[charles]

So, if you are a new or struggling member here then you may well not have had the best of Christmases.  I had lots of those as well.  Presents will have depended on how my luck was running.  My mind wasn’t on enjoying time with family on Christmas Day – it was on what I was planning to do when the bookies etc were open again the next day.  Family would be worried or avoiding the subject because they knew what I would be doing.

 

As for celebrating New Year?  I used to hate New Year with a vengeance; everyone celebrating, looking forward, looking at new beginnings etc When all the time I of course knew it would be the same old same old – chit.

 

That’s what addiction did to me.

 

Now, I love Christmas.  Presents were bought well in advance.  I had some quality time and a very enjoyable few days.  Gambling didn’t play a part.  I’ve even started enjoying New years Eve, though with a dog we usually stay in as she hates the fireworks.

 

So again, you may well have had a not so good Christmas.  What you do NOW will determine what future Christmases are like.  What are you going to do differently?

[darrenellor147]

I have just read a post to all new and existing members by Charles and I can relate to his past Christmases riding on look to buy the presents that you need to get for people id you don’t win then you don’t get anything. This year was my first year with my daughter and I had until christmas eve to buy my little girls Christmas presents still Christmas eve came and still nothing bought so I had to send my sister to get my own daughter Christmas presents because I couldn’t be trusted to go my self. My girl freind goes mad and it’s breaking up our family. New year a time when everyone is happy and I personally can’t wait until it is all over and I wish it wasn’t like that but I can see a little kuggt through the tunnel finalling coming this year so hopefully 2017 will be a year of happiness I can’t wait to start this residential and really push on in life and get back into work and make my family proud. Reading the forums helps me realise that I’m not alone in this and the members in here seem nice.

[charles]

Hi Darren, well done on looking for help. If we could do it on our own then none of us would be here.

I hope you scroll to the bottom of the My Journal Forum and start your own thread, You will get a lot of feedback and support and it will also help you to look back on it as you progress in your own recovery.

Look at the other stories here – what are they doing that you can apply to your own recovery?

[i-did-it]

Great post Charles – I had a great Christmas and am looking to the new year – I find myself a little overwhelmed with invitations at this time of year – it might sound silly but I always feel I am letting someone down .
On the plus side I have a comfortable amount of money at my disposal, I have savings which I have ensured I cannot touch – and yet I find it a struggle to stay gamble free – and I find myself often feeling fearful of what the future might bring . I know I really can’t hold a credit or debit card – that might be forever ! I know I can’t do online banking – that might be forever . I know the urge will always resurface – that might be forever . I know I sometimes feel powerless to resist – that might be forever .
What I can do is make it impossible for me to gamble. I can make my barriers so high I cannot gamble. If I decide to leave a door open I have to accept that this is my addicted brain planning for a future gamble .

I feel for my friends on here who are really struggling – especially those who feel they have run out of energy to try again.

Life does get better – a lot better! An example is I had forgotten about letters and calls from credit card companies until someone brought it up in group – this removes a lot of stress .

We are all different – Charles you like to shop well in advance -what I loved about this Christmas was i could go out just before Christmas and do all my shopping because I didn’t have to search for bargains ! I love shopping close to Christmas and dropping into a nice old pub for dinner – I had forgotten how good that was .

So the new year will bring good and bad – it is highly improbable that I will no longer have urges to gamble – I just need to make sure I cannot act I those urges .

[Autor]

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