First, I think you need to stop the bleeding. Can you self ban from your local casinos, or from all casinos in your state? Can you destroy all debit and credit cards? That's the first crucial step: putting significant barriers between you and the gambling.

Second, you have to tell yourself that you can do this. That you and your life are worth it. That things might seem insurmountable now, but we live in a world where miracles happen everyday, especially if we are willing to work hard enough and keep the faith and never give up. Know that, know deep down in your heart you can make this ok over time.

Third, baby step. What can you do to make amends? It took me seven years to pay my parents back the $13,000 they leant me while I was gambling -- and I just paid the last bit of it last month, 14 months after my last bet. (Not a coincidence I couldn't pay a dime back for 6 years while gambling and paid it all back 14 months after quitting).

Look, you may have to crawl before you walk. You may have to grovel, take shit from people, beg for forgiveness. Don't take it personally. Know you are a warrior. Five years from now, if you quit now, this will all be forgotten.

It helps to let go of your losses. You always loose if you are a compulsive gambler. Chasing losses is just a fantasy. I agree with all Nancy posted. It does get better, but it takes time and a sincere focus on letting go of the addictive behavior. I use exercise to help me. Give daily exercise a try. It will lift your spirits and help you stay focused.

I have been where you are. Financially I still am but mentally I am not such a mess any more. II quit over 100 days age. the way I did it: I set a quit day near in the future it was a week, I prayed and asked others to pray for God to take away the desire to gamble. I lost all my money 3 days before my quit date so that ended up being my quit date. When the day came I actually felt at peace about it and was no longer obsessed with gambling. This is just my story. I attended meeting called Celebrate Recovery there is one near you , you can look it up on line, they are held in churches, and also GA meetings. You can't do this alone but you can do this. If you have a friend you trust yous should turn all your money cards etc over to them. You can have your atm limit reduced to $20 a day. have all been in your shoes and survived. you can quit and stay quit you just have to make up your mind and have faith. Quit 4good has a lot of good advice if you look back at other posts and for her responses that will be a big help. We are here for you! Hugs

Thanks for the responses and encouragement. I really have to put aside my pride and take the steps to fight this addiction. It is so hard to be open and honest with anyone about my problems.

I know how the weight of this addiction can feel like it's crushing you. When I first started in recovery, I felt completely overwhelmed by the mess I'd created--overwhelmed, hopeless, desperate, and numb all at the same time. NancyZoman has some great suggestions. Getting out from under the weight of addiction takes time, but it is so worth it. Take a breath, focus on doing the next right thing, and know that it does get better. Thanks for posting.

Miley, call into the GA meeting tonite, i put it on the board, you'll be fine, trust me, we did it, we are trying to do it, we will do it :) xx00

Miley I am where you are and I'm still fighting the fight. I have tried and tried and tried to quit but I find myself back. Take this from me and please always remember this because this is what drags me back here every time I have money..... gambling is not a way to get back lost money or to make things better. I think to myself that I'll just gamble 100-200$ and cash out when I'm up and put that on my owing bills. But I never do. Compulsive gamblers never win. Doesn't matter how much we win we will always piss and waste our hard earned money. This is the hardest fight we will ever face and you have to know you can do it. Sometimes I don't think I can but we have to BELIEVE we can. Do you have anyone who can manage your money? Someone who can pay your bills with your money? If you gamble online close and block ALL your accounts. Don't open any new accounts. Don't leave any doors open. You have to close all options and not leave any doors open because we will always find our way back. I have been trying to quit but I'm struggling to do so. I am actually sat out in my moms car as she's in the bank now setting up an account that my cheques will go into and she will pay my bills for me. This is the first big step for me and it's something I avoided but it's the right move. It's the only way for me. I go to GA meetings and most of the compulsive gamblers there have to do the same thing. Cut up your credit card. Find some activities to do. Once you get a few days under your belt it will get easier but make sure you don't have access to spare money or extra money. Please if you wanna chat or need some help and encouragement I am here. You can message me or text me or whatever you wish. Believe in yourself and don't give up

The first thing one must do to get out of a hole is stop digging. My advice is try anything and everything to get between you and your money. Take steps others have listed above or come up with a new way, but we sometimes need just a few seconds to think about it and we can divert ourselves from disaster.
It really helped me to write out a good bye to gambling; to put my reasons for wanting to quit into words. My state pays for counseling for not only the compulsive gambler but their loved ones as well. (Even if the gambler has not come to treatment.) You can find out what might be subsidized in your state by calling the National Council on Problem Gambling help line at 1-800-522-4700. Therapy, GA, prayer, artwork, exercise, hobbies, rekindling friendships, meticulous self-care, a gratitude diary, affirmations, journaling, support groups, and mindfulness are all tools that I used to get away from gambling and continue to use to stay away.
My tools may not work for you, but your best strategy is to make a plan of what you will do different, besides gambling, with each trigger to gamble you have. And if your plan fails, change it and make a new plan and find tools that do work for you. Give everything a "college try", being open to new ideas and be kind to yourself in the process. Many of us have been where you are or worse, you can live through this and you can do it without gambling. It/You is/are worth the effort.

Wow... I am so touched at the encouragement and empathy from everyone who has responded. Thank and will continue to put roadblocks in place.

The beauty of a good support group shines through.