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 last night I went out for some harmless fun of drinking a few and walking around with some friends. Everything was going well, and there it happened on my way back home. I got the urge and was able to ask my friend to drop me off at the casino around 5 am.
What's disappointing is that I wrote a post about not having an urge while I was in my hometown of chicago the last few weeks. My last bet before last night was Oct 13th. I guess this has to be day 1 again.
Even though I won money last night, I feel like I still lost.
I am lucky to have walked away in time, rather than digging a hole, but what sucks is that I really thought that I could enjoy my time out without stressing like I was over the course of my last few weeks in chicago
I feel at times I don't have the friend circle/s that I want or have back home. Might be time to make the move back to chicago to see if that helps me dig into the root of my addiction, which seems to be depression, boredom and lack of social circles that keep my mind stimulated.
Day 1 again!
Stay strong my friends!
What's disappointing is that I wrote a post about not having an urge while I was in my hometown of chicago the last few weeks. My last bet before last night was Oct 13th. I guess this has to be day 1 again.
Even though I won money last night, I feel like I still lost.
I am lucky to have walked away in time, rather than digging a hole, but what sucks is that I really thought that I could enjoy my time out without stressing like I was over the course of my last few weeks in chicago
I feel at times I don't have the friend circle/s that I want or have back home. Might be time to make the move back to chicago to see if that helps me dig into the root of my addiction, which seems to be depression, boredom and lack of social circles that keep my mind stimulated.
Day 1 again!
Stay strong my friends!
You may want to consider if drinking a few a "walking around" is "harmless fun".
My most challenging times are when I have money and no plan. For me I have, for the past year, made plans on days I know I will have more than $20. I get together with a friend or support group member and make a plan to do something that is healthy and involves no alcohol, or other mind-altering substances and the goal is to do anything but gamble. This can only be accomplished if my friends know about my addiction and I am aware of things that trigger me that need to be avoided.
Sometimes it's hiking, sometimes it's going to a movie, sometimes it is going to a museum, sometimes it is getting together for an evening of Scrabble or watching a rented movie at someone's home.
I also want to ask you how well are you taking care of yourself? Why are you out still at 5 AM? Being out and about at 5 AM, assuming you don't usually work a graveyard shift, is probably not a sign that you are taking care of your body's needs. You likely quit taking care of you earlier in the evening. Not to mention that the first thing affected by alcohol is our judgment.
If you think back to last night, before you asked to be dropped at the casino, were you Hungry, Angry, Tired or Lonely? My guess is at least tired and perhaps lonely. Tuning in to ourselves and listening to our inner dialog as well as to our bodies is part of the self care we need to learn.
If I do not take care of all of my needs, physical, mental, spiritual and social I will have more urges to gamble. The more I take care of all the aspects of living a healthy life the less I am compulsed to gamble.
Glad that you were lucky last night, now make a plan to something different next time.
Was there gambling talk with your friends? Or you just get the itch more when drinking? I definitely enjoy gambling more when drinking. It relaxes me and makes it easier making large bets and if lose its easier to handle. That's until the next day when hungover and if lost $ the hangover is way worse.
Qwit4Good posted some great ideas on how to spend your time.
5 weeks ago yesterday was my last bet placed plus my last time drinking. I have been doing positive things with my time and thats been helping me.
I got a trainer, not cheep, but I was throwing money away anyway.
I am accountable to her now. Beside my work out with her, I got up this morning and was in a fitness class. I have to plan my days or I will do something I regret. Monday is the day I always found myself at the casino.
We have to find things to enjoy. That is not to say I enjoy working out yet. I was told that will come. I do enjoy looking face to face with me again and I make it a point not to tell me of my past. Yeah I screwed up, but I can keep reminding me of it.
I too had to deal with why I was depressed. That is what sent me to the casino.
Get back with your plan of staying GF, You can do it.