I once did. I gave them details of my gambling habit, how deep I was, my personality, and why I gambled...they slowly came around.
My main thought is this: a gambling haze prevents people to think clearly. Every relapse, the haze stays...maybe the haze never fully clears away, but I can promise you, it eases up over time and the sunshine (life) begins to shine.
That is my thought for tonight as I sit outside with a beer in my hand and see my neighbors (married couple for 25 years) and think someday I WILL be that happy. I refuse to let gambling destroy my next friendship, relationship, or marriage.
I also read someone talk about when you are deep into gambling, the moral compass begins to disappear. How true is that!!?! I would think and do things that were not morally right. Now as everything is beginning to clear up (haze), I am beginning to think about the past, what I did, who I hurt, who's hearts I broke, what grief I made family go to. I was monster, absolutely hateful towards people that wanted to be in my life. I have found out the only road I can go down is honesty. I have been honest with everyone I hurt and really that made them understand why I did everything that I once did. I gave them details of my gambling habit, how deep I was, my personality, and why I gambled...they slowly came around.
My main thought is this: a gambling haze prevents people to think clearly. Every relapse, the haze stays...maybe the haze never fully clears away, but I can promise you, it eases up over time and the sunshine (life) begins to shine.
That is my thought for tonight as I sit outside with a beer in my hand and see my neighbors (married couple for 25 years) and think someday I WILL be that happy. I refuse to let gambling destroy my next friendship, relationship, or marriage.
When you stop gambling, the numbness stops, then you start to feel all the different emotions there is.
When you start to feel pain and heartaches, that's when it becomes difficult to stay focus on your recovery. Sometimes you just want to run away, gamble and be numb again. Just not to feel the pain anymore.
I may not make sense. But I am happy for you. Stay strong..
and boy, do feelings come rushing back, but they settle down the more time we are away, and we find new and different coping skills to deal with the feelings.
Happy recovery to both of you. oh heck: happy recovery to all!