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've been reading posts and replies on this site for awhile.
What a fantastic group you people are! Giving guidance, support and love to cyber friends in distress and in recovery.
I am a gambling addict.
Lulled into this soul sucking addiction mid life, while depression and the "f-its" were looming large it was the perfect storm for major destruction. So it was.
Details I may share later, but got into major debt from it, sold my house to pay off and swore to therapist and myself "I would NEVER use the rest of those funds for gambling!" -- well you probably can guess that outcome. And then continued to total financial destruction. In total, 5 years of a fast and total immersion.
The cost was astronomical - to my financial security and I am coming to terms with the life/inner destruction and deception too.
I had strong clean break 10/30/2015 and a relapse for 2 days 4/18/2016.
Thank goodness for a fantastic GA group in Northern Virginia and the fact that I had a sliver of hope left in my soul.
I'm claiming a new seat here to join, be of service, and gain strength and hope from my fellows.
Thank goodness for this board and glad I am not alone on this journey that has been hard to comprehend!!!
Just working on doing the next right thing and grateful to be gamble free today.
Best to you all.
What a fantastic group you people are! Giving guidance, support and love to cyber friends in distress and in recovery.
I am a gambling addict.
Lulled into this soul sucking addiction mid life, while depression and the "f-its" were looming large it was the perfect storm for major destruction. So it was.
Details I may share later, but got into major debt from it, sold my house to pay off and swore to therapist and myself "I would NEVER use the rest of those funds for gambling!" -- well you probably can guess that outcome. And then continued to total financial destruction. In total, 5 years of a fast and total immersion.
The cost was astronomical - to my financial security and I am coming to terms with the life/inner destruction and deception too.
I had strong clean break 10/30/2015 and a relapse for 2 days 4/18/2016.
Thank goodness for a fantastic GA group in Northern Virginia and the fact that I had a sliver of hope left in my soul.
I'm claiming a new seat here to join, be of service, and gain strength and hope from my fellows.
Thank goodness for this board and glad I am not alone on this journey that has been hard to comprehend!!!
Just working on doing the next right thing and grateful to be gamble free today.
Best to you all.
we have a meeting on wed by phone at 9pm if you're interested
xxoo god bless
This all gets depressing and I am telling myself, "How in the world does this get fixed?" Makes me sick, but I have to remember I had a plan to stop the bleeding and that is what I have to stick to.
It is hard not to look back and have so many regrets.
I do get power to beat my addiction from reading the post that people share.
A place to be honest and find help.
We can't fix anything we don't acknowledge.
Then the insomnia started. And the buzzing in my head. And the numbness.
Once that subsided, then it was figuring out what to do with myself when I was sad. When I was stressed out. When I felt like I couldn't deal with what was going on around me. When I felt I was excited by what was going on around me. Everything.
The good news is, good things have happened. I lost 25 pounds and am now a size 2. My business is running at 3x last year. I no longer have sleep apnea or night terrors or anxiety. I'm stronger, happier, and more at peace.
The bad news is, despite finding pleasure in business, my new marriage, and personal fitness/nutrition, nothing compares to the highs of gambling. Then again, nothing brings lows like that, either.
I'm on Day 314, and I can tell you honestly that I never would've made it this far without this group. I've been on this forum late at night when I was about to run off to a casino while on a CA business trip earlier this year; I've been on this forum when I was going to give it all up when I needed to have surgery months ago and felt like life was hopeless; I've been on this forum when I was going batty initially.
We're here for you. You're not crazy, you don't deserve to be ashamed, and you're certainly not alone.
I have f2f wed night ga here in va. When I can't make that I'll phone it in !
I still carry huge shame. I guess it more work and evolution of acceptance of disease I have and letting go of the past.