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Hello All,
I’m a 10 year sports gambling addict who has had enough. I continue to put my family in terrible situations because of my gambling habits and it cannot happen any more. Its gone on for far too long and I’m ready to start making the most of my life.
I use to chew tobacco for over 15 years but I have been quit for 3 years and I mention that because I know as an addict I must take it one day at a time and come here daily to ensure I’m holding myself accountable.
I know this place will help me in my mission to live life on my own terms and start to get back control of my life both emotionally and financially.
Day 1 without gambling!
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Hello Craig 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.
As well as the forums New Members are invited to join Charles in the New Members Practical Advice Group On Mondays at 21:00 (UK) and Thursday at 19:00(UK)
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!
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Hi Craig, well done on looking for help. Read the other stories and you will see a lot that you will relate to. You will also see the success stories – what are they doing that you can apply to your own situation? You quit one addiction, well done. Rather than just willpower though what barriers can you put in place? Get yourself excluded from where ever it is that you usually gamble. It sounds like your family is aware of the problem – ask one of them to help you with accountability. Barriers aren’t the total answer to addiction of course but they give us a breathing space to be able to start work on recovery, start addressing otehr issues, find things to fill our time etc You had a problem with tobacco, now it’s gambling. As you move forward try and find a variety of poitive things to fill your time – less likely to get hooked on something else then. Keep posting and let us know the positive steps that you are taking.
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Hello all,
I thank everyone for reaching out and giving some words of wisdom. As I start day 2 of my journey to become free I have thought a lot about my life as a gambler and some things really stuck out in my reflection. The first thing is as proud as I am of quitting tobacco, i basically shifted my tobacco addiction to my gambling addiction so you are right Charles, I need to find positive things to occupy my time. Speaking time, I have realized just how much time, energy and love I have taken away from my family and I have given to gambling. That more so than the finances makes me feel like a pathetic father and loving husband. That’s not to say I’m miserable, but it is to say I will use these feelings as motivation to be a better me. I have also taken steps with my bank to block any transactions to my source of gambling. Yes that is only a block, its a good thing to have in place when I’m in a tough spot and the gambling thoughts arise.
Again thank you for all your support and I appreciate the encouragement. Here’s to a great day 2 of being gambling free! -
Hi Craig!
To echo the comments of i-d-i and Charles, well done on getting this stage. As the orange GA book says, you have admitted you are powerless over gambling. Knowing this, we all need to do what we can to never have that “first bet” again. The blocks are the practical mechanisms by which you can give yourself breathing space and hopefully negate any negative thoughts or actions. They make it difficult, but not impossible, for you to gamble. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. The fine art is ridding yourself of that will.
Personally, I am feeling very positive about my current recovery and at the moment I don’t even have a will to gamble, but I know how that can change over time.
Not meaning to sound negative, because no-one wants to hear about someone who has relapsed, but if you do slip up, the most important thing to do is acknowledge it, learn from it and get back to dealing with the issue as soon as possible.
It sounds like you and taking action to ring-fince your finances, which is great. If you are open and honest you will find a lot of love both inside and outside of this forum and a willingness and desire to help you.
All the best, Tango.
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Day 3 here. Have a lot to say but will have to do it later
In not sure about banks blocking gambling, I just told them to decline all transactions coming from my method of making a deposit online.
Like many have said, blockers are good but we can always find a way to make that deposit if we want. If there is a will there is a way. However my will is to stay gambling free today so I will find a way!.
Have a great day! I will be back laterCraig
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I hope everyone is doing well with their quest of staying gambling free today. There are a lot of powerful statements that were made that I had thoughts on. First, Tango you are so right we have to admit we are powerless over gambling. Oh how so true that is. I have always felt like I was good at sports betting because I absolutely love sports. I enjoy watching the games and I feel like I’m okay with number a which leads me yo believe I can win at sports gambling. However, I have come to realize I am not good at it and that’s the case partly because I’m powerless over gambling. I can go 2 or 3 weeks and win every day but I can’t stop and take a day off. I’m powerless and have to keep betting which causes me to lose all my money plus more. So to sit here and believe I could win at sports betting is a complete lie because I’ve proven that thought to be false.
Now if I can back track a little to a statement I made earlier which makes my quit so difficult and that statement was “I love sports.” I could sit back and watch sports for hours without having any action/bets on the game but as soon as I started making wagers on games I watch, well that took it to a new level and a new thrill that is unaparrell to any other rush. I will get back on this topic after I point out the fact that relapsing is not an option for me. Not this time. That doesn’t mean this will not be tough but it means I refuse to give my life back to gambling. I say that as a serial relapesor. I dipped for 15 years and tried to quit over hundreds of times without any success until I had enough. I’ve been sports betting for 10 years and several times over the last 3 years have I placed my last wager only to fail. I mention this because I want this time to be it. All the problems and the financial troubles all the time away from family has me rethinking that life I had lived. I don’t want to live that way and I’m going to do everything I can each and every day to stay gambling free. Which leads me back to one last comment I want to make before I go spend time with my family and that is the biggest challenge I have faced is when I stop gambling on sports I completely shut sports out of my life because I don’t want to face that urge; and its difficult yo close out something that I have so much love for. But I think having a break from sports and finding positive thing to occupy my time will help with this challenge.
I thank you all for the support and encouragement. Lets make today great ! -
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Hello All,
I’m here to start day 6, however, I know the weekend will be tough for me for several reasons. One, there are a lot of football games on (both college and professional) and two, I have a little bit of extra time on my hands. While I know deep down I will always be a losing gambler, my gambling mind often tells me I can make a few bets, win and withdrawal my money and quit. We all know that isnt the way things go. Instead, I might win a few games, then lose a bunch and a bunch more. As I’ve said before, its not so much about the money with me, as it is about the time. Instead of spending hours upon hours trying to isolate myself to watch games today, instead I’m going to be a family man and spend time with those that matter to me. I know today and tomorrow will be tough but I can get through it, one day at a time.
Have a great gambling free weekend everyone. -
Hi Craig and welcome to the forum! Thank you for your post on my thread. I’m her for a quick post and then time to get ready for the day ahead. Time is something we never get back. Time with our loved ones whom we’d be devastated without. Yet we have taken them for granted that they will always be there while we chase pipe dreams. So it makes me very happy to read that you are making an effort this weekend to break the habit and make new memories that are positive. Keep at it. One day at a time. Laura
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I appreciate you taking time to post in my thread. You are absolutely right, we take our loved ones for granted as we chase pipe dreams. I couldn’t have thought of a better way to put it.
I’m proud to say I survived my first saturday college football day without any issues. Now one more day to get through the weekend and start week 2, however, until then I begin day 7 of being gambling free.
Have a beautiful day ladies and gentlemen. -
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Hey Craig. Hearing your story reminds me of a guy from my GA meetings. He was scared to death at his first meeting but he stayed strong and hasn’t gambled in years. He talked about the challenges he faced like football games, horse races and the NCAA tournament. The funny thing was as these events approached they seemed to give him more strength because he knew how good he felt after not betting on the previous one.
I also love that you’ve compared this addiction to your tobacco addiction, we need to realize that addiction is addiction. Once we distance ourselves from our destructive behavior we realize that we never really liked it anyway and that the addiction made us think we did. After you power through the first few weeks and see the money you’ve saved you’ll start to see that gambling really isn’t even fun. For me the biggest day in my recovery was the first paycheck I got after having not gambled the previous one. It felt so good to still have some money in the bank when I got paid.
A couple things I’d recommend for you is not to dwell on the past. It’s counterproductive because it makes us hate ourselves. We can’t recoup the money or the time that we lost, we can only make sure that we never lose any more to gambling. I’d also recommend treating yourself because you’re doing a great job! You don’t have to go nuts but if you could go out for a nice dinner or go to a movie with some of the money you’ve saved it will make you feel good. If recovery seems like a punishment we’re more likely to relapse so I like to treat recovery as a joyous thing.
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Hi Craig, well done on your gamble free time.
We all had our danger times – maybe pay day, maybe the weekend, maybe specific sporting events etc Being aware of them is important; we can use that knowledge and plan accordingly. Plan your weekends away from gambling, make any barriers are in particularly in place for those days.
Keep posting.
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Day 9. Thanks for all the support everyone. Things are going pretty well. I had a few thoughts of “i can win” when my wife was watching the game last night but i know thats a lie.
I do have problems with dwelling on the past, and that is something i need to work on, however, i do use past failures as motivation for improvement.
Going to keep busy today and say NO when the gambling thoughts come callijg, as i know they will.
Have a good one all! -
As i begin day 10, i cant help but feel much better about my financial situation. Im not where i want to be but im better off now than i was 10 days ago.
You know, gambling was the main reason im currently enrolled in bankruptcy. It seems as if i would have learned from that mess of a situation. I guess that wasnt my rock bottom. Either way, im happy to be quit today. One Day At A Time.
Have a beautiful day all. -
So here we are with another day in the books but i do have to admit my sick gambling mind has been telling me some lies lately. For me, like most of us, i have no problem quitting (or taking a few days off from gambling) when i have run out of money but the hard days occur when its payday and i have some extra money to spare. Thats when its tough. And here my twisted mind tells me i can place one bet and win and cash out. Deep down i believe i cam win at sportsbetting but i know thata a lie. I can win at the beginning but i cant control my bets so i bet too often and often without a clear mind and eventually i go broke. I know i cant just place one bet and walk away a winner. I know these next few days are critical to my quit but i know i dont want to make that one bet today. I will not allow my addiction to control me today.
Have a great day everyone! -
Payday friday and i will not use any of my money to gamble.
Ironically i was given a parlay sheet yesterday by a coworker ( as she walked by me and i couldnt even politely reject the cards)as she does is the “bookie” but after she handed it in to me i walked into my office and tossed it in the garbage.
Not interested in making any bets today!
Have a great day everyone! -
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2 Weeks down. It hasn’t been easy but I’ve made it. I know I need to keep my guard up each and every day because I am an addict. I will keep busy today which will help refrain from making any bets on the NFL. I know it will lead to a lifestyle I no longer wish to live.
have a great day everyone! -
Thabkful to make it 2 weeks without any type of gambling. There have been many urges however i feel relieved not having to sweat out an ending of a sports game. The stress of being free these last two weeks has beem great. But as we all know im one bad mistake away from being out of control. Today i will not gamble and i come here daily to hold myself accountable.
Have a great day everyone! -
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Thank you very much for the kind words. While I definitely don’t feel like an inspiration, I’m extremely grateful I can help contriubute to this forum. As a tobacco user for over 15 years and being quit for the last 3, I feel like i understand my addiction and I know my triggers and weaknesses. That DOES NOT mean I have this thing beat because I dont. I probably never will but I am willing to take this battle on one day at a time. As I said, I have been 3 years quit of tobacco and I know I’m only 1 pinch away from being a full blown addict again. My urge to use is not there at all and very rarely do I even think of tobacco. I know this will be the case with sports betting, however, there are plenty of tough days between now and then. And quite honestly, I’m not worried about the end game, I’m worried about getting through each and every day.
Again, I thank you for your kind words. I’m glad to be here and I know I wouldn’t be where I am at without this forum! See you all tomorrow for another day quit!
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College football on today. Thats okay i have things to do with my time instead wasting it watching tv all day. And oh yeah i have better things to do with my money such as a family dinner tonight and movie. While being quit is difficult at times, the rewards can be very satisfying. Staying quit today. Thanks for stopping in Nick.
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3 weeks today! I’m happy with being gambling free for these past 3 weeks but I know I still have to take things one day at a time. A while back I made mention of my love for sports, and before yesterday I had not watched much sports. I kind of pushed it away as I began my recovery, well my fiance likes to watch college football from time to time, so yesterday I sat down with her and watched a game. It was very soothing. I watched it without thinking about the “line” or which side I would have been on, or how much I could have won. While I know I still have to be careful when it comes to games, I did enjoy watching it without having that addictive mind have crazy thoughts. I feel like that was a big step in my journey towards freedom.
I hope everyone has a great day! -
Cant say its been easy but each day i feel a little stronger in my resolve to quit my gambling addiction. The thoughts of winning money on nfl games definitely crept in my head yesterday but deep down i know ill always be a loser with gambling. I will not gamble today.
Have a great day all. -
I need to stay close to this site because i find myself doing things that lead to me making bets, such as checking scores, viewing odds, thinking i can beat the bookmaker. Which is a huge lie. I know i dont want to gamble and i know i dont want the stress of gambling in my life. I feel like these choices i made of checking scores/odds were subconscious. It never crossed my lind like i dont do this anymore. Very strange. Just know i really need to tighten up because i want my freedom ajd gambling takes that from me.
No gambling today!! -
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Every day is still a struggle and some days the thought of winning all that money really makes me want to place that bet but deep down I know “all that money” I could win would never be placed in my bank account because I do not have the self control to stop when ahead. As I’ve said many of times, gambling controls us and all our actions. I’m going to make it today, and I’m going to continue to take this one day at a time. Have a great day all!
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Good morning Craig. I’m so glad to catch up on your thread and read of all your successes. There are many steps to the success of a recovery I believe. Being here every day posting, especially in those early days is a sign you are committed. Another little step or change may be to look at how easy it was for your subconscious to check the odds and scores. I’m not a sport gambler so wouldn’t understand how you are doing this. On tv? on your phone? on certain sites? emails you receive? I guess my thoughts are how can you interrupt the process if your subconscious starts to lead you down that path. Recovery is a lot about replacing old habits with new. I hope you are enjoying your weekend. Please know that the steps you are making now will have such a huge impact on your life. What do you have planned for your weekend that won’t involve triggers and old habits? Keep going Craig you are doing awesome! Thanks for all your support. Laura
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Good Morning all! Thanks for stopping in Laura. As Ive said before this addiction has been very difficult for me because I love sports; and I always have. I enjoyed sports as a kid, well before I even knew you could gamble on it. So to answer your question, Ive been watching some football from time to time and I have enjoyed it even without having money on the games and I see that as a positive step forward because quite honestly, i dont ever see myself not watching sports. I just want to not bet on the games. I want to find a happy place watching games and not worry about outcomes because I have my mortage on it. Anyway, I often times check a website called ESPN to see scores of my teams (if i didnt have time to watch) and those scores will show the lines and outcomes. I know its just a phase that I’m goin through with my addiction. The crazy gambling mind tells me I can “win” , but I know I can’t. Its a tough spot because I love sports but Im also flirting with danger at the same time. However, I do find strength in my quit when I focus on one day at a time. Which is exactly what I intend on doing today. I know I won’t bet on any games today because I dont want that life. Again, thanks for coming in Laura. It’s nice to have some company. Its been 28 days today! Feeling great!
Have a good day everyone! -
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Taking my family to do some volunteer work today. I feel the love we have for one another is no exhistant now a days and its sad. I know i want my kids to understand life is not about them, its out helping others and living for others. Living selfish and self oriented, isnt the way to live.
Ironic i say these things when i was the most selfish person in the room when i gambled all my money and time. But thats a life learning experience .
Have a great day all. -
Volunteering yesterday was a great time for my family. I truly enjoyed helping out others. I have always been a big fan of giving back, but that old excuse of not having enough time gets in the way. I’m happy we went and I know it was a learning experience for the kids. We will be going most weekends. Its always great to give back.
Still having thoughts of gambling especially with the mega millions in the US over 1 billion dollars. I know its all a pipe dream so throwing away 35 days of being clean for a losing ticket isn’t something i’m willing to do.
I hope everyone has a great day! -
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Hello Willis,
Its difficult to answer your question because everyone is different and its honestly changing our life style is never easy. If you are truly tired of being a gambler and you want to give is up, you must have strong mindset. You can’t be here looking for the easy path, instead you have to be here because you want to change your life and you want to get control of your life no matter how tough that might be.
I know you can this. Instead of saying you are only on day 3, I look at it as you’re 3 days free of gambling which is a great thing.
Keep pushing forward, ODAAT!
Have a great day all -
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Hi Craig,
Well done on your gamble free time. I like how you check in every day – it seems to really help you stay focused.
I have just read your entire thread and notice how your positivity and your love for life has grown.
I also notice how you have replaced all the good we intend doing once we get the big win ( well that is my fantasy ) with action, like you brought your family to volunteer.You are making amazing progress – I have found reading your thread very inspirational . Sometimes when you have been struggling with this for as long as I have, you kinda somewhere deep inside have given up the idea of ever sustaining recovery.
Thank you for sharing – we never know how many others can be inspired by our progress and it is helpful to read threads such as yours. -
Thanks for your nice comments i-did-it. I have really just tried to simplify my life. The only things that truly matter are those we love and the relationships we build. All the financial problems will work out in time, all the thrills of gambling are just my selfish desires. I’ve tried to live my life for others and I’ve found great happiness with this approach. I’m not out of the clear, not by a long shot but I’m better off now than I’ve been in a long time.
One day at a time! -
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7 weeks free today. I’m just grateful for life, as this quitting has been a blessing. Yes I do miss somethings about gambling but those things I miss do not outweigh the positive things I’ve experienced since I’ve quit. The thrills, the heart pounding moments yes those are hard to replace in ones everyday life but the love and relationships I have built since I gave up gambling cannot be outdone by a bet.
Life is a struggle and there are tough times in all of our lives but gambling just makes the struggle harder and the tough times last longer. Today, I will not gamble. Taking this addiction one day at a time!
Have a blessed day all! -
Hey All,
I missed yesterday but I’m back still going strong. There are some temptations every now and again but I know this is the life i want to live. The battle is not always easy but in the long run, things will work out for me as long as I continue to push forward and do whats right.
There is a little statement I like to go by and that is, tough times never last, tough people do. That is true with us all fighting this addiction and people fighting addiction in general. While the times are tough, they won’t last and as long as we continue to quit one day at a time, we will outlast the tough times.
Hope all are well. -
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Hey thank you for coming into my thread. I truly appreciate the company. I know I need to do a better job of showing support for others! Yes, indeed, we are all tough. This is just a minor set back for a major comeback. And that comeback is an amazing life where we can make rational decisions using a clear mind; not a that is completely ruined by gambling. I try to keep it positive even during the rough times but this challenge is just making us better people in the long run.
I wish I did have “free time”. I think I am more busy now than I have ever been. When I gambled, I made time and pushed away people in order to get my fix in each day. Well, now I’m not pushing anyone away and I’m staying super busy with helping my fiance raise our children. Basically, I put my children on the back burner for my gambling fix, and now thats not the case and I love it. I feel like I’m living my life, not just for myself but for them. Its a pleasurable feeling knowing others are counting on you to provide for them; and quite frankly, gambling was taking that away from my life. Which is a huge motivational reason behind my journey to be gambling free. I feel alive and with a purpose now and I hope this continues, which it will as long as I take it one day at a time.
Have a blessed day all! -
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100 days is quite a landmark. Keep it going. Christmas Day was always a day off for me as nothing was open. ( I was pre online betting.). Right now I am in a little cottage in the middle of nowhere listening to the ducks messing in the pond. A world away from arcades and casinos. Hope you are enjoying the break too.
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