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...

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LMaria33 08/01/2011

I haven't been on here in a while because, you guessed it, I've been gambling again. Sadly, I have to admit to myself that each time I've tried to quit I guess I just don't want it badly enough. It really makes me feel like a failure and so out of control. My dad passed away and after coming back from being out of state for family, I spent the whole weekend gambling and lost a boatload. One of the worst losses ever. This just cannot continue.

I felt like I was visited by the grim reaper when the casino "host" approached me at a machine to offer me perks. Did I want free concert tickets, baseball games, dinners, drinks, anything? Graduating to high roller made my stomach sink. It's such a sick sick system they have for luring you in and keeping you going. They say they want to help problem gamblers, but they LOVE them. It's their bread and butter and they want you coming back. I got the next month's perks in the mail and it's $75 in free play and $75 in food. That's what got me going back the last time. This time I have resolved to sign the self-exclusion form and get my address OFF their mailings. But the big question is.....how do you muster up the determination to stop when you know there is that VERY strong part of you that does not want to stop?

Tomorrow I have resolved to go to my first GA meeting. I've tried and planned and then not gone. I'm also going to call a counselor who specializes in gambling addiction for one on one therapy. I have totally realized that I cannot do this on my own and that this is the reason I have likely failed at stopping in the past. I'll go a month or two or longer, but then I go back. But I don't have a support system in place outside of my husband, and it's not enough. I try to look at positives like the times I've resisted urges to go, because I have succeeded at times with that.

Today is the first day of the rest of my life and I want to make it positive.

Here in AZ there are a lot of resources. Meetings close to where I live, therapists who are state funded to help people. I couldn't ask for a better place to find help. I hope I will take advantage of it.

deleted_user 08/01/2011

All these are good.You have all you need to succeed.The DESIRE to STOP!!!You've taken th 1st step.Keep doing the work.Keep coming back.One day at a time.God bless.

stopat56 08/01/2011

good for you lmaria33. half the battle is admitting the problem, then finding the determination to stop. congratulations on your honest. we're pulling for you! thanks for sharing.

Joannybc 08/01/2011

As I read your words it sounded like it could have been written by me.
Please, stay strong, go through self exclusion (i'm going this week too). I'll be watching your words on here - all the best to you.

deleted_user 08/02/2011

I also have a desire to stop. I had 6 weeks and then gambled Sun. The bad thing is i dont even feel good when i win anymore. I want to be free of this. I dont have a lot of support either. My husband is great. But he does not understand addiction. Thanks for reaching out

LMaria33 08/02/2011

Thank you for the replies, I am grateful to have this support group!

In the past, when it came to actually DOING something about this, like filling out the paperwork for self-exclusion, mailing it, calling a counselor to make an appointment, going to a GA meeting--I would put it off and not follow through. But yesterday, a big step was taken. I filled out the self-exclusion form, took it to the bank and had it notarized, mailed it, and sent in my picture. I also have an appointment today with a counselor who specializes in this addiction. I already feel better and different this time for taking those steps. With self-exclusion, you cannot use credit cards for cash advances, cannot collect any jackpot wins where it is hand paid and do not get perks in the mail, you'll be off the list. I think this will help A LOT to stay away.

Tonight is a GA beginner's meeting and I'm planning to go. I've had a lot of resistance to going to GA. It feels scary to walk into a group meeting like that, having never been to anything like it. My husband said he would go with me to the first one to break the ice and I think I will take him up on it. I'm worried about seeing people I know, I work in the medical field and have my own business, so I'm concerned about seeing some of my own patients there and having that tarnish my reputation in the community, but I am trying to tell myself that these are just my own resistance blocks. If people are there they have the same problem and are not going to judge me or think differently of me, even if it is someone I know.

Anyway, that is the update for now! Today is the first day of the rest of my life and i want to make it new, different and positive.

stopat56 08/03/2011

wow. that is my excuse/reason for not going to GA meetings: seeing people I know because of my job! some would be so disappointed that their 'capable' casemanager has issues such as gambling. of course, I shouldn't worry about what people think. the important thing is admitting I have a problem with gambling (and I do!), and seeking help for it. right now, it would be best for me to see a private counselor who specializes in gambling addiction. hooray to everyone staying gamble free one day at a time. I just made 10 days today. whew!

deleted_user 08/04/2011

thank you for sharing your story with me. hopefully i will find my way to a ga metting. went to the casion was given anything i wanted by the host. the problem is i spend all the money i had. cash advances atm withdrawels until is was all gone. every time i go its the same story for me and im hating my self more and more.now all the money is gone and all the bills are due. i have no right to do this because i was also laid off from my job. your story at least made me feel maybe theirs hope for me .

LMaria33 08/07/2011

I found a state funded counselor who will meet with me one on one and also a group therapy meeting weekly. It is a pay what you can program, so for $10 a week I can get individual therapy and group therapy. I went to my first one on one session last Monday. Tomorrow I will go to the first group session. This is the first time I've made this step, so I'm happy with that. I hope to attend a GA meeting this week, I still have not made it to one, I seem to have a lot of resistance to it. I think once I meet some of the ladies who are in the Monday night group therapy meeting I will feel more comfortable going to GA, as they are also in those meetings I was told.

I hope others can benefit from the counseling out there, it doesn't have to cost much, so check into your state funded programs! I found it by doing a search on gambling addiction in my state.

stopat56 08/07/2011

good for you Maria on finding the counselor. My hope is that they get to the root, and help you. I have found the number to a state counselor specializing in gambling addiction, and intend to call them tomorrow. keep in touch, and have another gamble-free day. I plan to have one.........................

LMaria33 08/16/2011

Just wanted to give an update...two weeks gamble free, thanks to finding a therapist who specializes in gambling addiction through a state funded program. She also does a weekly group meeting with 4-6 other people, and I went to my first group therapy meeting last night. It was really great to connect in person with others who are going through the same thing. I really encourage people out there to find out if their state has these programs. You pay what you can on sliding scale, it can be nothing if you can't afford it!! I tried for so long to quit on my own, with just coming on here and distancing, but that was not enough for me. Now that I have a good support system in place I feel much more hopeful. I still haven't made it to a GA meeting, but with the individual therapy and group therapy, the connections and support are in place. I plan to go to GA this week. That has been the hardest thing for me to do. I have a feeling I will like the more relaxed, intimate small group I joined better, but I figure the more support the better so I will try it out. But I can't stress enough how much it has helped me to find this state funded therapist and group therapy. I know other states do this too, maybe look it up through a google search using your state and gambling addiction in the search.

deleted_user 08/17/2011

Hi - I am a Producer on a TV talk show and am taping an episode tomorrow that revolves around an addicted gambler and his family, that is trying to get him to enter a special treatment center.

I am looking for some recovering gamblers to attend our taping and participate with questions and comments from our audience.

The taping is in New York City tomorrow, Thursday August 18 at 12p.

If anyone is interested, please contact me at rgoldman@billcunninghamshow.com or call me at 855-833-7770, ext. 2

Thanks, Rich Goldman
Sr. Producer/THE BILL CUNNINGHAM SHOW

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