HI bear! Wow, I sure feel your pain and frustration. Im back on day 2 , again! Angry with myself and sick and suffering from the withdrawls of gambling ( which I NEVER in a million years thought were possible, but Im dealing with them regardless ).
I can only speak for myself here, but if I were to try and set a 4 month ( or any other time limit ) on myself, I would only be setting myself up for failure. I have to take it one day at a time and learn how to fight and get over the compulsions I have to gamble. And I could never try to stop/start doing a bunch of things all at once ... stop gambling, smoking, start an exercise program, etc, etc. It would all prove to be way to much for me and Id overwhelm myself ... which is NOT a good thing for me. So, I have to take one problem at a time , and currently its the compulsive gambling that is the problem at hand for me. I'll deal with the smoking at a later date....
I do wish you the best and I know that since I joined this site/group about a month or so ago, It has helped me. Somehow, someway, I must find the willingness to do whatever it takes to NOT drive myself to the casino. Im a very sick puppy right now, and Im also very thankful to the members here who understand where Im coming from with this addiction.

Hi Bear and happycamper - I agree I think try to do one thing at a time - I thought I could do it all however fight your biggest battle first which sounds like the gambling - for me it set off everything else - eating bad, gaining weight, not working out, etc.
Forgive yourself for the binge your not perfect, today is a new day, its never too late to stop gambling - you can do it. Be realistic and start with that first, the rest will follow as it has with me.
Best,
Niki

Hi Bear,

You are strong and and have enough courage to admit that there is a problem with you and gambling - I know you're strong enough to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again! Goala are always good - as they keep you focused. As for giving up - well there is certainly no gain, but I'd venture to say a helluva lot more pain in store. Whether it be the 100th or 600th time, -you Deserve to try as many times as needed to get your life back.

Now, being a CG, AND a smoker, AND one who could stand to lose 30lbs.(for starters), I know darn right well I could not tackle all 3 at once. I applaud your ambition, but those are some pretty lofty aspirations all at once. So, I chose Door #1 to begin-I am 49 days GF.

Interestingly enough, I believe there is a common thread that runs
through those 3 goals of yours. I have become more active with other forms of entertainment and hobbies. Last week I dusted off my golf clubs and have been to the driving range twice , so I guess I could consider that a form of exercise (lord knows, my body's aching like I just worked out)As for smoking, When I used to gamble, I chain smoked! Ugh, we all know what that feels like the next day...would someone mind getting these 4 bags of concrete off my chest,
please?

In closing, keep up the fight...do it one day and one step at a time-we're here with you for both the thrills of victories and/or the agonies of slipping.

Happy camp-keep fighting the fight, no matter how difficult. Niki-great words of wisdom! Warm regards to all!

Tagg

the others are right, a dear friend i met in ga once told me that most of us cg are over achievers by nature and we continuously set our selves up for failure. if you set your goals to high then fail it just feeds more into our sickness, we again feel like losers. i do admire your efforts but i do think it is an important step to our recovery to build our self esteem back up. i wish you all the best and hope you consider taking babysteps and setting smaller goals, one that are not too high but yet make you feel good when you obtain them. god bless

Hi bear22 - I know what you mean about starting over and over again. I, too, work out a lot and find it helpful to beat off the stress and feelings to go gamble. But keep the plan manageable or failure would be another bonk on the head. I just applaude you being able to challenge yourself once again after gambling. Someone said that falling down is a part of life but getting back up again is paramount.

bugsmud - You are so right about being us over achievers. I have not totally conquered gambling (hence, why I'm still here..lol) but I have stopped taking out money from my credit card and going as often as I used to. So, the hole is not totally plugged by I have some duct tape put over it so to speak and will continue to fight.

Thanks everyone, spot on ! Unfortunately I went back to try and win back some of my losses which we all know don't work! anyway will start over again.

Bear, its ok start over, tomorrow is a new day...believe in yourself, you are in control.
Forgive yourself you have to, I have.
Were not bad people because we gamble or have gambled, we just caught up in it and the addiction took over....I think back and think just how powerful it was I remember one night yrs ago - driving almost 2 hours for a friend to give me $100 only then drive back there the 2 hrs to use the $100 to try to win my money back, ya right, that is sick!!!!
Now I cringe.....I know we all have been there, however today, tomorrow is a new day and you can get your life back, its really possible.
Make a point to write on this site everyday or every few days, read the posts, share your thoughts, it really helps and it has helped me!!
I don't wish this type of addiction on anyone.....however there is a way to beat it and stop the torture, it just take STOP gambling, use your money on you, pay your bills, take a friend out to dinner, donate to your favorite charity, buy a gift for someone, join a club, remodel your home, pay off your loans, get yourself a new blouse, buy a weeks worth of groceries, fill up your gas tank, pay your electricity so it doesn't get cut off, mine did once and I freaked out!!!!!
If you VALUE your money, you will begin to value YOU!!!
If you earn it, it becomes an extension of you and how you chose to live.
Inserting the $100 BILL into a slot machine, buying in for $500 at a poker table, exchanging $200 for chips to try to hit the straight flush at the three card poker table - walking into the casino as a gambler with the gambler mentality you have no value of your money, especially dropping it above like I did - some nights it could have been $3000+, how sick is that!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
I didn't go home with even a $1 in my pocket....and would leave thousands like it was monopoly money......doesn't make any sense does it, and I know any of you that have gambled have been there and understand - can we pinpoint exactly what made us do this, probably not, however we have to know we have the power inside us, in our mind to take control back of ourselves and our money and our lives!!!!! I know now after so many times I tried I could never get my money back I was in denial, etc.
I still don't have the urge and hope I never do......
My thoughts are with anyone fighting this battle!!

Niki1217 I love your comment. I too like so many have gone and been up 3000 an ended up lossing 2000. so insane to take a 5000 swing. Ofcourse so late for the kids and lie lie lie to everyone inclluding my husband. Running home to get the mail first. Getting the phone first. Lie!!!!

YES,yes, yes, cathylo - those ugly demoralizing lies! I felt like I was under a slow, leaky faucet of battery acid...each drip methodically eating away at my soul. Ugh, the thought of it gives me chills! Reality checks are healthy doses of medicine.

yeah we gamblers are big dreamers chasing that dream that never comes true. just gotta face the facts that the only pot of gold we'll be getting is when its handed to us on pay day. some how ive always had high hopes of watching it grow with a push of the button. lol lol lol yeah if it sounds to good to be true its not a good thing to chase i guess. boy real tired of hating myself, the person sitting next to me that winning, the whole looks and sounds of the place. boy wonder what that place would really sound like if ya turned off all them bells and whistles? lol lol lol guess a good dream to have is the look on them casino owners faces should they have to finally file for bankruptsy cause the world wised up to them and just stayed away. geeee that makes me smile just typing it.