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...
Hi everyone,
It's been a while since I've been on here. I found this forum and I figured I'd make a post.
I am suffering from depression and fibromyalgia, which I ended up taking a leave of absence from work because of. In the time that I was out of work, I was getting disability benefits from the state and in my free time, I went and played some scratch offs at the local drug store and donut shop. These weren't the $1 scratchers, they were the $5 crossword ones. I won large amounts of money from these scratch offs in the past, so I figured my chances were good. Little by little, I ended up lying about my addiction and was taking out payday loans, money that I didn't have, and gambling with it. I was even at a point where I borrowed money from my sister for food, and took it to gamble with! I felt horrible and I knew I had a problem.
So I began seeking treatment. Since I was cut off from my disability benefits, I stopped going out and playing the scratchoffs. Since then, I have returned to work and I'm slowly getting my life back together. I still occasionally buy a scratcher or two, and I actually stop. They even enhanced the game with a multiplier box that could multiply my prize up to 10 times. The other day, I bought one scratcher, won my money back, and played another ticket. I lost, but I didn't buy another one. I felt proud of myself and I knew that I have beat the addiction.
It's been a while since I've been on here. I found this forum and I figured I'd make a post.
I am suffering from depression and fibromyalgia, which I ended up taking a leave of absence from work because of. In the time that I was out of work, I was getting disability benefits from the state and in my free time, I went and played some scratch offs at the local drug store and donut shop. These weren't the $1 scratchers, they were the $5 crossword ones. I won large amounts of money from these scratch offs in the past, so I figured my chances were good. Little by little, I ended up lying about my addiction and was taking out payday loans, money that I didn't have, and gambling with it. I was even at a point where I borrowed money from my sister for food, and took it to gamble with! I felt horrible and I knew I had a problem.
So I began seeking treatment. Since I was cut off from my disability benefits, I stopped going out and playing the scratchoffs. Since then, I have returned to work and I'm slowly getting my life back together. I still occasionally buy a scratcher or two, and I actually stop. They even enhanced the game with a multiplier box that could multiply my prize up to 10 times. The other day, I bought one scratcher, won my money back, and played another ticket. I lost, but I didn't buy another one. I felt proud of myself and I knew that I have beat the addiction.
Never play again, one day at a time. That's the only plan that will safely work, isn't it?
The adrenaline issue that you talk about is also very real for me, probably most of us. To be so super focused, hopeful, in the zone, on a roll (even if losing), it's hard to put into words... but I see that there are other things besides gambling that are like that, I suppose, that we can dangerously replace gambling with or engage in thinking we're safe.
Honestly dealing with our feelings and actions and sharing with others who understand. Critical steps, aren't they?