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...
Well, I gambled again today, too much as usual. However afterwards I self-excluded myself from the casino closest to me in a nearby state--the one where I have been going lately. I did this about 5 years ago for the casinos in my state and it helped immensely and I feel confident it will help me again. I know it's not the final answer but it is a good tool. I'm also contacting 2 other casinos which are about 1 1/2 hours away for self-exclusion info. I feel like I am down but not out. Strangely it felt like such a relief to fill out the self-exclusion papers....especially since I had been down that road in the past and knew it was a positive step. In some ways I feel it's sad that it had to come to that again though. I talked to my dad about it and he said if that's what I think I needed to do then it was good that I went ahead and did it. We both agreed that it was good that I took this step BEFORE I started writing hot checks and incurring overdraft fees and all the financial difficulties that I incurred 5 years ago when I had my first bout with compulsive gambling. I definitely don't want to go down that road again.
I definitely don't want to go down that road again. I live in Vegas, so it would be impossible for me to self-exclude, it's up to me to exclude myself :)
How neat would it be if there was some type of all gambling exclusion thingy, using our ids. We could be flagged as a compulsive gamblers, and if we gambled could never collect the winnings...because it would be the law to have to show id for all winnings...hmmmmmm....I'm day dreaming...life isn't that easy.
I love hearing about people self excluding, I'm so glad it's an option, I see it has a very effective tool. I can remember wishing someone would rescue me from my prison in front of a poker machine... as if it was visible that I was sick. I don't like those memories, I felt so sorry for myself when I gambled.
Okay, I'm done. Good discussion, and I couldn't agree with you more...I definitely don't want to go down that road again.
I've tried all the tricks too. I've tried leaving my ATM card in the car...I've tried taking a friend to "babysit" me and make sure I don't go crazy. I've told myself I'm only going for the free buffet...those free meals have cost me hundreds! I'm only going to play with "their money". I've tried reasoning with myself that I need to "prove" to myself I can control it by only going in and spending $50, sometimes I've even succeeded at this, but not often.
I went through my checkbook registers today and tried to determine how much I have spent in the past 6 months(that seems to be when I started to lose control again). I think I have spent about $2500 which is completely crazy to me as I am a single mom who doesn't make that much money. I know I have to get a handle on this before I start to unravel all the good I have done getting my financial house in order. I wanted to be able to call Dave Ramsey up within 2 years and scream "I'm debt free!". Now it looks like it will be 3 years.
As for self exclusion, it is a wonderful tool. Since you live in Vegas it would be impossible to get away from gambling all together(they even have slots at the airport-I know, I've played em!), but you probably can self-exclude from many of the big casinos. I know you can from Harrah's properties. You might want to check into it. For me it helps knowing that even if I was able to sneak in and gamble, if I did hit a big one I wouldn't be able to keep it, and they could haul me off to jail.
Now you said you called about some GA meetings? Please go, give it 30 days and I promise you your life will be better. Do what they tell you cux it works.
I have lost so much financialy, 2nd mortgages, bankruptcy, and yet I still went out and gambled. I even failed at GA the first 2 times. Because I did not do what they told me. I would go for like 2 weeks and think I am cured.
It does not work this way. I am an addicted compulsive gambler. I can never be around casinos nor gambler ever. I need GA every week, church every week, this website every week, calling other members of GA every week. With this recovery plan it is fail proof. Now if I begin to skip these steps or fight the plan of recovery is when I can fail. I take it one day at a time and here I am 56 days later with life turning around. Things are becoming so great.
Exclusion is a good step but it will only help you abstain and you really need to start recovering.