I know that feeling! But this sneaky addiction makes us minimize and rationalize, such as thinking "it's only a lottery ticket." At first that might not seem too dangerous, but for me that kind of thinking is a warning sign that I am moving towards full-blown relapse. It wouldn't take me long to go from buying a lottery ticket to thinking I could go to the casino for a little while and just play credits, and from there it would be downhill fast, probably to a lower, scarier place than ever before. So no lottery for me. I mute the TV when lottery ads come on, and I tell myself I have to be honest about the slippery slope I'd be on if I bought that ticket. It's really hard to resist, but I believe my peace of mind in recovery is worth it.

1. Remind yourself of how you felt when you decided to quit. (Probably not too good.)
2. Remind yourself that gambling is a tax on folks who are bad at math.
3. Think it all the way through, if I buy a lottery ticket I will want to buy a scratch-off too, if i buy the scratch off I will want to buy more scratch-offs then I will want to do full bore gambling, then I go home hitting myself in the forehead and calling myself names.
4. Change the station or use the mute button in the future when the news starts talking about the "big lottery".
5. Do something else, anything else, art work, the dishes, garden, water the house plants, dance, sing, read an affirmation, most urges will dissipate in 15-20 minutes.
6. Phone a friend or phone the nationwide problem gambling line when you have that thought.
7. Journal about it.
8. Write out a "good-bye to gambling" letter.
9. Count your blessings and know that they are at risk if you gamble.
10. Write out your savings goals, do you want a vacation, a new car, new shoes, new smart phone?

I can't do it. One dollar, one ticket. Not the winning ticket. Lost a dollar. Got to get the dollar back. I KNOW the winning ticket is $20 down the stack. Just $20. It's the 19th ticket that'll be the winner. Lost again. Now down $21 dollars. Sh** Got to get it back. Okay, $100 worth of tickets and THAT"S IT! Now down $121. Hell, might as well go to the casino to win it back fast.
I am a gambler. I don't cash out. If I do, I'm just back again the next day.
I can't afford to gamble.

I hate this flipping disease. It tricks our brains. I sure hope you don't buy the ticket. You are doing so great and I look to your words for encouragement. It's a trick. You won't win. Get in touch with your higher power. I'm pulling for you.

well, for me, placing any type of bet, including buying a lottery ticket, is dangerous. I won't do it. My recovery is much more important to me, then buying a lottery ticket, and its one step away from walking into a casino. Put your recovery first, and remember, this addiction is very powerful, very convincing, that buying one lottery ticket isn't so bad, when in deed, it is. Hang in there.

Don't do it i have been gambling since 9 years old and after losing 3 wives and seven kids I stopped and was doing well had money all the time, bills paid, and even my daughter came from Michigan to let me meet my grand baby it was great. I saw a big power ball its was about 700 mil or more I can't remember, all I know is the months that I was clean and happy was gone. 1 dollar cost me two evictions and almost a third that was in my mama name, my car and almost my life with a suicide attempt. Don.t do it.

thanks cable man I didn't and I won't. The urge is pretty much gone. It's just that the bar I work in has 2 lottery machines in it and that sucks. I am glad you are hanging in there are you quit again?