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...
I almost feel like nothing else matters. I want to get the work day over so I can focus on gambling and research on games I could bet on. I feel as I also become addicted to the research I put into the games I bet. It takes time and grown to enjoy reading sports betting gambling forums and looking over numbers while handicapping the game. I don't enjoy social settings as much. More worried about the game then what my family members are talking about. I also realized that I would gamble during gatherings and parties to at least get that rush throughout the party and make it more enjoyable. I am less into my job. Would even gamble on games in other countries so had action in during work. I don't enjoy exercising as much and workouts would be not as good. I'm not a big drinker and eat healthy most of the time but in gambling mode I drink more alcohol and eat more unhealthy food. I also don't get as much sleep and have difficulty sleeping after a win or loss. I pay less attention to my wife and when she's talking to me about her day I'm half listening and other half is thinking about gambling. Amazing how many negative effects gambling has on me.
Yes it is amazing how much this disease can make us do things we would not do before gambling.
Too many times I said I was going to Safeway, and was gone for four hours or more. Too many times I spent money allocated to the rent, food, gas, car payment, dog's medicine, you name it. Too many times I felt suicidal at the end of a run. And yes, I ignored family, friends, and the world. I was living, if you could call it that, like a zombie.
At the height of my gambling, I did not take time to count my blessings, I did not take time to visit friends, I hardly took time to eat, sleep, bathe and go to work and most of the hours away from gambling I was still thinking about it. Either how to get more $ or when I could go again.
I am blessed to have survived it. I am blessed to have quiet time now. I am blessed to have the friends that I have. In order to stop, and smell the roses, first, you got to see 'em.
1.) Lost 22 pounds. I was a size 8 before, and now I'm a size 2. (I'm petite).
2.) Went from not exercising to exercising everyday. I'm running 4-5 miles about five times per week and doing lighter activities 2-3 times per week. I'm finally "listening to my body," and I get what that means for the first time in my life now.
3.) Gave up fried food, fast food, and junk food.
4.) Started meditating everyday.
5.) Business has grown 100% -- doubled.
6.) I pay attention to what is in style, and update my wardrobe accordingly, while staying on budget. My clothes from before were all traditional or outdated, so I didn't have to pay attention to fashion.
7.) I'm a lot more clear-headed.