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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Guilt & Severe Anxiety

deleted_user
deleted_user
I am hoping I am not going crazy...I have been free of my addiction since 9/21...and, feel worse than I ever have. I do not feel that I am making any milestones here..I am anxious, short tempered and soooo emotional. I do however, feel fortunate that I do NOT have the urge to gamble..but, emotionally..I am a mess. Is thsi the norm? I am petrified that I am going to spiral out of control without intending to do so. I have take the following steps..I have been seeing a Therapist in ref. to gambling addictions, I have been put on Xanex due to an emergency room visit due to my BP being 214/114..my BP has ALWAYS been perfect..this is due to the state I have thrown myself into to..the guilt, the remorse, the time I have stolen from my family and the financial state of what I have lost. I I finally made an appt. w/ my Dr and when she prescribed the xanex..she actually asked me if I was suicidal.....all, I could do is well up w/ tears, Please tell me this is the norm when the vicious cycle of gambling stops and we begin to purge,or perhaps, live in reality. Is this the reason why the world of gambling grabs hold???? Because we can simply concentrate on the next trip to the casino...rather than life and the horrible person we have become and the loved ones we have destroyed by hurting them?
deleted_user
deleted_user
Yes, I think this is the norm. What you are feeling is the withdrawal from gambling. Any time you stop a addective habit or drug I think you go through withdrawal. I am going through it too. I am on medication to for the anxiety. Until I got on the medication I couldn't sleep. I am now sleeping, but the thing that is really strange is I don't know what to do without gambling. I have gambled so long that I lost interest in other things, have not made new frends for many years. It is lonely. I am making strides to change this picture. I try now to plan someing for each day of the weekend especially Sunday my gambling day. I guess just give it time.
deleted_user
deleted_user
You are not going crazy. Stop focusing on the negative and concentrate on the positive. You should congratulate yourself at being GF since 9/21. Be thankful that you don't feel the urge to gamble. I wish I could say the same. I guess what you are feeling are just withdrawal symptoms, and we all experience them in different ways. Continue with the theraphy. Give it some time and just take it day by day.
Bluesydeb
Bluesydeb
Yes, this is normal. When we, especially women) gamble, we are zoned out and don't have to deal with any emotions. When we quit gambling,all those emotions are there and we have to deal with them. Be kind to yourself, you don't have to do everything at once...little by little, things will start looking up.

My amends to the people I hurt while I was gambling is to stay clean from gambling. It has been almost 12 years now. Every so often I get a twinge of guilt about the things I did, but I know that really wasn't me, it was the addiction.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Shelby be strong, and proud that you haven't had an urge to gamble since 9/21. All of the emotions you're feeling have built up and now are needing to be released. The shame, guilt and anxiety I think are normal responses when we lose control, but you're on your way to making changes and taking strides to help in the error of your ways. Be strong and stick with it.
deleted_user
deleted_user
No you are not crazy at all. The emotions are going to be a rollercoaster until you find a way to forgive yourself. Finding some form of a "Higer Power" whaterver you chose it to be in your mind. Something to belive in and someone to ask for forgivness. The emotions will dwindle immensely when you find a way. You are in my prayers.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Hi shelby198 I am to new at this to advise if it is normal but I do know that what you describe is how I have felt many of times after gambling my whole pay on pay day and those emotions were for doing something totally senseless, degrading and humiliating, as uncomfortable and distressing as your feelings are for at the moment they are attached to the great job have done staying away. I hope it doesn't sound stupid to you but maybe think of this discomfort as a bit of an honourable hell. Take care
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