[coyotegal]

Today I choose to stop wasting my time, money and health on the illusive “Big Hit”. Today I am determined to face the truth that I will never “get it back” and lay all the notions that go along with gambling addiction to rest.
Today I swear, is the beggining of a journey that may be long and difficult but I know I will muster the strength, if only little by little or by leaps and bounds.
Today, I decide to take my life back, piece by piece so that someday soon, I will be able to enjoy the things that really matter.
Today, I say “yes” to the person I really am and welcome the person I was meant to be.
Because today is all I have left.

[Dunc]

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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!

[cat438]

Hi coyotegal, you have taken the first step to a gamble free life by posting here. You will find encouragement and support here as you work on recovery. We understand the challenges that come with being a compulsive gambler. The best advice that I can give you is take it one day at a time. It can be overwhelming when you first start recovery to think about never gambling again, so just think about getting through today. Also keep posting as the posts you get from others really helps so much. Welcome!!!

[coyotegal]

It’s been a little over 24 hours so I made it through today, my first day. Thats a blessing. I have decided to totally educate myself about compulsive gambling and what it is doing to me and people just like me. Actually, I realize that though I have allowed it to tear my life up, there are people who have even more problems than I do. For that I am grateful. Thanks for the welcome ;0) and all the best to all of us! Just NEVER GIVE UP@@

[monique]

A warm welcome and I hope you will find the information, guidance and support you need here.
It’s great you have made a firm decision to ‘take your life back’. I don’t know what your ‘life before gambling’ was like, but I think that if you pursue a gambling-free life now, it will be a ‘new life’ – you will, I hope, get back some of what you had before, but you will also find that you are wiser and have a new way of seeing many things. Some people have used gambling to escape from pain in their life – choosing to reject this can help them begin to find better ways of dealing with life’s problems.
Whatever your background and experiences so far, I wish you well in this new journey. As Cat says, it’s One Day At A Time – slowly but surely.

Monique (Gambling Therapy Team)

[coyotegal]

Thanks Monique ;0) My life before gambling was a hard one. I believe that everything happens for a reason. EVERYTHING. Life has taught me this, time and time again. Even gambling had a reason to come into my life, as crazy as it sounds. Before I got started, it took an act of congress to get me to go. After my first big win, that was it for almost 8 years.
Before gambling, I had been living in a violent relationship. He almost killed me several times before I finally gave up. He is also the one who got me into gambling. When he went to prison for almost killing me the last time, I divorced him while there. I stayed single for 4 years and spent alot of that time at the casinos. I just wanted away from everything. I had two teenaged boys from a previous relationship that I had to finish raising who went between myself and their father who lived down the street. I worked for myself and every spare penny went to the casinos. Sometimes money I really needed too. BUT… One day I ran into an old friend whom I am sure I would never have found, had I not been in the casino. We hooked up and he has been a blessing in my life. He takes good care of me and I don’t have to worry about much. We rarely argue and he has never hit me. I didn’t even know a relationship could be this good. He has a great job at a mine and makes pretty good money. Were buying a little old house in a small mining town and life is good, but it could be so much better… But he too has a gambling problem..lol.. it’s not really funny, just ironically funny. Because of the gambling, we find ourselves struggling at times to pay the bills. It’s rediculous! We both know and readily admit we have a gambling problem and we both are trying to quit. I am outspoken and socialable and he is shy and is an introspect. So here I am, trying to work my end of it out. I think he has a stronger will than I, though because a while back he quit for 6 months. I went twice during that time. Then we started up again. We had been going strong for several years when about 6 months ago, he became to ill to work and went on disability pay. With too much time on our hands and way less money, boredom and desperation set in and we went on a binge from h-e-double-l! We just about lost everything and are at this moment recovering. He went back to work three weeks ago and together we have decided enough is enough. I just hope and pray this will be it because we make enough money together to have a decent, happy life. Our house payment is very small and we now own our old cars, after giving up our new truck. So if we can stay away from that evil place, we can be comfortable and stable. Today is the 4th day and still no gambling! #Nevergiveup #Lightattheendofthetunnel

[monique]

You have certainly been through some very painful times. I am glad that you and your partner have been able to support each other and have got your home and cars etc..
Having reflected on the devastation that gambling has caused for you both, I hope that you will find the support you need to really keep going with your ‘recoveries’ now – I use the word in the plural, because you will each have different experiences and needs as you try to stay gamble-free. As you know, it is difficult and sometimes your resolution has not been enough in the past. That is why active support is so vital – being part of a GA group, groups online here, sharing struggles by posting and learning from other people’s posts on here etc etc. Do not think you have to be ‘strong’ and ‘do it alone’ – stick close to all the help you need.

Wishing you well,

Monique

[coyotegal]

Starting my 7th day without Gambling. Gotta deliver to a casino today. I swear, I will not gamble today. I can do it. #nobodysaiditwaseasy #Nevergiveup #Lightattheendofthetunnel

[cat438]

WTG on you gamble free days. It will be tough having to go near a Casino, is there any way that you could change it with someone else? It is one day at a time that we get through this compulsive gambling. You are doing great just keep posting.

[monique]

I hope you got through that ‘hurdle’ ok. It’s good to have strong determination in advance – having your mind truly set about how you are going to behave really does help. You have a plan and you stick to it.
Monique

[p]

Hi coyotegal

Hows things going for you today?

P

[coyotegal]

Well, I made it to yesterday. Then I blew it. How does it happen? How do I fool myself into getting in my car and driving 30 miles to go give my money away??? It’s a rhetorical question, but still I ask myself again, HOW? I will not let it derail me and I will find a way to get on top of this. #rockbottom #nobodysaiditwaseasy #Nevergiveup #Lightattheendofthetunnel

[p]

Coyotegirl congrats on being honest and coming here and sharing what happened.. perhaps if you post some more too along the way it can help as you get more support, or try the chat rooms too.. when you get those urges to gamble you could jump online and see if anyone is in chat or post and read here too.. it has helped me many times.. also can you get someone else to help you with your money at this time.. or can you ban from that place? Whatever happens keep posting, keep coming back, never give up on giving up

P

[monique]

Hi Coyotegal
It is good to see your post, even though you write about a negative moment. You were doing well and you still show determination not to let this set you back too much. It is not the end of your journey; you do not have to gamble again, just because of this experience. Maybe it is good not to try to answer all the ‘why’ questions, but just now to concentrate on making sure you get back on the right path for today, tomorrow and the future. It is, of course, good to get an understanding of why things happen (why we let things happen) and sometimes, we get insight which is really helpful for protecting ourselves in the future. But in the immediate aftermath, it is good to put the gambling right behind you and make your slate clean again.
I wish you well,

Monique

[Author]

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