Gambling Therapy logo
Viewing 0 reply threads
  • Author
    Posts
    • #32137
      Hope4soul
      Participant

      I would like to share my story for those that might need some motivation to tap into that inner strength. First I would like to say when you read this story please don’t think of me instead think about yourself. I’m a recovering gambling addict and even if I’m far away from the point I would like to reach I think I’m in the right path. I hope my story will help those that might need that little push. I’m not a writer so I will try to get straight to the point as I go along so please forgive my writing. What made you start gambling? Think about it. Do you have family or friends that is suffering along with you. Are you alone depressed? Are you trying to quit but you keep going back?. Gamblers are one of the smartest Ppl around. The amount of time they invest or the constant thinking they put into gambling is so amazing that if all of that was to be directed to let’s say in establishing/running a business they will be very successful. Why don’t they do it? Well lots of reasons. There brains are always exhausted from trying to think how to win back that money especially if in debt, depression steps in when family friends gets involved and the lists goes on and on. I was once that person, married and drag my wife down with me. Was in a very dark place. StarTed at the age of 19 . Took 10 years of my life, 10 very dark years. I needed something to live for something to focus all my attention to while recovering. I thought about my wife struggled until I decided to end my life. Them everything flash by my eyes. Wait a minute I’m a smart guy, I can do this , I can’t leave my wife behind with my debt and alone. My brain started to think like a calculator. I needed to make money to pay back debt. I have a little background in fixing cars. Figured hey I can buy cars fix them and sell. Stupid idea? How am I gonna begin doing this? First will need tools, place to work etc. Next step found a job . I did 2 jobs one night one day , slept 3 hrs only a day but money starTed to come in. First thing I did was found a place to live.rented a room for my wife and myself, eat a little and start saving money. Called up all my debtors, collected account # paid 10-25$ a month. First few months I was in bad shape I wanted to go back to gambling but I found more things to focus on, always keeping the big picture in my head. StarTed to buy electronics (laptops, phones etc) online meeting Ppl at McDonald’s fixing and flipping them for money. I always thought I was dumb but these things came naturally to me, I guess all the time I put into thinking how to beat slots or poker or how much money to play on them this was a cake walk and I have the most powerful tool of all, the Internet. If I don’t know something I just Google how to fix it. I started to generate income and a small profit little by little till I saved up for a vehicle. Bought a van, don’t have insurance but was a good place to store stuff in. I rented a garage for 50 and parked it in there. I starTed to buy mechanic tools little by little. Took me about a year but finally got all the tools I needed . First big step completed with all the debt still out there and a long tough hard year I felt like a king, I hardly thought about gambling because pretty much 24/7 I kept my mind and time occupied even if I had nothing to think about I made a list of side stuff that needed to be done and I try not to let it be boring. For example, I like to watch movies but had no cable or unlimited Internet so I would go to the flee market and look for bootlegged ones or I find something nice to cook or try a new hairstyle or even try to connect with old friends . Stupid stuff but it worked. After another year grinding this same routine I finally began to take control of my emotions. I know exactly what I wanted to do, I then had enough saved to buy my first car to fix but need some here to work on it so I had already located a shop that rented out its bay monthly so I took one bay. Drove my van over with all my tools , took my car and starTed working. I knew batshit about what I was doing but once again the Internet saved me, I bought repair manuals online for cheap starTed car repair blogs etc to help me fix cars when I didn’t know how to do it. I bought them for cheap fixed them up, safetied and certified them and flipped for profit . It took me 4 months to fix the first one because I barely had any time but it took less than a day to sell. I made 2000 in profit. I was like oMG , my first big break. So I invested more time into buying and flipping for about a year more till I had enough saved up to quit one of my job. I continued for another year, bare in mind I did not know what will be my emotional state if I stop all of this I might go bk to gambling so I didn’t risk it. Despite all the letdowns, dissappointments etc I kept going and for once in my life I felt like a human being not a zombie. At that point I didn’t care to how mucH work I have to put into to get where I am. So fast forward 5 years later , I now have a small auto collision shop that I owned . I’m debt free and I for once am feeling happy again. You don’t have to do auto work but if you don’t have anywhere else to turn to or don’t know what to do here’s my advice. You are smart, you have potential, despite what you think or yourself or what Ppl think of you, you are a human being capable of doing something you love. Money will always come and go but your sanity will not . Gambling will make you insane after a while , you will loose all hope and emotions because you will think or people might make you think there’s no way back but I’m here to tell you, there a way and you don’t need anyone’s aproVal but your own. Gambling takes everything from you, your hopes dreams etc,even if at the end you win big it will not do any good but worst. It will leave a hole that money will not fill. The only way to get out is to find yourself again, no matter how much debt you are in or what you loose at this point there’s still a way but you have to understand that in order to achieve it you have to put in the effort and have patience. What do you have to loose? Would continue gambling help? Or will loosing your sanity life or love ones worth it. What do you love to do? Is there something you always wanted to do but never got the chance or opportunity or was robbed or was just unlucky ? There must be and even if every path is blocked theres always a way but only you can find it. I was curled up in a ball for 10 years. I looked back at that time and thought about how the hell did I made it and I’m not talking financially but how am I feeling happy again. My shop brings a little bit profit but I hired a lot of young folks who needs help trying to give them an opportunity or chance. Im not rich or I’m not fully healed from gambling . Just to be safe I don’t even drive pass a casino or even deal specifically with cash in my hand because it reminds me of that time. If u ask how I got into gambling , I grew up into a abusive home, bad company and so on so added that to my emotional state right now I’m torn down to the ground but yet I still feel a bit happy inside and you know why. It’s because I did it I actually found a way despite all the odds and got out of gambling putting my life back into my hands . I will never be the same but I have big plans ahead and I plan not to stop here. You can do it as well . Good luck and I hope that you find your way . -hope4soul

Viewing 0 reply threads
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.