Retraining my brain is the goal

My response to gambling lies in my growth and freedom

Girl/Boy do I ever need growth and freedom, freedom mostly from THOUGHTS of gambling invading my mind CONSTANTLY. The only way to get rid of the thoughts is to quit gambling. My brain has been trained to think of gambling. I NEED TO AND WILL retrain my brain.

I can think of studying, exercise, writing, drawing

I have been using coloring as a calming method. It seems so stupid, I am coloring pictures, designs, adult coloring book, but it does feel good and I like a lot of my work.

Eating, mindless eating, overeating. I am guilty of mindless, anxiety eating while watching showtime or tv during a gambling hangover. I have been raw, just after the gambling trauma I am a zombie with numbness and pain all in one. I have to be careful here, but just zoning out away from gambling feels good, especially when I am just out of it. Not that I want to turn into a certified couch potato. Wearing a badge with a picture of a fat potato that states Certified Fat Crazy Couch Lady. (I digress).

Ok people on Gambling Addiction Forum, what have you done to retrain your brain to something healthy?

Under my gambling is trauma and I just retraumatize myself with gambling. In the past, before I ever gambled I had worked really hard to have a good life after childhood abuse. I then became addicted to gambling while working in a very toxic environment. Now I am still trying to overcome the gambling and have gone around in circles for years quitting, not quitting, beating myself up. Uggghh glad it will be over I have stopped now and am just beginning to reclaim my life again. This time I am being really quick about not having anything to do with triggering people, other gamblers or abusers.

R

NewLife2017 wrote:I have been using coloring as a calming method. It seems so stupid, I am coloring pictures, designs, adult coloring book, but it does feel good and I like a lot of my work.

Nothing is stupid if it keep us from gambling. Lately adult coloring had been known to be therapeutic and entertaining.

One of the way I cope with the urge to drive to the casino is to watch drama series and movies something that was not really my thing as I prefer to read and play piano. It felt like a mindless and passive activity that just suck up precious time but it is a thousand time better than throwing away my hard earn money and beating up myself after another big losses.

Thank you

Coloring is a great distraction technique . I did jigsaw puzzles ( online and real ones ) .

In the beginning , you may find that one single distraction only works for a short while , but keep at it !
I made lists of stuff - anything from taking a walk to trying a new recipe . When I was bombarded with urges , I jumped from one activity to another ( hence needing a list of them ) .

Writing down things I could do instead of gambling gave me many options in the worst of the withdrawals .

Stay strong ! You can do this .