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...

971 Members

6,389 Posts

0 Online

icoi 02/05/2016

So I went back to the casino for the second time after 7 months clean. I want to stop! I don't want this to turn into a spiral again. I've worked so hard to build money back up. I really want to stop again, but I feel like in another week I'll rationalize that it's not that bad. I really want to get a hold of this now.

Qwit4Good 02/05/2016

You might want to think about why you want to go back to casino. Do you believe you can get ahead by gambling? Is that really true? Is wan not true for me. But it took me a long time to realize it. Do you believe gambling is harmless fun? Is that really true for you? It sounds like it has been painful from your post.
Change your FALSE beliefs and you can change the behavior.

displacedaussie 02/06/2016

Maybe try not to focus on beating yourself up and focus on how well you have done for 7 months and what strength that gave you? Maybe try and get back into that zone and banish the thoughts that contradict it.

icoi 02/06/2016

Thank you both for the kind replies. I feel better today (it's a new day!) You are right Qwit4good, both times I went to the casino this relapse I imagined hitting a jackpot! But I just lost the money. The house always wins, that's why casino owners are able to profit! I just think maybe I'm due to win. The problem is even if I did win I would just spend it all again because I don't know how to stop.

I'm taking it one day at a time and thinking positive. That's how I got through 7 months and how I'll get through another 7 months. I'm also trying to step away from the stressors in my life. I plan to move at the end of this month (I had already planned this a while ago) to a place where there is no casino. There is a casino cruise about an hour away but I don't think that will be as tempting to me.

Thanks again you both it means a lot to have support!

Leapyear22 02/06/2016

Don't go back, don't go back, today, right now. Stay busy, and go to a meeting if you can. Take the day, and do it, GF. You got this. Remember, not to beat yourself up, learn, learn, learn, and move on. xoxox

Join the Conversation