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...
Apromise just posted this and I think it is THE key to quitting.
Having the desire to quit is meaningless without action. What are y'all willing to do to quit gambling?
Having the desire to quit is meaningless without action. What are y'all willing to do to quit gambling?
Accept seriousness of gambling addiction effect on my life and life of my family, before I lost both of those mentioned.
Accept the fact - I am an Addict
Stop entertaining any thoughts of gambling.
Go back to GA to at least one meeting a day
Be active on DS/Gambling Addiction&Recovery Support Group.
Work on character defects changes.
Live in One Day at a Time.
Kill my pride and stay humble.
Look forward to every day I didn't gamble.
Do 20 questions throughout my Recovery on at least yearly basis.
Never forget - what my Gambling Addiction did to me.
That is most of, but not all what I am ready to do to not gamble.
But there was 2 periods in my GA time where I did go to one meeting a day for whole month, even working 2 full-time jobs at that times.
I was ready to do anything to stop, but I untill I changed some things in my head nothing really work, but helped to feel I am determined to do whatever possible to stop gambling.
Also, I would like to mention:
My Recovery depends on Me only and there is no freaken miracle medicine to take to get cured from this crazy disease. This addiction cannot be cured, but can be arrested! And it is up to me how well and how long I will abstain and be gamble Free. No one can make me feel better or make me do the right things; just myself.
I am staying connected to myself first of all, to my GA/DS fellows and to my Higher Power the way how I understand it.
Think Positive! It is the best medicine and not just in overcoming gambling addiction.
Thank You!
Okay, maybe that is a little too neat. I wouldn't kill someone. But, I think that's about all that's off the table. I am willing to
1. Read anything I can about addiction, because addiction is addiction.
2. Go to meetings..I go to two GA meetings a week, and I go to another 12 step meeting once a week. If I am physically able to attend, I am there.
3. I am willing to pick up the phone. The most effective tool we have to fight this addiction is one another. If I can talk to another compulsive gambler -they will be able to "talk me down".
4. I am willing to write down what I am going through- this is most effective at the beginning. Make a record of how you feel, what's going through your head. When you get the urge go back and read what you had previously written. It really does help.
5. I am willing to not carry money with me, or not use the ATM.
6. I am willing to tell people that I have a problem and cannot go to the casino.
Right now, I cannot go in there and ban myself, as so many people have suggested. If I go in there I will feel compelled to gamble, because I know myself. Someday I might do it, but if it is not a problem...why invite trouble?
So what about the rest of you. Thanks 2live and HC. I am anxious to hear what other people. People that are still struggling have to say.
I had the same thoughts and told people there was absolutely no way I would go back to the casino and would not need to ban myself..I received a coupon for $150 of free play and went in there and the casino beat me, they were able to get me there.
Friendly advice: If you go with a family member, GA friend, or a close friend to tell the casino I am done FOREVER and there is NO WAY you can have another dime from me, it will always be there and a tiny tiny tiny temptation.
By eliminating the casino, you no longer get coupons and they scare you enough by telling you if you step on the property after you ban yourself you will get prosecuted for trespassing, it literally releases that temptation, please think about taking someone you can rely on to go to the casino to end the temptation.
You are here because you made the choice to live a different life away from the "crack" of gambling, please let me know if there is any support I can provide you!! :)
ll2live--To answer this great thread!!-- I admitted to myself I will not be able to win the money I lost. I admitted that I do not go to play to have fun or go to make money...I go until the money is gone and that really means I go to LOSE money. Admitting this to myself was the first and most important step. You DO NOT and CAN NOT win with gambling.
I am begging GOD to forgive my sins and imperfections and not to leave my side when I need him the most. He is the only one I am scared the most, hence I am being punished for all I've done. This is a new beginning, a new chapter, a second chance of how we should live our lives moving forward.
I love you all guys, such a tremendous amount of support and love from my new family.
It is sad that we learned the hard way or the hardest from some, but still, the time has come to move on....
God bless
FD
What I'm doing now (5 months out) is a little different than what I did at first. But those things I did at first are in my tool box for when I ever need them.
Here is what I am doing today:
1. continuing with therapy
2. continuing to write, write, write.... either just a journal of my day, or of thoughts I am having about something.
3. Come here on a nearly daily basis
4. When an urge starts building in me to gamble, I recognize that something is going on that I need to deal with and I try to figure it out and deal with it.
5. Pay all of my bills right when I get paid and don't look at my checking account again.
6. Nurture myself - get pedicures, take long baths, sleep in, listen to music, cook fancy meals
7. read recovery books
8. identify myself as an ex-gambler when the opportunity arises.
9. actively reach out to all of the people I alienated due to my gambling - make friends again.
10. Stay aware of triggers and plan ahead for them.
I am willing to accept, I am simple human being, who does make mistakes and should not be over critical of oneself.
I am willing to go back in my past, inside and anywhere I need to - to forgive my imperfections.
Slogan for myself for this evening: "Say No to OCD!".
I have not gone back to GA meetings simply b/c I am raising a granddaughter who has homework, gymnastics, piano, etc once I get home from work and my only option is to leave her w/ my alcoholic husband who thinks nothing of leaving her alone to go to a bar.
She's only 9 and much too vulnerable for that. I do have to say that I only went to the casino when she was spending the night with her other grandparents or when she was fast asleep...of course I do know there could've been a fire, etc when she was asleep and he was passed out - I have forgiven myself for this.
But getting back to the question, aside from being on this site which has been MOST instrumental, I have been:
1. Tackling the issue of co-dependency - reading, contemplating, taking baby steps to express my needs...trying to identify how I try to control and manipulate others. "Co-Dependent No More" is a great book / place to start.
2. Making an effort to come out of 'solitary confinement' - I am taking a day trip with my best friend of 35 years (who I've sorely neglected the past few years) next week to have a spa day at a nearby resort town, and starting to reach out to old friends.
3. I am reading scripture each and every day and pray alot!
4. Admitting to others just how crazy I had gotten w/ this addiction
Great thread...thanks!