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...
There is no "right" or "wrong" way for me work on my recovery. I do know, for me, what I need to do and what grounds me. For me, I had admitted many moons ago, that I had a problem, and I was a compulsive gambler. Admitting it, especially after a 3 day binge, was always easy, there would be the tears, there would be the fear, and the promise to never do it again.
Of course, after a period of time, I did it again, and again, and again. So, although I would "admit" I had a problem, I wasn't doing much more. So, for me, I finally realized, after being hit on the head multiple times with the "denial stick" that I needed to really admit I was a compulsive gambler, and work on my recovery, just as hard as I worked on my active addiction.
For me, it means, life time self-banning; it means meetings; it means working the steps; it means communicating and working with other GA members; it means, honesty; willingness, humility, and kind of just being naked :) Not that I want the entire world to know, and not that the entire world would care. But, for me, my recovery means, I tell people, in my life, although I don't want to burden them, they needed to know.
Is recovery easy,,,, sort of, but is recovery easy for the addict that admits they are a compulsive gambler, but doesnt do anything else.... absolutely not. I admitted many times, but without working a program, a simple program, I can almost guarantee one thing... its a matter of time before I find myself making another bet and telling myself, its okay. Its not okay, for me, the first bet is like the first drink for an alcoholic, and we all know how well that can go.
xoxoxox Happy Trials my Sweet Warriors.
Of course, after a period of time, I did it again, and again, and again. So, although I would "admit" I had a problem, I wasn't doing much more. So, for me, I finally realized, after being hit on the head multiple times with the "denial stick" that I needed to really admit I was a compulsive gambler, and work on my recovery, just as hard as I worked on my active addiction.
For me, it means, life time self-banning; it means meetings; it means working the steps; it means communicating and working with other GA members; it means, honesty; willingness, humility, and kind of just being naked :) Not that I want the entire world to know, and not that the entire world would care. But, for me, my recovery means, I tell people, in my life, although I don't want to burden them, they needed to know.
Is recovery easy,,,, sort of, but is recovery easy for the addict that admits they are a compulsive gambler, but doesnt do anything else.... absolutely not. I admitted many times, but without working a program, a simple program, I can almost guarantee one thing... its a matter of time before I find myself making another bet and telling myself, its okay. Its not okay, for me, the first bet is like the first drink for an alcoholic, and we all know how well that can go.
xoxoxox Happy Trials my Sweet Warriors.
The second time, I admitted powerlessness over gambling but really wanted the counselor to use the "magic wand" method to "cure" me. I also minimized by behavior, I didn't have it that bad because I didn't go through as much money as others had, because I had not gambled with anyone else's money. I did not make new friends and I continued to keep my problems secret. I was never able to quit for more than 14 days.
This time, I gambled with money not my own, lost a good job, lost car, lost friends, lost all savings, almost lost housing and still facing legal issues. I was scared enough to feel like I was really fighting for my life.
This time is different, I truly do not want to EVER go back to the hell I was living while gambling. I am working everyday at my relapse prevention plan, I make an effort to do about 10 things on a daily basis, and around 20 on a weekly basis.
I do EVERYTHING I can EVERY DAY to the end of doing anything besides gambling and making my life richer and more fulfilling. Everyone I know and consider a friend knows of my addiction this time. I have the longest streak ever of abstinence and I owe that to sharing feelings on this site and in my home face to face group.After all running away from feeling my feelings was my primary motivation for gambling.
Now I have other ways to cope when I have strong feelings.
My recovery has been a long process of trying different things, faltering, adding in new things, faltering, getting rid of what didn't work, faltering. Know what I mean?
I think I am successful today at not gambling because I put up a lot of road blocks, did some serious emotional work in therapy, got real with myself and everyone else in my life on a visceral level, and I continue to work daily on how I can keep improving the quality of my life.
I spent years knowing I had a problem and really, truly wanting to quit. It wasn't until I took some serious, scary as hell, steps to quit that I was actually able to get some days clean. I was watching Intervention one day and the therapist said to the addict "you know, there is no knight in shining armor coming to rescue you from your problems. You've got to save yourself" and it made me think... what am I waiting for? I have to save myself. It sounds so simple, but it was profound to me at that time.