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Hello and thanks for starting a thread in the Gambling Therapy forums

Here at Gambling Therapy we pride ourselves on being a caring and diverse online community who can help and support you with the difficulties you?re currently facing. We understand that this might be a tough time for you, particularly if you?re new to recovery, so come here as often as you need to and participate in the forums, access online groups and connect to the live advice helpline if you need one to one support. We?re in this together!

Here on the forum you can share your experiences in a safe, supportive and accepting environment. The beauty of writing it all down is that you can take your time and you will be creating a record of your progress that you can look back on if it ever feels like you?re not moving forward. So, share as much or as little as you like but do try to stick to keeping just one thread in this forum so people know where to find you if they want to be updated on your progress or share something with you.

And on that note….

I?m going to hand you over to our community because I?m sure they will have some words of wisdom for you ??

Take care

The Gambling Therapy Team

PS: Let me just remind you to take a look at our
privacy policy and terms and conditions so you know how it all works!

Craig welcome to the site . It appears to me that you have tried lots of things on your own but you need a little extra support . This may be really difficult to accept bbt having someone control/ monitor your money may be really helpful for you . It might add some accountability. Worth a try . Try also visiting the support groups on here . I find them really good .

Dear Commander (cdr)

1. I need money to gamble.
2. I need a place to gamble.
3. I need time to gamble.

Setting up barriers against them was the easy part. It stops me from gambling when I could not do it myself. I force myself to stop gambling but nothing else about me has change. If nothing about me change, nothing changes.

What was it like in the past?
I force myself to stop gambling but nothing else about me change, my belief still remain the same.
I believe that if I could wait patiently for the opportunity, pick the right football match to gamble, I can win money. I have done it many times. I don’t think that I was wrong.
I also believe that I can gamble like a normal person and stop at will. I will hit the winning and run, I will do control gambling.
What happen?
I manage to stop gambling but I could not stay stop for too long. I keep falling into the same hole.
What is it like now?
I believe that I was wrong. I believe that my belief was wrong. That is exactly what the bookie and casino want me to think and feel, as long as I think and feel that I can win the gamble in football, I will return one day, if I continue gambling, the bookie and casino knew they will win in the end.
Winning is a trap, it just lead to periods of compulsive gambling. A compulsive gambler can never gamble like a normal person.
When I stop gambling, I stop losing money. I did not sacrifice any winning opportunities in gambling because I never win in the end. There was no winning, I only lose, sometime it happen sooner, sometime later, the truth is always the same.
I don’t want to lose a single dollar to the bookie and casino anymore and I don’t wish to fall into their trap. I shall remain total abstinent in all form of gambling today.
I only need to stop gambling today. Tomorrow I do the same. Recovery is a one day at a time program (ODAAT).

My Barriers

I apply for self-exclusion ban from gambling places.

I hand over my money to someone to manage for me.

I made plan to fill up my free time and void left by gambling, depending on my off days, I attend support group meetings such Gambling anonymous group meetings on Monday, Blessed Grace Church gambling support group meetings on Tuesday and Friday, 12 Steps workshop on Wednesday, Gambling support group meeting at the hospital on Thursday, Healing Prayer Service on Saturday and Church Service on Sunday. Spending time with love ones, going for long walk, listening to songs, going for movie and nice dinner, making new friends