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...
28 years of recovery from other addictions and this one is kicking my ass. It started 5 years ago and has been slip-sliding downhill. Perhaps my biggest challenge is the "I KNOW ADDICTION!" syndrome...I know it's bad, I know it's addiction, I know I have to stop, I know I want to stop, I know, I know, I know nothing.
It is estimated that 70-80% of us problem and compulsive gamblers are in recovery from other addictions. The addictive personality may be more prone to gambling addiction. Gambling addiction is so very subtle and like alcohol very available and socially acceptable. Unlike alcohol, it is easier to hide gambling addiction and maybe easier to stay in denial. You can't smell it on our breath, we don't act "high" and it is easier to pretend all is wonderful unless you share a diminishing bank account with a loved one that looks at the bank on a regular basis. If, indeed, you have a loved one left that you have not driven off with wild mood swings alternating between rage and depression and constant bouts of being missing in action while out gambling.
Accepting you know nothing is a great place to start. Maybe you can dust off some of what you learned from overcoming other addictions, I did, we know people, places and things have to change. We know that in order to overcome any addiction we must be painfully honest with ourselves and others as we take inventory of where we are and the damage we have caused to ourselves and to others.
We know the first step is admitting that we are powerless over gambling and our lives have become unmanageable.
It sounds from your post, that you have step one down. You can do this, I have faith in you.
Im now gf for about 6 months ( only because I was in another state for the winter and the casino was 2.5 hrs away ) .. AND I have secured a payee for my $ .. so Im taking baby steps to help me stop. I gotta stop, I wanna stop ... I gotta believe I can do it.
This is a great group of ppl .. I have received much insight here. Please stick around ...:-)
Quit4good has a lot of ESH .. I especially appreciate her shares.