@sbailey67 -

I went on a family vacation this week and was playing The Game of Life yesterday with my nieces and nephews.

Along the way, you pick up a job, then a salary, and then a few pay raises. But there are new places on the board on the new Game of Life to "Spin to Win!" Essentially, it's gambling. When you land on a "Spin to Win" space, you and each of the other players may pick a number from 1-10, and you can wager $5,000-$50,000 of your play money per spin. If it lands on the number of your choice, you get 10x your money. If it doesn't, all the money you wager goes to the bank.

You can choose not to partake. I jokingly said, "Gambling is bad!" and chose not to gamble on the "Spin to Win!" spaces. But I noticed a lot of them would lose their entire "salary" on those spaces. Most of them noticed by the end of the game it wasn't worth it.

@sbailey67 -- Your life is not a game, but it doesn't hurt to look at it like one for a moment. You've been gambling away your money, but there is much more money where that came from. Looking ahead, there are many more "salary" places on the board game of your life. Stop the gambling now. Do what you can. Invest what you can into your current home repairs and savings and eventually into future. If you stop now, there are plenty of spaces, er, moments to earn big in the future. You just have to stop beating yourself up. Don't take life so seriously. It is what it is; you did what you did; now, play better!

Thank for your reply...

Yesterday I was out with my daughter and her friend school shopping and money was money not paper being shoved into a machine. I was causious of our spending, getting the best deals, making her happy getting everything that was needed and a few wants in there as well..

now we are looking forward to redoing her room.... I happy to plan for our future..use money the way is was meant to be used..

Today is the first day of the rest oft life

@sbailey67 -- Do you have a payee? If not, get one immediately.

I wasn't strong enough at the beginning of my 40 days clean to do these things for myself. So I appointed a payee and self-banned from my state and neighboring states. I also brought someone with me to the casino while I self-banned, to prevent me from doing what I wanted to do.

Before we are strong enough, we need support. Don't be afraid to ask for help. I've managed to create an amazing support network with both personal and state resources. I wouldn't have been able to get clean without it.

Nancy has some very valid points, especially the one about using State and personal resources to create a support network. I too would not have gotten through the early stages of withdrawal without help.
The only thing I would add for now, is that you need to get yourself to think "in the moment" more, rather than yesterdays and tomorrows. All we really have is right now.
Past or future thinking trips us gamblers up, it allows thoughts like, "I can get ahead by gambling" to creep in. For me I know getting ahead by gambling is a false belief, because my inner gambler does not care about the money, only the act of the reels spinning and the bells and whistles going off, there was never enough money for me to walk away.
One day, or one moment at a time, doing the next right thing is all I can hope for, sometimes one minute or one second at a time.
Prayers and ((hugs)).

Thank you once again for the help..


I am on line looking for resourses iny state.. Although I may not be able to go into the casino gambling is on every corner..

I will have to find a good payee, someone offered however they are not trust worthy..

I start therapy on the 10th, and began GA on wed.

This is not an option for me or a want to quit, it's s need to quit... Just as if I had been diagnosed with an illness, if I don't seek treament I will parish, and I am way to young and have too much to live for to do that.

sbailey--At the bottom of page 17 of the GA combo book are two words that might benefit you now.

Be patient.

The self-banning, having a payee, being in therapy are all good tools, but if they don't happen today, tomorrow, or ever, it's ok. You're right, gambling is on every corner. And, at the end of the day, you need to live your life.

What your recovery will look like will be different from mine, or anyone else's. Remember, at the end of the day, you can only do what you can do. If you want a payee, and are having issues finding one you are comfortable with, don't sweat it. I guarantee that others have had good recovery without it.

You have therapy and GA planned out. Awesome!! IMO, there's nothing wrong with sitting back and accepting that for the moment. It will probably take a while before you see what your recovery looks like for you. Hence, the "be patient" admonition. What works for me, or others, may not work for you, and that's fine. I just encourage you to remember that it's ok to try different things. If something doesn't work for you, try something else. And, be patient. This hopefully will be a lifetime change for you, and it will probably not be one that will happen overnight.

I agree,there are NO quick fixes. It is a lifetime struggle which should be approached one day at a time. I no longer tell myself I will never gamble again,just that I will not gamble today and that's it. A simple method for a complicated problem. That will give me 8 months of freedom on the 5th of August . Sure I have had problems,conflicts,and some really bad days at times like everyone else but I refuse to let them lead me back to the misery I left. Just cancelled a 3 day comp trip the casino sent me for the middle of this month. This is my hardest time with football right around the corner yet all I can do is try to make the right decisions at the right time. As the days mount the intensity to gamble lessens,otherwise I do not think I could handle it. Thank you for all your support and posts.

@skipp88

After thinking long and hard today after posting my message, I had to remind myself that jus a like a diet, the are no quick fixes.. It's a lifestyle change... Change the life change the behavior...

I have written down what needs to be done and i am taking in to action with auto pay at my bank. I will only be able to get a small amount out of the atm on a Daily basis... Counseling, self ban and GA.

I am determine and just like anything I will get through this.


Life is good and it's time for me to start living again.