Post Number Of Days Gamble Free

Congratulations on the 3 year milestone. I can imagine you are alot happier now and gambling is just a distant bad memory for you now. Hopefully I will reach that milestone and beyond. 2 of my Uncles are problem gamblers, mothers brother and fathers brother. I’m wondering is problem gambling a disease that runs in families, just how big a factor it is who knows? 14 weeks gambling free, 98 days gambling free. Where does the time go?

That's fantastic Sconced !

How are you feeling now ? Have you noticed any changes ? For me , the first thing I discovered was that the quality of my sleep really improved . Other changes came as my gamble-free time accumulated but that's the first one I really noticed ,

You are doing great - stay focused and keep it going !

Thanks for the encouragement Newsunrising!! What I’ve noticed most of all is I feel happier in general.As regards sleeping I sometimes have bad dreams that I have returned to gambling and am about to lose big but am very relieved when I wake up.I have had a few weak moments in real life when I am tempted to have a bet. Then I read my notes, and basically it’s not worth returning. The consequences are too severe. I’ve realised in theory if a person lived long enough they could save back all their losses.Essentially money can be saved back over a long time period but what can’t be recovered is time.So each gambling loss is a loss of time. I can’t afford to lose any more time. Today I am 103 days gambling free.

Hello again, i am back. Fell off the wagon and I have reached a new low. The good news is that it can only get better from here. This time I am not going to try and do this on my own. Doing it by myself obviously does not work. There are not many meetings in my area so I am hoping to find some online groups or meetings. I have been gambling for 34 years and it needs to end. I have lost so much to gambling and it has to stop right now no matter what. I am 6 hours gamble free.

I am sorry to hear that Hank,

I was reading some of your older posts and saw that you gave hypnotherapy a shot. How did it work for you? Sometimes we just need to find that right combination of support to get our recovery on the right foot. What helped me in the start was going to GA meetings and meeting with a therapist. I did this for about a year.

UnluckyHank wrote:This time I am not going to try and do this on my own. Doing it by myself obviously does not work

I also tried to do this on my own and after I realized that I couldn't do it on my own, I STILL tried to do it on my own. I guess I was just too stubborn and didn't want to get anyone involved. Actually, I just wanted to hide it from the world. I find the majority need help from others so that they are accountable for their actions. If it is only ourselves that we have to deal with, we can reason ourselves out of anything..

Hang in there Hank! Make changes to your recovery and try something different. You'll eventually find something that works for you!

Thank you Aries,
I am finishing up day 2 of being gamble free. Today was surprisingly up beat and positive. I do not have this knot in my stomach due to the anticipation of gambling. I have not created a plan of attack but I am working on it.The hypnotherapy wa not for me, I think I need traditional therapy and GA meetings. So far so good. Thank you for the reply.

Day 4 in the bank. I still feel off like I am not comfortable in my own skin. I believe there are several reasons for this. Not gambling has left a big hole in my day, still have not developed a plan for my debt, a little nervous what the future holds. As I read this back to myself I think I could really use a GA meeting lol. Just really happy to have another day gamble free!

I'm happy to see you with another gamble-free day too !

UnluckyHank wrote:I still feel off like I am not comfortable in my own skin.

There's going to be withdrawal symptoms for sure . We just have to power through them . During the first 6 months of my recovery , when I wasn't battling constant urges , I felt like crap . Everyday life was just dull , annoying and tedious . I could relate to the mountaineers who have climbed Everest when they said " I was reduced to just forcing myself to put one foot in front of the other , over and over again. " .

UnluckyHank wrote:Not gambling has left a big hole in my day, still have not developed a plan for my debt, a little nervous what the future holds.

The changes will come slowly as your GF time accumulates . Be patient with yourself and your recovery process . No one here has ever posted " I quit gambling last week and now everything's great ! " .

Stay strong Hank ! It's a big mountain , but when you get to the top , the accomplishment is worth the pain of the climb . You can do this .

Thank you NSR, yes right now I am white knuckling it. I am one week in and bored as hell. I need to get used to not having huge swings in my day to day life. I'm not sure what to do but I am sure what I can not do. One week Gamble free!

You will get stronger in time Hank. Trust me.
As long as you remain committed to quit, it will kick in.

The first few weeks are the toughest. Keep posting here consistently.
We are here for you. Cheers mate.

-- Mon Apr 22, 2024 5:01 pm --

Sconced wrote:Essentially money can be saved back over a long time period but what can’t be recovered is time.So each gambling loss is a loss of time. I can’t afford to lose any more time. Today I am 103 days gambling free.

I feel this very much Sconced. Most of my life problems was a result of gambling. And I had wasted those glory years of my life. However, I believe not all is gone. I can still have a great ending with my remaining years. Just need to wise up and not put myself in high risk situations or decisions (surely no more silly gambling) and always seek God's help (divine or higher power).

Keep it up mate...am proud of you.