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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!

Hi jenjen, I think you are right.i find myself in the same position. I have slipped but I seem to be able to reign myself in faster. I think this is progress. Of course even a small slip seems to trigger a huge downer as we taste failure once again.
You will get there. You have a huge amount of gamble free time behind u. You are winning!!

Once we cross the line, we can never go back, Jen!
We need to make gambling IMPOSSIBLE!
It seems easy to stop and stay stopped, but it is difficult!
Nobody can take your gamble free time away
Focus on the positive aspects of Recovery!
odaat!
Happy New Year!

Hi Jen, welcome back.

Complacency is a very dangerous thing. This time keep posting here, keep getting to your meetings. That way when you do get some time under your belt you will still be using the support that we all need to maintain recovery.

The secret to not having to keep returning to support sites is not to leave!

Keep posting and hopefully i will see you in a group soon.

Trying to figure out the best way not to have acess to money. I only have my checking account. I pay most of my bills online. I have direct deposits each so I can’t close it and I still need to make my monthly payments. If I call and ask them to lower the limit I just call and tell them to raise it. There has to be a way where I can only get a little money and use card for expenses only??? Any suggestions??? I have no intentions gambling but I have had no Intendtion 1001 times.

A CG will ALWAYS get money if he/she wants to gamble Jen!
It’s like we need it for Life Support!
Maybe paying bills/debts immediately might help. Or telling your Bank you have a Gambling problem. I did that in 2008. Faced the Bank Manager and told her the lot! Not easy but it meant no more Credit from that Bank for me! It also affected my Credit Rating I think because I was turned down for Credit Card increases a few times when I tried with a different company It did not influence the Local Credit Union however. I already had a huge loan there. I just repay it like a zombie every month and will continue to do so for 4 more years! My husband got a Car Loan during the Summer. Less than he expected because of MY C U loan, so it does have a knock on effect.
Can you get anyone to handle your money? Or put two signatures on your account? I will be transferring a small amount of money to a different account shortly. I intend putting two signatures on that new account to prevent me gambling the lot. I cannot gain access to it at present.
That’s my experience Maybe others will be of further help!
The best barrier is having NO ACCESS to money The times I succeed in not gambling are the times I have very limited funds. Like now! Im glad of that!

Thanks Vera. I am going to talk to the bank. At least I will not over draw if I fall off the wagon. I always seem to get a hold of a lot more money than what is In my account than I spend a day trying to fix it so I do not bounce anything. I can put my other halfs name on my account but how does that stop me from getting the money???

Hi Jen, putting your other half’s name on the account, letting him hold your ATM card and making arrangements with the bank so that any checks require TWO signatures would make it harder for you to access funds with which to gamble.

Keep posting

Read the book «how to stop gambling easy» by Allan Carr recommended by Jansdad (I think sad mentioned it too) what a good read! I would recommend this Arthur to anyone struggling with addiction.

Just checking in. Not too much to report. No gambling & no disire what so ever. Since I read/listen to the book,,,, I feel like a whole new person or should I say «the old me» the only thoughts I have now are «how could I have been do stupid», «why didn’t I stumble upon the book earlier», etc. Either way I am greatful. I figured out that I was going about trying to stop gambling the wrong way, I couldn’t understand why some people could stop and I kept relapsing. I kept thinking «how come they can do it but I can’t» barriers they don’t work for me, I always found away around them anyways. What I know for sure is that stoping gambling is like trying to loose weight, what works for some might not work for another. Well I found «the diet» that works for me. I will say it again…. if anyone is struggling who has tried everything like ga,therapist etc, try reading the book, «how to stop gambling easy» by Allan Carr. I am not saying other methods don’t work. They just don’t work for me. Listening to the book did!