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...
Hi,
I'm new to this site, I feel extremely sad and alone right now. I'm Joshua and I'm an addict.
I've been gambling on and off for about 5 years now and the problem has gotten more serious lately as the money wasted on gambling has drastically increased. It used to be a few hundreds but it's now up to several thousands during each episode. Buying this condo brought me some extra credit but opened doors to more gambling and more debts and I'm worried about it now.
I had previous issues all-related to obsessive compulsive disorders and I still have them but they are just not as present as my gambling right now.. I've had some food addiction issues and gained a lot of weight, I've had issues with co-dependency in my relationships although I have been with the same girlfriend for about 18 months. She's aware of the issues and she knows she can't fight it for me however she still around and she loves me. All these problems, of course led me to suicidal tendencies or suicidal thoughts when the days are rough or when the debts increase. You know when we'll be outta here we'll have nothing to worry about, right?
Everything always been obsession for me, the games I play World of Warcraft, before it was Starcraft; always been going for women I couldn't get and was more and more in live the more they were rejecting me: always been more for lust than love. I have no hobbies, everything is an obsession and I don't know what to do. I try to save money but I end up gambling it now or later.
I want to try again to stop but what are my chance? I'm bored out of my mine and so lonely inside. I can consider me lucky since I got a house, a girlfriend and no major debts yet but at the rhythm it's going I might have none of this in 5 years from now.
I'm losing my mind here, how far, how deep, how bad can it go? I know people around me can't help me and I'm only chance.
I'm desperate and I feel lonely in this fight.
Joshua,
I'm new to this site, I feel extremely sad and alone right now. I'm Joshua and I'm an addict.
I've been gambling on and off for about 5 years now and the problem has gotten more serious lately as the money wasted on gambling has drastically increased. It used to be a few hundreds but it's now up to several thousands during each episode. Buying this condo brought me some extra credit but opened doors to more gambling and more debts and I'm worried about it now.
I had previous issues all-related to obsessive compulsive disorders and I still have them but they are just not as present as my gambling right now.. I've had some food addiction issues and gained a lot of weight, I've had issues with co-dependency in my relationships although I have been with the same girlfriend for about 18 months. She's aware of the issues and she knows she can't fight it for me however she still around and she loves me. All these problems, of course led me to suicidal tendencies or suicidal thoughts when the days are rough or when the debts increase. You know when we'll be outta here we'll have nothing to worry about, right?
Everything always been obsession for me, the games I play World of Warcraft, before it was Starcraft; always been going for women I couldn't get and was more and more in live the more they were rejecting me: always been more for lust than love. I have no hobbies, everything is an obsession and I don't know what to do. I try to save money but I end up gambling it now or later.
I want to try again to stop but what are my chance? I'm bored out of my mine and so lonely inside. I can consider me lucky since I got a house, a girlfriend and no major debts yet but at the rhythm it's going I might have none of this in 5 years from now.
I'm losing my mind here, how far, how deep, how bad can it go? I know people around me can't help me and I'm only chance.
I'm desperate and I feel lonely in this fight.
Joshua,
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I gave my 2 week notice last Friday 13th. Now to join you fine people in a life of leisure and nothing else to do but to look out for myself....is it just me or does that sound pretty boring? My goal was to live to retire and I guess having to take early retirement because of health reasons wasn't exactly the way I had planned things. I just can't stay in that building that is reeking mildew...
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I'm trying to exercise daily. I was doing fairly well until I sprained my ankle 2 weeks ago but now I'm getting back on the horse. Today I walked over a mile with my arm weights that are about 22lbs total. I was out of shape and it was hard on my arms. I also did my 30 situps. I'm also going to drink a lot of water and try to eat healthy. I do tend to have a sweet tooth but I'm cutting...
You asked your "what are my chances" and I have to say yours are the same as anyone else here. It is a compulsive addiction that we are dealing with. We all need help. I have found though that coming to this site daily, reading the others' journals, and going to GA dramatically have helped me to arrest this addiction.
You say that you used to spend hundreds and now are up to thousands. You say that for now you are "lucky" and you are "scared" that it is only getting worse. You are right. You need to arrest this compulsion before it gets worse. Coming here and admitting to yourself and others that there is a problem is a good start. Keep coming here and I strongly suggest you find a GA group near you and get into it as soon as possible. It only gets worse and never gets better. Many of us here wish we had admitted our problem and found this help before we lost our homes or had to file bankruptcy or lost the people we love. For this, you are "lucky". Get help soon and we are here for you!
Hugs, lily
You are doing good just talking about it. I am a therapist and I too have a gambling problem. You need to admit to important people in your life that you are powerless to gambling. I think you need to get aggressive with your treatment. Bookmark the Gamblers Anonymous site on your computer. Find a local Gamblers Anonymous meeting and attend. Think about seeing a mental health counselor as I do. Stay on this site as support and you will start writing about your days you didn't gamble and how great you felt. I also believe you may be running from some of your feelings. With proper relaxation techniques and thinking rationally you can just have your feelings without acting on them, such as boredom needs immediate excitement or sadness needs immediate joy. Boredom may be an opportunity to self-discovery, like when you watch TV and you say to yourself I would like to try that then already you are on a track to trying something new, but you have to act and get involved with that certain community of people whether it is horseback riding, bowling, volunteering, or acting. Ge involved by researching and reaching out to people. I have to tell you I think of gambling emotions like an swing, when I get deep into it I suffer and feel aweful and trapped, but when I resist I feel strong,free, and proud. It might take patience to feel those feelings, but I can tell you that when you tell somebody that you refused gambling it makes you feel better. I recently refused to gamble my company's Super Bowl pool even with peer pressure, afterwards I wrote my therapist about it and that is when I felt strong, free, and warm inside. I hope something here sticks with you and you start your healing today after reading this. Take the steps and kick ass.-Michael
We need to find our self worth in life, but we have to do the work, no one else can do it for us. It's easy for people to say, eat right, exercise, go to GA, find friends etc. and you will feel so much better. And while that is true, what is also true is that so many of us have been beaten down that doing the above is not always easy. But I think if you work on one thing at a time, the rest will fall into place. Start with this site, then GA, meet people, and see a therapist if you need too.
Remember you are not alone, there are so many good people on this site, they have all been in your shoes with this addiction and have some wonderful advice!
I am very new to this site as well. I just posted my addiction story last night, so we will be newcomers together. Look at the things you have going for you rather than the things you don't. Many people hope and pray for a relationship with someone that loves them and will stay with them in good and bad. You have that. You have a home and no major debts. I have a home, and major debt, so you are already ahead of me! Take it one day at a time, and the farther you get from the gambling, the closer you will be to meeting healthier goals for yourself. We both found this site, so we will work through this together. xoxo.