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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Hipster638 03/01/2018

So 2 days ago I had lost a relatively big amount of money gambling. Yesterday when I woke up I told myself I wasnt going to gamble anymore, The day goes on and im still telling myself not to gamble. Once I get out of school I call my bookie and place a bet to try and win back the money I lost the night before.

Of course I lose my bets and end up falling asleep out of my depression for actually betting when I told myself not to. I wake up, middle of the night in my sweat, cant go back to sleep because all I can think about is how much I money lost and how much it hurt me financially, I had a terrible feeling in my stomach and heart. So I decide to search the web for ways that I can get over that terrible feeling that comes from losing money while gambling.

I stumble upon this website and read a bunch of posts on gambling, you guys made me feel like I wasnt alone and that I would be able to get through this dark time. I end up falling asleep. This morning im telling myself that im going to fight through this addiction and start a road towards recovery......I end up calling my bookie 5 minutes before the game starts and placing a bet. Of course I lose again.

So today I decided to join and share my story because I need HELP with this addiction, it is ruining my life. I lost my social life, I dont have the energy or will to excersize anymore, all my money goes to gambling and ive lost all sense of what my priorities are. I just want to stop before its too late. (PS. I wonder if I would be here had I won tonight and sorry for the long story lol)

Getting_Out 03/04/2018

Don't feel bad Hip about relapsing .....I quit in November and I messed up too. I felt like shit ....hated myself but started over. Like one person told me ...we all mess up .....it happens ....and you won't be the first. I'd definitely get rid of the phone or the bookies numbers. What I hated about losing all the time was the fact I had no money after gambling. I hate not having money. Not sure if it came from when I was poor back in my younger days or what it is... but I totally despise not having a cent to my name.

determined23 03/04/2018

Stay strong you can do this.We can do this stay very busy keep your brain busy.We all understand the relapse Some days we feel stronger than others I am still pretty new here I relapsed a while back but I came back to this group it is an amazing place you are never judged This takes time You Got This one minute at a time.

yes2recovery 03/04/2018

For lots of us, getting stopped requires rearranging almost every aspect of our lives at first. Just white-knuckling through the urges usually doesn't work. It's not because we're weak - it's because our brains have been hijacked and the addiction has control. GA talks about the importance, especially at first, of avoiding people, places, and things that you associate with gambling. You might have to stop hanging out with certain people, at least until you have some clean time. If they're truly friends, they'll understand. You might have to give your phone/computer to someone to keep for you temporarily. You might have to call your banks and credit card companies and put blocks and limits in place. You might have to turn your finances over to someone else to manage. You might have to stay out of sports bars. You might have to rethink every bit of your daily routine to make yourself safe. It feels impossible and scary, I get it. But until you can stop and get some clean time to let your brain start healing, the addiction is going to keep you in action and the hole just gets deeper. There are lots of good suggestions on this site from people who have tried all kinds of things to put blocks in place. Everybody's situation is different. The main thing is to set up your environment to give yourself a fighting chance. Keep reading, keep posting, keep doing the next right thing. You're worth it.

joycatcher 03/05/2018

This board will help.

What struck me most about your post was "of course I lost".

When I FINALLY understood that I was only there to win (I would not have spent the money or gotten high on gambling in an arcade w/ no stakes) -- and I COULD NOT WIN..... I could not win because I DID NOT QUIT. When I saw this truth the gig was up for me.

Winning, walking out of a casino w/ mega amounts of money at times -- yes, sure, so high. But you know it; I ALWAYS WENT BACK. and I thought I was there for the money but I was there for the chemicals.

and I always wanted more and never wanted it to end.

With any disease there is tolerance -- so my bets kept having to increase over time to get those brain chemicals moving. Thus the swings and stakes became larger.

Do yourself a favor. Really think about what you are chasing. If you are after the money wouldn't you be able to stop when you are up? Not if you are here with us.

Hipster638 03/05/2018

I'm happy to say I went yesterday without gambling, i'm going for day 2 and im really looking forward to getting through this day and nigh without gambling

Robin-Mc 03/05/2018

Hipster,
You disappointed yourself. That message from whoever he is probably was the trigger for your relapse. A trigger isn’t always easy to recognize, but come up with a better plan for next time, you’re a lot stronger than you realize right now. Seems like it would be easy to just block those messages., is he a friend? It wouldn’t be to out of the norm for you to tell your betting buddies/bookies that you quit. That you don’t gamble anymore. You don’t have to give in to every urge or thought that you have regarding placing a bet.
Try again, never give up on yourself

robby2627 03/05/2018

I’m so grateful in stumbling upon this group, I need to stop, I need my life back.

robby2627 03/05/2018

Do you have to tell your loved ones ? Is there any other way?

itsjustmeagain 03/05/2018

please you are not wasting our time, did you think you were just gonna QUIT and be done w/it? you are in a process, its ok, you got a day under your belt, that s MAJOR progress.....try again....we all have done that and MORE.....try again....keep getting up and trying...THATS ALL WE DO...some tell their stories, some dont, but its a natural way out of this mess..

robby2627 03/06/2018

I didn’t gamble yesterday 1 st day been gambeling like crazy , please help me not gamble today.

itsjustmeagain 03/06/2018

It's not what you're giving up, it's what you're gaining....have a great Gamble Free Day...reap your reward of a good night sleep

Hipster638 03/06/2018

I'm happy to say I successfully went through my 2nd day without gambling, everything feels better already. I realize that I wasted most of my time thinking about the losses after a bad day of gambling, now it feels like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. I cant wait to see how I feel tomorrow after a 3rd day, i'm kind of excited lol. I CAN DO THIS!!

Hipster638 03/06/2018

Robby I would recommend that you start a thread, expressing your story. It helped me out a lot to just get a bunch of things of my chest that I normally wouldn't express with someone I know personally. After I shared my story everyone started helping me by sharing their experiences on getting over this terrible addiction. Please share your story

robby2627 03/06/2018

I been gambeling off and on for years, it' s gotten out of control where I had to work 2 jobs just to take care of my family, I promise I will open up more however I didnt gambel yesterday,and im praying for a second day clean, hipster I relate so much to you and maybe we can achieve this goal of a gambeling free life together.

Hipster638 03/06/2018

Do whatever makes you feel comfortable, some of us deal with our problems in different ways. I must say it feels good to know that were not in this alone.

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