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...

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bear22 02/22/2016

Well, today I had a relapse after being 3 days gamble free. I'm not going to dwell over it and have updated my goal accordingly.

What I did want to share is after losing my ATM limit today and came back home for some lunch with the intention of driving to the bank to withdraw more $$$ as I exceeded my ATM limit however, I first decided to log onto the site and write an update which has actually saved me from making that huge mistake. Thank you!!!

Sometimes it's just a split second decision between sanity and disaster.

Anyway, i'm feeling like crap right now but I've cleared my head and ready to start a new day and journey tomorrow.

NoMoreOneTimers 02/22/2016

Sorry to hear about your relapse, but at least you didn't make it worse by getting more $ at the bank. Today is the only day you have to worry about, tomorrow can worry about itself. Even though I know it's hard, try not to beat yourself up too much. Maybe you could write s letter to yourself while the gambling k SS is still fresh in your mind. Write down how you feel...all the emotions, the result of gambling/giving into the urge...si next time you have the urge force yourself to read & re-read the letter before you make the decision to gamble or not. Carry it in your wallet so you always have it on you. This helped med tremendously in the early days of my quit, maybe it can help you too. Be nice to yourself today, OK? ((((BIG HUG))) Cathy

newlife2014 02/22/2016

Glad to hear you nipped it in the bud.

Don't look at this as being knocked back to square one. You stumbled off your path a bit, and you got right back on - you don't have to go back to the start. You are still on the same journey. Celebrate the fact that you made the decision to come here instead of draining your account.

Also use this experience to construct another roadblock. Can you self-ban or hand over your ATM card to a trusted loved one for awhile? Keep putting up those barriers between you and the casino.

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