Trying for Clean Time

I believe that not having money is something that does fuel the urges and gambling compulsions. I also believe it is the highs you spoke about. Knowing that, how does one overcome the highs of the addiction? Like the physiological things you spoke about. Because if that is true, then those highs and changes the gambling does to my mind and body are very strong. And, it is a very expensive addiction. I have loads and loads of debts and ruined finances to prove that.

This can all be beat w/ self-exclusion and taking away access to money. I know you don't want to do those things because you won't be able to gamble if you do but isn't that the goal here? You're obviously struggling but it seems like you're trying out every excuse to not take a real first step toward recovery. What you need to realize is that there is nobody here who is lying to you about these things, we have no reason to. The reason we're advising you to do them is because we know that once you do you'll be much better off.

It is all up to you BLLMB, only you can take the necessary steps to break this vicious cycle and save yourself. In your own words gambling is expensive and you have a lot of debt, why continue doing it, it only get worst. Try exercise, it is the most natural way to get the dopamine going and it is good for your body too.

Excellent advice there.

It's like I have to catch myself when I really want to be done to self exclude. I remember about a week or two ago after losing everything in my pockets again I went to the cage to self exclude. It took me some thought and I had to build myself up to it. I was going to self exclude myself from the cardrooms for a year and told the guy yes. He comes back and tells me I need a passport picture which I can get at local stores such as Walgreens, etc. I was upset at the moment because I wanted to self exclude right then and there (before my mood and mind changed and told myself to not go through with it) and I had self excluded before with just a Driver's License ID but he said the rules/policy has changed. I said ok and thought I'd get to it later. Of course, as time passed I changed my mind and convinced myself I could control my gambling and once again convinced myself that not being able to play for a whole year would be unpleasant and that I'd miss out on the periodic big wins I'd been having. Due to this, I am still not self excluded. I feel like I have to get there again mentally (get to the point where me wanting to be completely done (which has been very hard) is stronger than the urges, desires, and compulsions) in order for me to not try and drive to the big casinos that are farther after I self exclude. Another thing, if this addiction is similar to drug addiction, then I know one thing for sure, my highs get higher when I bet and win bigger. Five dollar bets don't do it for me anymore, unless of course I'm down to my last money and need to win to continue to play, which has been the case often.

It is a big step to take but think of it this way - why should you wait until you ruin yourself again ? Because that's what's happening . You only feel capable of taking action against the addiction when it has beaten you up to the point of desperation and despair and even then , any interruption of your impulse to do something about it allows the disease to talk you out of it .

You don't have to wait until it gets so bad that you feel like you want to die .

The addiction is causing these delaying tactics - it doesn't want you to be free of it . You have the power to say NO and it is fighting you every step of the way . Urges are only thoughts that won't shut up . They can be managed and they can be lived through . They may be maddening in the beginning of recovery but the longer you stay away from gambling , the weaker they will become .

Go to GA . Talk to the people there - guaranteed every one of them knows exactly how you feel . You will find great support and advice , you may find a sponsor there to help you through the first days and weeks .

None of this advice will help you if you believe your biggest problem is the losing streaks . If you still think that the "wins" are worth the misery of being controlled by the compulsion to gamble , then you will have to find your own rock bottom . Nothing we say here will convince you otherwise . The addiction will always come up with " good reasons " to gamble . It is your choice on whether you act on them or fight back against them .

BadluckLeavesMeBroke wrote:Another thing, if this addiction is similar to drug addiction, then I know one thing for sure, my highs get higher when I bet and win bigger.

It can , and will , get worse .

What state won't accept a drivers license to self-exclude? If they would have pulled that on me I'd have been livid. I was so sick of gambling when I self-excluded (I had actually won the day I did it BTW) I would have created such a disturbance that they would have just banned me.

periodic big wins? They're not wins. You have periodic big losses. In boxing terms you're fighting to land one punch while getting knocked out 10 times. Landing a solitary punch to get knocked out ten times and broken, busted up. Is that worth it?


Addiction has got a grip on you that you don't want to quit and don't see a life without gambling. If you can't quit, why not try this. Say to yourself I will not gamble for one week, then after one week If I want to I will.

We got to be honest here. We can say never gamble again, but for the majority of people, they can not and do not want to do this. By saying they can't gamble ever again, it only makes them want to do it even more.


Most people don't want to quit. They only want to '' not lose ''

They haven't got a problem when they win, they only cry about it when they lose.

Get real with yourself. If you want to teeter around and lose a lot of money then do it. If you want to quit do it. Know what you want and don't kid yourself.

If you really want to quit you will go out of your way to self exclude. If not you're wasting your time BSing everyone here and most of all yourself.


Do you know the key to living a good and healthy BALANCED life badluck? It is hard work, consistency and dedication. Not gambling for 3 days is going to cut it. But if you don't want to stop at least give yourself some respite.


No one is better than you and you are no better than anyone else. We're all equal. You can have so many things in your life that are great, including the old you if that's what you want and you're willing to sacrifice hard and long. Then you will be a stronger version of you and feel even more powerful than when you win gambling. And it will last too.

I know the pain and torment you feel. Gambling makes life and you feel surreal, like you're not here. Like you're stuck in your own world and one that is filled with pain and hurt. Emotions are through the roof. When you don't gamble, the emotions go away after a while and when you exercise and do good things, which you will be able to do because you feel normal, you will feel GOOD. You will have a clear head and feel happy.


I'm fair but I'm firm as a famous boxing ref says. I'm not going to sugar coat it for you. You light a flame,. you are going to get burnt. It's that simple. Gambling is playing withy fire and you can't expect to light matches when you want whenever you want and not get burnt. Gambling is stepping into the fire.

Time to get real with yourself and stop living a lie.


Remember whenever you gamble you play with fire and are going to get burned.

-- Sat Sep 09, 2017 10:15 am --

self exclude. Save yourself. Go to meetings, don't go to meetings. But self exclude everywhere you can.

SAVE YOURSELF. NO ONE CAN DO IT FOR YOU.

This addiction has its grip on me. I've quit in the past before but this relapse has been quite bad. This specific relapse has been going on for about a year plus. When I beat this addiction before, it was me beating the blackjack addiction and realizing that the game was costing me loads of money. My addiction now is baccarat. That dragon bet is destroying me. The highs from that payout and the payout itself keeps me going. This addiction has its grip on me and it doesn't help that I'm poor so these wins feel like everything to me. Deep down I know its destroying me, but this game has had a grip on me for some time. I won't lie, I gambled yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. I lost, won some, but lost it all back. In my head I tell myself I did something wrong which made me lose. I've been taking multiple trips to the casino in the same day for multiple days. GA and the gambling counseling has not worked for me. It worked when I stopped this addiction years ago when I was around 18 to 22 years old or something like that, but boy I tell you this relapse is strong. It's like I have no more control over myself when it comes to gambling.

Badluck, can I be honest with you?
I am afraid you are never ever going to get rich from gambling, you may win but you will give it all back and probably more too. So you seem to me your like a rabbit caught in the headlights! Just allowing yourself to be run over.
Well you can either let that happen or you blink get of the road and start doing something to help yourself.
We have all advised you to self exclude, you need to go and do this as soon as possible, I can assure you that once you have done this you will feel like you have suddenly gained a little control and that is very empowering.
Please just do this one thing and you will have made a start.
We are all here for you and want you to beat this.
Come on, take the first step and start getting your life back.