Post Number Of Days Gamble Free

thanks Aried and Sun,
I felt like betting as well at times, but I controlled myself.
Its funny that after all this time we can still go back to it.
I feel stronger when I post here. So I will carry on posting

yahoocoau wrote:Its funny that after all this time we can still go back to it.

At the start of my recovery, I thought that if I overcame this addiction, I would rid myself of the desire forever. However, I learned that this a life long illness and have seen people with 20+ of abstinence go back to gambling. We can't control these irrational thoughts that enter our mind, but hopefully we have put up enough barriers to properly control our actions.

Lets keep on going strong and make the rest of this year gamble free!

Well said .

I also thought if I stopped gambling I'd be " normal " again . What I didn't realize at the time is that isn't possible . My brain and the way it functions has been physically and permanently altered by the addiction , not unlike the way a weld in a metal beam will always be the weakest part of that structure .

I've passed through my period of struggle , helped immensely by reading these posts . I think it's time for a little self reflection so I can try and understand what brought this on .

Hi all, it has been a roller coaster year for me, exactly a year already. I gamble via online. I made initially to pay off my credit card and some debt, and even made extra, which I kept in cash. But the addiction stayed on, and needless to say, you know the ending. I lost that physical cash + accumulated some credit card debt.

Back to square one.
My last bet was on Saturday.

So today is Day 2 of GF.

Hey Ricardo,

I am happy that you posted once again. It can be difficult to tell others that you fell off the horse, but you know we all need to get back up.

I wouldn't say that you are back to square one. Perhaps, your GF days may have gone back, but the experience you gained by paying off your CC and debt is immense. Recovery is life-long and we need to just patch up some weak points in our recovery. Think about the 'lies' you told yourself that allowed you to gamble. Think about what you can do to improve your recovery for the next stretch.

Keep strong and we are all rooting for you!

Hi Aries,

Thanks for posting a reply and also your word of encouragement. I still thinking of the money that I lost. I do have patience. But why is it that my mind still can't stay away from the thought of gambling and make some money. Maybe it is just recent. Or I just need to knock something harder into my head.

Day 3 GF

Hey RicardoG,

Getting over the money we lost can be quite difficult. Some people can do it easier than other, but I needed counseling to get over it. As for the thoughts (lies) that enter our heads.. Well, I learned that we can't control our thoughts and we shouldn't feel bad because we have them. What we CAN control are our actions to those thoughts. Even after 4.5 years, I had fleeting thoughts of gambling a few weeks ago. It never really goes away due to the way our brain is now hardwired.
What helped me most with dealing with those thoughts was Mindfulness. I can usually catch my irrational thought as they come in and logically get over it.

Keep it up Ricardo and let those GF days rise!

nakanaipride, mid 40s (PNG). I have been very selfish by gambling and neglecting my responsibilities. It has affected my performance at work and also affected my marriage negatively. I have put myself under unnecessary financial pressure because of this stupid habit.
Gambling addiction is brutal and highly destructive.

What gambling has done in my life:
Gambling has led me to borrow money.
Gambling has led me to misuse money.
Gambling has led me to skip work.
Gambling has led me to spend money that was supposed to be used for other things.
Gambling has led me to be without money.
Gambling has led me not to save money.
Gambling has led me to lie to my family.
Gambling has led to my wife being unhappy and upset.
Gambling has led me not to have quality time with family.
Gambling is a very bad habit.
I feel very bad that I have gambled my pay and extra money that should have been saved.
I gamble because I think that I will have a lot of money very quickly but this is a lie.
Gambling has led me not to give my son the best.
Gambling has caused me to neglect my responsibilities.
Gambling has affected my work.
It is bad and I will not gamble again in my life.
Gambling has caused me only bad things.
This is day 2 for me on a 21 day challenge

Well done Nankanaipride ,

If you haven't done so yet , please look over our Strategies thread . You may find some useful information there to help you in your recovery journey . It's a long and hard road but you're not alone .

We'll be here to support you every step of the way !

Hey all, I check forum almost everyday it's very empty, why..?

I want to say thank you for all users of this forum for your posts, shared stories and kind words and ofcourse for GA group. Today I'm 5 years Gambling free. There is so much to say, but I'm just happy that now I can be with my wife and my 1 year kid without sleepless nights, without lies, without anger and despair, debts and financial ruin. Now waking up in the morning seeing smiling faces of my loved ones, I'm a different person. Sometimes I remember my last bet in 2015, it's like a bad dream, looks like it never happened, but reality reminds me, who I'm and that only 1 second, 1 bet can throw me back to gambling, because I'm a compulsive gambler and always will be. Good thing is that it's possible to live with this addiction, so if there is anyone here still trying to stop - check strategies, stories, GA groups near you, it's never too late.
Thank you again everyone, take care and keep going forward