Looking for my life

[Newshoulder]

Day 1

still strong the bad feeling, but i’ll fight it!

[Newshoulder]

Day 3

the bad feelings start to ease up . The desire to overcome the problem starts to rise; I have to keep my mind from flying too far ahead, stay focused on the day to day.

One day at a time!

[josh]

You can do it man, I’m rooting for you..

Been following this thread and hoping you get better. It’s clearly a struggle, but I agree with so many others have said here – accept loss and move on. All these relapses seem to stem from regret/angst over loss and hoping you make it back. Stop the demon in his tracks and tell him – no more. It ends.

NOW

[Newshoulder]

Thank you Josh! it’s getting better!

STOP THE DEMON

[Newshoulder]

Day 8

Never thought about gambling in these days.
I have prepared a schedule with financial exit and income for the next few months. I need to hang in there for a couple of months and I sincerely hope that I will be able to stick to what I forecasted.

One day at a time!

[josh]

That’s great man! You ARE doing it…. so keep on doing what you’re doing!!

Staying away from games, friends who want you to come over to watch, let’s go to Vegas for my Bday…. these temptations need to be avoided. I don’t think you can’t be friends with them, but if they’re REAL friends, they’ll respect your decision not to put yourself in a tempting situation.

[elsoar]

thanks for the support. I will try..

[Newshoulder]

Day 10

I’m holding on, actually without much effort at the moment.

I have to ask you something; the topic is that I am definitely compulsive and out of control when it comes to online sports betting. But I have never been compulsive (nor interested) in other forms of gambling (casinos, slots, horses). Should I find myself with friends at a casino one night in the future, should I avoid it or are things separate?

One day at a time!

[josh]

Great job so far! Rally happy for you and want to see this continue…

I would avoid ALL types of gambling, and resist the temptation to rationalize. Once you do that, your goose is cooked. ALL gambling is a threat to your well being, even a bet with no monetary value! The disease is looking for an opening to re-surface and hurt you.

DON’T LET IT..

[kathryn]

Hi Newshoulder,
Unfortunately for us compulsive gamblers will power is simply not enough.
What else are you doing? You said your wife knows most of it, can she help? I’m sure she would be more than willing!
Cutting your access to money is a good start, no money = no gambling.
Excluding your self from betting sites and venues is also a great barrier.
For a compulsive gambler, the win is never great enough, it’s the action we crave. Money is only the means.
Personally I would not ever put myself in a position to gamble. If your friends want to go to a casino…..don’t go!
We all know what happens if we poke the bear.
Stay strong, you can do this! Get your barriers up and use every bit of help available- it all adds up to a gamble free life.
Take care, K xxx

[charles]

Hi Newshoulder, My experience is that it is a GAMBLING addiction. We all had our favourite “drug of choce” whether that was sports, casinos, or whatever but if we stop one form then start another then the addiction will soon follow. Forms of gambling we may never have founds interesting in the past might become attractive.

So my advice would be avoid all forms of gambling.

Your question is “Should I find myself with friends at a casino one night in the future………”

My advice would be to not find yourself in that position. Once you have told your firiends that you have decided to stop gambling and are no longer interested in going to the casino then there are lots of other activities you can do with them.

This is where we find our who are really our “friends” and who are just “gambling associates.”

[Newshoulder]

Thanks Kathryn anche Charles for your advices, you are certainly right.

In the meantime it has been a few days since I last wrote, I felt good and very far from temptation. Then I don’t even know why, on Thursday from the null I made a bet, and I bet for two days.
Now I have blocked this account as well.

I can’t figure out what’s going on in my head. it’s like I want to quit but not completely all the way. I promised myself this time that I would definitely make it at least a month. But nothing. I’ve lost some money but most of all confidence.

Of course I want to and I have to try again.

Newshoulder +0

T

[Newshoulder]

Bad night, thinking on all the losses accumulated. How is it possible that this feeling flies away and I fall again?
This time I will make difference. I will try to write year everyday.

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