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...
Sitting here alone thinking about what I did today...yes, I gambled. It's not the money I lost that is really bothering me. It's the money I won and put right back in. Thousands....
Sometimes I think I must not really want to quit...why do I keep going? Maybe it's the escape.....tons of snow here and have been in the house a lot - today it was nice so I drove the 90 miles to a casino.
Reminds me of when my Dr tells me how to lose weight...I say to him "Doctor I KNOW how to lose weight....it's DOING it that's the problem!)
I know all the things to do if I want to quit.......just don't know why I don't do them.
Sorry to ramble but I feel a bond with the people on this forum...my friends and family know I gamble but really don't know how much. I live alone, so it's not like I have to account for my time or money.
Sometimes I think I must not really want to quit...why do I keep going? Maybe it's the escape.....tons of snow here and have been in the house a lot - today it was nice so I drove the 90 miles to a casino.
Reminds me of when my Dr tells me how to lose weight...I say to him "Doctor I KNOW how to lose weight....it's DOING it that's the problem!)
I know all the things to do if I want to quit.......just don't know why I don't do them.
Sorry to ramble but I feel a bond with the people on this forum...my friends and family know I gamble but really don't know how much. I live alone, so it's not like I have to account for my time or money.
it's such a deflating feeling- where you are currently. The good news is here you are and we have all been where you are. You are amongst friends who will support your road to being gambling free. Folks here have some great advice.
The hardest thing for me to do when I was gambling is 'DON'T KNOW WHEN TO FOLD". When I was winning, I kept on thinking that I am on a lucky spin and I will win more so I can't leave just yet. When I was loosing I would be chasing my money back so I can't leave either. It all ended up loosing till I was penny less.The few times I was actually went home with some winning money was because I had to go to work the next day.
I am such a hard headed person so I found myself sometimes will sit in front of the same machine for 8 straight hours without going to the restroom or eating food. Thank God all my organs inside of my body still function well, if my organs were not so KIND to me I should be dead by now. LOL.
I just saw this post. I don't know what to say except, its ok. Your here, and that's what matters. We are all here for you. Sometimes to just vent is all a person needs. Your right when you say you know what to do in order to stop, its the stopping part that's the problem. its like working a math problem backwards. The solution is right there, but the figuring out the what fits to get to the solution. For each its different. Today I knew it was my payday, and Valentines day. Tomorrow is my birthday. This was a triple threat. I knew to keep myself occupied. I knew that I couldn't say "Well I deserve to celebrate." All I needed was one millisecond and I would have been back to my familiar places and faces. But I have a new familiar place, and many 'faces' that I have grown to appreciate more and more. And I'm assuming so have you, because your here, and I'm glad. Tomorrow is a new day. Many hugs to you my friend.
I kid you not,
it was the isolation that took me to the c - - - - - ,
and it was the isolation that caused my relapse
and it WAS the non- isolation that will be my recovery.
Absolutely,
if I can offer, do not keep to yourself.
Escaping life's problems, boredom, loneliness..........these are
the "roads" to gambling and gambling is our coping mechanism for
the problems, boredom, loneliness...........
It is a vicious and unforgiving cycle you must break.
Figure out what is bothering you and deal with it and
do the addiction recovery steps and program and GA and
right here.
We share to help each other and learn from each other and to
keep growing in the right direction.
You can't do this alone.
We gambled alone, you know, the addiction of isolation, shame and guilt all fed by the fact NO ONE KNEW.
bring it out in the open and come here and share,
it will do you a world of good and us too.
We are all recovering together.
I need you sir.
In other words, it's easy to do nothing, tough to do something, but always satisfying to accomplish that something, in the end.
Case in point, we were heading back from the gym and he said it was energizing- he's been having trouble with establishing and sticking to a routine and having trouble losing weight and feeling down about putting weight on. I said "well, I know it's tough to get off the couch and get there, but now you know the feeling of "it's worth it" and keep that feeling and run with it." The same holds true here- run with it!
Jay
please don't ever be sorry,
ever,
not here,
Isolation is the ENEMY
and secretiveness has allowed this addiction to grow and fester until it is like a huge BOIL poisoning you and worse.
It's time to put those hinderances in place,
until you get stronger and get a little clean time under your belt,
like jay says,
once you get that feeling then you can"take it and run with it".
Put the hinderances and the accountability and the non-isolation in place, do GA and here and then you will start to get clean time
and want and remember that feeling and then comes
the MARATHON where you just take it and run run run run..........
keep coming
keep running