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...
To all gamblers in recovery. Would you please describe the single episode when you’ve faced your specific gambling situation but DID NOT gamble? How exactly did you managed to stay out of it? More details are batter. Will be great learning material to everybody!
I needed two-three sessions with a therapist specializing in gambling addiction, in order to get quit or rather, in order to feel that I was worth the effort. Early in recovery I developed a plan to NOT gamble and to prevent relapse. I wrote out a goodbye to gambling, I started keeping a gratitude diary and I started using artwork to express my years of bottled up feelings. Writing something I was thankful for every day, helped me change the negative thought pattern my brain had developed. Every day I read an affirmation, I thank my Higher Power for giving me another day, I make contact with someone I care about and let them know I care, I visit D/S, I inventory my situation to figure out what I can change and what I cannot change today, If I happen to see a poker machine, I visualize my past abusers faces on the screen.
I went along getting through the first year with the help of counseling, a GA group, another face to face support group and doing all the self-help I could. I worked on childhood issues and worked at Louise Hay's "10 ways to love yourself". About six months ago, I wrote out letters of forgiveness to my abusive parents, my rapist, my two abusive husbands and to myself. Within a few days of writing those, I felt lighter. I can truly say, I have befriended myself for the first time in my life I treat myself in the kind and nurturing way that I treat my best friends.
I no longer have the constant negative dialogue running in my head that included self-put downs and mean things to say to anyone. I decided to quit being mean to myself and to quit scaring myself. Life is so much better than it ever was for me, not perfect, it still does not always go my way, I feel secure in my relationship with my Higher Power, I feel loved for the first time in my life, I feel I have something to offer others who are struggling, I feel blessed. Life is so good, I do not want to risk it. I have too much to lose now that is dear to me and I never want to feel the way I did when I first got quit.