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...
So today I went out drinking, a bit heavy than what I promised myself but since I ate, I was able to sober up at a quite early in the night.
But, once I got that last drink in me, and knowing the casino was on my way home, those crazy urges came back.
I remembered a recent post, where someone said to tackle the issue or thought, before it becomes a plan. And that's what I did.
But the anxiety I feel brought out the feeling of something to do.
So I decided I deal with this "f**k it mode" by getting something crazy such as the "white devil". ( pleas don't judge, I usually don't party with hard drugs)
To be honest I don't even like the feeling it gives me at the end of the night. Quite similar to going to the casino.
In the past, I have used it when I was in college. But since I have an addictive personality, and not enough funds, I promised myself to never be addicted to something I have seen destroy so many peoples lives.
Even though I should be happy I didn't gamble, this need to pursue a high is something I do not wanted to substitute with a abusing a substance is something I don't want.
I am just trying to stay strong and make it to 120 day mark.
Taking it one day at a time!! This is the one thing I have learned from this group that gives me hope and keeps me moving forward.
But, once I got that last drink in me, and knowing the casino was on my way home, those crazy urges came back.
I remembered a recent post, where someone said to tackle the issue or thought, before it becomes a plan. And that's what I did.
But the anxiety I feel brought out the feeling of something to do.
So I decided I deal with this "f**k it mode" by getting something crazy such as the "white devil". ( pleas don't judge, I usually don't party with hard drugs)
To be honest I don't even like the feeling it gives me at the end of the night. Quite similar to going to the casino.
In the past, I have used it when I was in college. But since I have an addictive personality, and not enough funds, I promised myself to never be addicted to something I have seen destroy so many peoples lives.
Even though I should be happy I didn't gamble, this need to pursue a high is something I do not wanted to substitute with a abusing a substance is something I don't want.
I am just trying to stay strong and make it to 120 day mark.
Taking it one day at a time!! This is the one thing I have learned from this group that gives me hope and keeps me moving forward.
One thing that has become interesting to me is that I have had to stay away from some of my friends and encourage new friendships. Though not all of my friends were gambling addicts, a lot of my friends had other addictive behaviors -- eating, shopping, drinking, hard drugs. You would never know it -- we are all young professionals, but there it is, just the same.
We attract these friends subconsciously because we all deal with issues similarly. We all self-medicate and self-destruct. We don't know how to self-soothe. And we take solace in one another's company.
As you continue to get better, I think you're going to realize that you party and get into "f**k it mode" for the same reason that you gambled. Because something in your life that is going on is too much for you to handle. Because you don't know how to have fun without being self-destructive. Because you don't truly love yourself. Because you might hate yourself, or parts of yourself.
Figuring out the triggers is a lot of it. One of my triggers was hanging out with the wrong people. I hope this helps.