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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juiner8 01/10/2015

I am 22 years old and feel like I am at bottom of the world because of my problem. I drive a junk van and have gambled every dollar I have ever made since I have been 18. I live with my parents and nobody besides one of my friend's who has just as bad of a problem as me truly knows how bad it is. I owe over $2000 on my credit card from gambling and just feel like the whole world is coming down on me. I have a decent job and everything in life would be going good except this problem has pinned me to the floor. I have read a lot of your stories on here and they relate very much to me I have never joined a site or anything like this so I thought I would try it and hope it helps.

I am able to stay away from the casino after a big loss for a while but after so long the negative attitude towards it slowly goes away and I get the urge to gamble again I mainly gamble on online poker and in casinos I have won over $3000 in online poker and the only thing a win does for me Is feed this beast and make me want to gamble even more i get that high when i gamble that i see some of you talk about. I fear if i don't fix this problem soon it will literally ruin my whole life ahead of me. I guess im just looking for a little support and would like to keep in touch with everyone to hopefully get somewhere in my life rather than keep going backwards.

afreshmind 01/10/2015

Welcome juiner8. It is very important that you took this first step to be here and reach out. Congratulate yourself for that today. It's very important! Many of us have done the very same thing. Go for the high or maybe go because we are down or bored or lonely and wind up in an out of control situation that may gradually come on and then one day we realize how bad it's become and begin to find help. The good news is there is help and lots of it. There are so many good people here for starters who care and know exactly the feelings you are having. I personally have not been to Gamblers Anonymous yet but from what I've read it can be a huge help to many. Ask questions and post often, especially if you are making the decision to try to quit and have urged to go or a bad day. I saw your story just now and I'm having a bad night. I'm in an argument with a family member and was just thinking, oh I'll just go tomorrow I deserve it and I'm so upset. They will never know. But I read your post and decided to reply which has helped me in return, so thanks. You are young and you can do this! We all can, with each other. And a better life awaits you. I've been gambling while unemployed which takes stupidity to a whole new level. Keep coming back.

stopat56 01/11/2015

you've come to a good place in your efforts to try to stop gambling. afreshmind gave some great advice. please find a local GA, and you'll began to see a difference. remember: there is HOPE!

marie32 01/11/2015

Hi am marie I have a gambling problem I do all the same as u do we can break this chain together be strong if u need a chat am here big hugs

rosy29 01/11/2015

My suggestion to you, go to every online poker site where you play and tell them you have a gambling problem and ask for permanent exclusion. Most reputable site take a gambling addiction request as a serious request and will ban you immediately. Then eliminate all ways of depositing online. Since you are in the US, your ways of depositing are limited so that will be pretty easy to do.

Playing online is a very addictive thing. You don't have to go to a casino, you can play in the privacy of your own home and no one is the wiser. It is so easy to get caught up in the thrill and forget about tomorrow.

Sending healing prayers your way, that you can see your way out of this. You are so young and you have such a long life ahead. Don't waste it like this.

yellowly 01/12/2015

how much do you really want your good life back?

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