ex and would be ex-gamblers support thread

cantcope

Good Morning bigloser. 3 weeks!!! That's a great achievement i really hope you are proud of yourself. One day without a bet is great so 3 weeks!

I had a situation over Christmas. My sister in law gave me a card to open with my gift. It was for my husband and i and inside were 2 scratchcards. I thanked her and passed it to hubby who just smiled and said thanks. He scratched them when i wasnt looking and put them in the bin. I will tell her the next time we visit. His parents know but we dont see his sister often. I have no shame in telling her but it will stop that happening next year.
It didnt bother me, i knew i wasn't going to scratch them and i didnt want to. But thats after years of not gambling. Had i been a few weeks off that card may well have slipped into my bag and my husband would have seen the card later minus the scratchcards. They weren't even my "thing" but it would have been an opportunity to "win".

I can look at my husband and know i've won every morning when i wake up next to him....ok that might be pushing it....but most mornings

Madone13

Morning all, I hope everyone had a great Christmas. I've eaten and drunk far too much but had a really good few days. I've decided that January will definitely need to be a no booze January!

Twirly and Bigloser - sounds like you're both going strong. Keep it up!

Oh_dear - a couple of great posts there. I agree having blocks in place are vital - but if someone wants to gamble they will find a way of doing it ( I should know), as you point out unless you really want to give it up, you never will.

Still haven't had a bet since the 14th of December so I make today 2 weeks, not going to get ahead of myself as I've been here before and then fallen off the wagon before its even begun to roll, but at least its a start.

Oh_Dear

The above post isn't correct. There is only one dedicated rehab for gamblers in the UK, Gordon House. Part of the Gordon Moody Association, I know because I was there for 9mths, although now the programme only lasts 12 weeks. If you are a UK resident it is completely free if you can qualify for any state benefits.

At the end of the day, there is only one person that can sort an addict out. And that is the addict themselves, I have had the best help through rehab, counselling and GA. I have still had a great many blips along the way. But I know it is possible to live with out gambling. I also know it can be a very vicious addiction.

I agree with Bigloser in that not every addict will go to the same lengths, some have a higher tolerance than others. I have found that the longer people gamble the greater the boundaries of the addiction.

Gambledandlost; I do apologise for getting yours and Biglosers posts mixed up, but apart from that I stand by everything I posted above I genuinley wish you well, but I know from years and years of living as an addict and living with others in rehab; that you are showing signs of living in denial. I hope your doctor has reffered you for some counselling.

Twirly, Bigloser and Madone, well done on getting through this stressful time of year. And cantcope, well just well done for coping so well!

Geordie.

twirly09

50 days for me tomorrow and i intend to stop counting then. The plan is to just remain gamble free in 2012. If i can do that in a years time ill be 416 days gamble free.... sounds good to me!

cantcope

Well done Twirly. Stopping counting is a good thing. we have a saying at my meeting room. It's not about how many days off a bet that count it's how many days until the next one!
Take it one day at a time in 2012 and you'll be looking back this time next year feeling really proud of yourself and having made such leaps and bounds in all aspects of your life.

Even if you'd only bet a pound a day for those day's thats £50 you've saved x

Madone13

Well done Twirly - 50 days is a massive step forward!

Last day of 2011 - it would be absolutely amazing to be able to write at the end of 2012 that I hadn't had a bet. It's a long way off but one day at a time and hopefully I'll get there.

Not a huge amount to add other than to say things are still going well - no gambling - happy new year everyone!

deep_in

at the start of my journey 1 day without gambling one day at a time

cantcope

Day 1 is difficult. Day 2 even harder. I hope 2012 is bet free for everyone on here. Welcome to the thread deep in. Feel free to post as much or as little as you like. Sometimes it helps just to write it all down and get it off your chest with people who have been there, done it, can help you x

bigloser

Happy New Year everyone!

Twirly and Madone, you are both doing brilliantly. All three of us are going into 2012 gamble-free and hopefully we will all post on here at the end of this year that we have made it through without slipping. I know I can do it. For the last few years my New Years Resolution has always been the same - not to gamble, but this is the first time I have actually known I can succeed with it!

Deep In, well done on getting through your first day. I've had a read through your Debt Free Diary and you have been very open there about the problems you face with your mental health. It's great that your mum is helping you (even if she can't understand your addiction) and PLEASE go to the GA meeting on Tuesday. Your debts are obviously a worry to you, but I doubt you will be able to take control of the debts until your have stopped gambling. I am speaking from personal experience here on a very grand scale!

Good luck to all xx

Oh_Dear

Well done on 50 days. Today's the one that counts now. No gambling for me so far this year, no reason why every day cant be the same.

Happy New Year!