I found a ton of good advice on this forum and I would like to pass on some of the methods that helped me get through the first few months of my recovery . I tried a lot of different things to battle my gambling urges - some worked , some didn't . I kept the ones that did and continued to search for new things to aid me in my fight .
These are some of the things what worked for me :
I put $100 dollars on a grocery store gift card that could not be redeemed for cash so I at least had food for the month . This took away a big chunk of stress - at least I didn't have to worry about how I was going to feed myself .
I cut up my credit cards . It was hard - my addiction fought me tooth and nail . When I finally did it I felt three things at once - panic , regret and relief .
I totaled up my debt - every penny - and looked at it every day . That was sobering and motivating .
I "paid" myself $1.00 at day for each day I didn't gamble . In the first weeks , that kept me going . I really looked forward to putting that dollar in the piggy bank every night when I got home .
I stopped referring to my gambling as "playing" . My addiction is to slot machines . The word "playing" implies something fun , innocent and harmless . What I was doing was none of those things - it was gambling , pure and simple .
I accepted that the money I lost was gone for good , there was no chance of winning it back and attempting to do so was only keeping me trapped in my addiction .
I accepted that I have a gambling addiction and I can never , ever gamble again , no matter what kind of lies my addiction told me .
I told a friend that I have a gambling addiction . This helped me tremendously . My secret was out - I was accountable now . I have a lifeline if I need it .
I "spent" almost all my money on payday by throwing every possible cent onto bills and debt as soon as it hit the bank . I filled my gas tank immediately . I left myself " almost broke " . I found it much easier to deal with the urges when I actually had no money . 4 months later , I am still doing this . I leave myself just enough to get to the next pay day and my debts are going down fast . In the meantime ...
I listened to a hypnosis tape every night for the first month . It calmed me down , enforced a positive message and helped me deal with my urges . There are dozens of these videos on the Internet . I tried them all until I found one that worked well for me . It is still my go-to when I have thoughts of gambling .
I posted here a lot . It was healing to unburden myself . I discovered more things that I wanted to say , and I gained a lot of strength and insight into myself by posting them .
The biggest thing for me was this - I made a battle plan . I wrote it all down and tried everything . I rewarded myself for the little victories . I set short term goals for myself and celebrated when I achieved them . One Day At A Time is not just a saying . It's a goal . It's doable .
I avoided everything related to gambling - I wouldn't even drive by a casino . I deleted every "play for free" site from my computer and replaced them with online jigsaw puzzles and solitaire games .
I spent the first few payday weekends barricaded in my apartment . I couldn't trust myself to go out and not gamble . I slept , I cleaned , I did movie marathons . I tried new recipes . I took walks around my neighborhood with NO money in my pocket and plugged into my hypnosis tape the instant I felt the urges come on .
Please share what worked for you . We all need every weapon we can get .