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...
I found what I think is a really good article on the concept of surrendering as a part of recovery. I remember the point that I surrendered to my gambling addiction. It was a terrifying and liberating feeling all at once. I've found it difficult to describe but I think this article does an excellent job.
I'm posting an excerpt from a recovery web site that I browse every so often. I'll post a link to it at the end if you want to read the entire article.
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Raise your consciousness in order to break through your denial
The first thing that needs to happen if you are still trapped in the cycle of drug addiction or alcoholism is that you need to break through your denial.
People in recovery (or anyone who would try to help you) might tell you that you need to surrender.
OK, well how do you do that? How can you surrender if you are just not ready to do so yet?
Maybe you wish that things were different, but how can you actually take action if you are not willing to make major changes and go through the ego-crushing process of surrender and then detox?
Can you really choose to surrender? Is it a choice? Can you just suddenly decide to surrender?
The answer is both yes and no:
No, you cannot just suddenly decide to surrender on a whim. It doesnt work that way. Even if you have recently suffered some negative consequences due to your addiction, you may not be able to just surrender on a total whim. If this was possible then addiction would be a lot easier to solve.
But the answer is also yes, in that you can choose to surrender if you are willing to start examining your life.even while you are still trapped in addiction. This is exactly what happened to me when I was in the darkest days of my addiction. I was miserable using drugs and alcohol every day and it was just a matter of time for things to keep getting worse and worse so that I could figure that out (and thus break through my denial).
The problem is that some people never do figure it out in timethey end up in jail, an institution, or dead before they ever get a chance to discover recovery.
So the question is this:
If you acknowledge that you are addicted, what can you do in order to bring yourself closer to surrender?
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http://www.spiritualriver.com/really-good-advice-for-getting-clean-and-sober/
I'm posting an excerpt from a recovery web site that I browse every so often. I'll post a link to it at the end if you want to read the entire article.
**********************************************************************
Raise your consciousness in order to break through your denial
The first thing that needs to happen if you are still trapped in the cycle of drug addiction or alcoholism is that you need to break through your denial.
People in recovery (or anyone who would try to help you) might tell you that you need to surrender.
OK, well how do you do that? How can you surrender if you are just not ready to do so yet?
Maybe you wish that things were different, but how can you actually take action if you are not willing to make major changes and go through the ego-crushing process of surrender and then detox?
Can you really choose to surrender? Is it a choice? Can you just suddenly decide to surrender?
The answer is both yes and no:
No, you cannot just suddenly decide to surrender on a whim. It doesnt work that way. Even if you have recently suffered some negative consequences due to your addiction, you may not be able to just surrender on a total whim. If this was possible then addiction would be a lot easier to solve.
But the answer is also yes, in that you can choose to surrender if you are willing to start examining your life.even while you are still trapped in addiction. This is exactly what happened to me when I was in the darkest days of my addiction. I was miserable using drugs and alcohol every day and it was just a matter of time for things to keep getting worse and worse so that I could figure that out (and thus break through my denial).
The problem is that some people never do figure it out in timethey end up in jail, an institution, or dead before they ever get a chance to discover recovery.
So the question is this:
If you acknowledge that you are addicted, what can you do in order to bring yourself closer to surrender?
**********************************
http://www.spiritualriver.com/really-good-advice-for-getting-clean-and-sober/
For me, there was a period of recognizing that I had a problem, but still being unwilling to change. With gambling especially, there is always the allure of going to win back some of the losses. The main difference, it seems between substance abuse and gambling addiction is that the damage is assessed differently....with gambling the financial destruction is there in cold hard numbers, but there is always the hope that the account can be replenished with one "good win".
And unlike other addictions, it seems like CG's aren't in the habit of blaming others, we drown slowly in our own guilt.
I lurked here for months before I hit my rock bottom and chose recovery. I think I needed to acclimate myself to the IDEA of quitting before I made the decision to stop gambling. Exposing myself to people in all stages of recovery, people still struggling, relapsing, succeeding,it was like doing reconnaissance before I jumped in! And it worked.
Thanks for the post!
It's a process,
I am also a member of another 12 step program (double-winner, lol) and I remember when I finally surrendered. Wow! It was really incredible. I felt like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders. Interestingly enough, I have found that so many of "us" are resistant to the idea that we should EVER surrender. We identify as rebels (maybe) and free spirits who are not meant to "toe the line".
I was in a car accident several years ago (after I got sober) and ran into the side of a mountain. The blessing was I didn't go the other way, where there was a 300+ foot drop. When I lost control of my car, I literally took my hands off the steering wheel and "let go and let God". I know that the greatest mistake most drivers make in an accident is over-correcting, so I figured if it was my time, it was my time. So I do know exactly what it is like to "surrender" and I am so glad I have.
It has brought me to new friends, like all of you, here. It has also led me to major soul searching, and I don't always like what I see, but I know that through the HOW of GA I will make it. (Honesty, Open-mindedness and Willingness). I am not trying to press for GA, but it has worked foe me (so far). Thanks for the thoughtful post.
The best part that I can identify with is "terrifying and liberating at the same time." That was so true for me. It couldn't imagine giving up and being upfront, absolutely terrified of admitting being powerless.
Having done it- actually as I was doing it- the feeling of liberation and calm just fell all over me.
Brings me back to day 1, reading this.
Thanks.
Jay