welcome and very proud of your strength right now, dont worry about how others feel, you have the right to be selfish about this disease, you need to face it head on, and i hope the best for you, stick around and read out stories, share as much as you like

I started gambling about the same time. I lost my home, my car, my job, so close to being homeless. But there has been people in my life that care about me and that didn't happen. Through out the ten years it
has been nothing but continuous losses. I have never came close to winning what I have lost. I am hoping to stop all of this. I now know this
can be an escape from my life. It takes me away from all problems temporarily, only for them to be worse, when the money is all gone.
I have found out that gambling sets off stimulators in the brain that make you feel good, gives you a since of pleasure. Now I need to do something different to feel good.

elmerfudd. .... I came clean to my husband 10 days ago. I would tell him I thought I needed help with my addiction. And then I told him the amount of money I had lost and the look on his face was of complete disappointment.

I know it is hard, who ever think this is easy is wrong.

After a week of not going to the casino, if feels good to have money. Even if I will have to dig myself out of this mess.

It is the start of your road to recovery. Congratulations.
Generally people who are not compulsive gamblers do not understand why we continue until devastated and penniless.
This is part of why group therapy is so effective, you will never find people that understand you so well as other problem and compulsive gamblers.
For me it is particularly nice to have a group of women I see weekly and bare my soul with. I no longer feel alone in the battle and as broken as I have become, I can usually offer some help or insight to someone else.
There is such a disconnect between the addict and the non addict, I know of one woman, after completing a lengthly treatment program for problem gamblers, her husband took her to Las Vegas as a reward. (Argh!) Needless to say she was off to the races and back in group six months later with a bigger debt and bigger problem.

welcome to recovery all of you who have made the decision to quit. this site is a great place to start. I look forward to hearing more about your recovery!!!

Hi to you, you sound like me. Now I know too that I cannot just wean myself off of this. We can do it together. I am stopping. No more fooling myself that I can gamble "just a little" or "only take a little money" or "leave my card at home". It does not matter if I succeed at these things because the next time I go I spend it all. I have done the same as you many times. Peace and love to you.

I was where you are; self banning was the only thing that worked 4 me. I lied to myself otherwise.
Keep going one day at a time...

Welcome- admitting it to yourself is key. Owning the fact that you are a compulsive gambler and that you can't gamble "normally" (if there is such a thing) again is the biggest thing to accomplish.
All the best and know that it is possible and that you can do it!
Jay