It was like that for me, too. When I quit, I said it out loud, too. Then I puttered around the house, trying to stay busy, I also sat on the couch and did nothing. I tried feeling sorry for myself, that was of no help to me. I did arts and crafts, mechanically at first, and then with wild abandon. I studied my addiction by googling compulsive gambling, and the like. Slowly I began reaching out to others, some just like me, and even others who don’t understand addiction, family members included. I witnessed my thoughts about gambling changing, the truth making it’s way through the lies I use to depend on. I have to say I was grateful knowing time was on my side, and II’m still grateful for that. I quit gambling one day at a time, always with the knowledge that I can quit if I want to. Saying it out loud. In the first months of not gambling I began saying, to myself and out load, “I don’t gamble”, that morphed into “I no longer gamble”. Everyone has the power to change the way they think if they want to, that’s my favorite part of recovery.
You’re in the right place, keep sharing and thank you.

Yes I think we all have to get to the point where we are tired of the life that gambling gives us. I remember saying so many times "I Quit". I remember all the broken promises and lies that happened with every big loss. This time around I have been more realistic. I know I can't be cured and never be addicted to this. But I know I can make better choices which in turn makes my life so much more worth living. I take my success a day at a time. I have to right now. I struggle a lot with forgiving myself for all of the bad choices I did make. I spent my paycheck many times. I caused a lot of pain and worry to those who cared most for me. Biggest mistake I made was trying to convince myself I could control my gambling and play normal like everyone else. Something happened that last time I gambled. I felt something different. It is hard to explain. I just keep praying and being thankful for every day I don't gamble. Today is day 33. Thirty three beautiful days that weren't ruined by a gambling loss. Bless you all and everyone stay safe!

Hi Snowgirl52,
33 days, that’s over a month! Congratulations.
It seems to me, we compulsive gamblers have so much in common; for example, a fear of facing reality. I know my fear of reality began years before my gambling addiction surfaced. It wasn’t necessarily because I was wearing rose colored glasses, although at times I was, but my reality was based on living according to my self authored survival guide. Don’t get me wrong, I did have some pretty good tools in place when it came to facing reality, I just didn’t learn to use them wisely. Truth be told, I believed facing reality was boring, maybe even overrated. I was a risk taker trying to fill my bottomless cup with anything appealing to me. I believed I could right my wrongs by avoiding the truth, as my reality snowballed into an avalanche.
Phew... I know I can carry on. I’m changing. I’m seeing my reality begin to mingle with my truth, and in no way is it boring.
What else do we have in common?

Well done! The most important day of recovery is day one, as it is the day we decide to do something different. I did not (perhaps could not) say it to myself until gambling had me facing homelessness, unemployment, incarceration, and suicide. ---->I got to treatment, thank the heavens. Examining my every thought and belief about gambling, life, love, and myself awakened something that made the lies I told myself and false beliefs I had, stick out like sore thumbs and they were not that hard to tackle one at a time. I am so grateful many things have changed for me and in me over the last 5 1/2 years.