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...
Okay, so being an addict, I had plenty of "signs" and recently they were getting ridiculous...Uptown Funk playing on the drive to the casino = win, uptown funk followed by rachel platten "this is my fight song" and bam, gonna be a no brainer hand pay! If any form of wildlife passed in front of my car on the drive, from deer to raccoon, yup gonna win big and on and on, oh the insanity we fill our heads with but now I'm afraid of these songs playing on the radio while driving because they are triggers. I have no control over nature and I apologize to any nocturnal varmints that may cross my accelerating cars path in the next few months as I try my best to fight this urge inside of me :) But there was a point to this rambling....So yesterday I put the 70's channel on my radio because I didn't want any of my "signs" on the half hour trip to the GA meeting...first song that comes on while getting on the on ramp "Signs" by Five Man Electrical Band 1971, then I arrive at the church and sign posted on entrance to building, established in 1971, then I lose my way in the caverns of the basement and a very nice woman finds me and introduces herself...Yup, going to GA as well and will take me there and she has the same name as my mom. Then I get in the car to return home "Spirit in the Sky" is playing and followed by Lean on Me.
I know, I know this is my gambling brain and I'm sure in time the "signs" will taper and I won't be looking for them but for right now all of those were very much needed to know that this quitting and healing is exactly what my mom would've wanted for me if she was still here to see this
I know, I know this is my gambling brain and I'm sure in time the "signs" will taper and I won't be looking for them but for right now all of those were very much needed to know that this quitting and healing is exactly what my mom would've wanted for me if she was still here to see this
I have never been superstitious or looked for signs, so I am not sure what all that means, but you don't need any signs to know you going to a meeting was the right thing to do.
Those signs are triggers now.
If music is a trigger leave the radio off. I turn it off as soon as a commercial comes on for a casino. Know your triggers and adjust your daily routine as to not be moved by them.
I posted a topic Breaking the addiction cycle a few days ago.
Take a look at it. I got it form counseling.
I had to come to the point of, I wanted my life back more then I did gambling. I have to work at it. (not always easy) I have to ask for help and do what others have found to work. (This site has people on it that know what they are talking about)
My fist few times to quit, I didn't want it that bad. I dug a bigger 10T hole for myself on top of the other dept. I saw the train I was on was going to lead to death. I had to get off.
Your brain is racing because it has been trained to race. You going to have to calm it down, shut it down. I hated that feeling of my brain racing. I can say after 18 days (my last bet) I do think much clearer. Is to nice to be able to process information again and be able to listen to conversation with out getting lost.
Check out on Youtube some video on what is happening to your brain when you are setting in front of a machine pushing that button.
Your mom had to wanted the best for you. You can have a GF free life which is the best for you.
Proud of you for taking the step to go to a GA meeting. You are brave.
I played craps. Arguably the most superstitious people ever play craps. Of course I would notice "signs" too.
Back when I was playing, it was never about songs for me, but it was about dates and numbers. If it was the 19th or the 21st, it was a no-brainer, I had to go. If it was a day where lots of 6's, 8's, and 9's popped up everywhere, of course, I had to go. It didn't matter where -- receipts, clocks, bills, or even online. If I saw a lack of sevens, I would go to the casino.
Back when I was playing, if I saw "7's" anywhere, I thought that wasn't a good sign. I didn't like sevens. I never played the Don'ts and I didn't usually care for the people who did. I stayed away when I would see "7's" anywhere.
Crazy, isn't it?
Funny you should ask, I was looking at renting a new office yesterday and it was, lo and behold, #700. I thought it was funny that I was even looking at it, given that nine months ago it would've been a definite no, no matter how nice it was, no matter how much of a value it was, no matter what.
We're all in this together.
I had rituals as well. I would count the steps from my car to the machine I liked. I would count steps from the machine to my room. Overall it just all added to the insanity.