Hi gb, well done on looking for help.
Well done on your 3.5 years years, the good news is this means you know you can stop.
When you stopped before did you use any support?
As you have found, there is no return to „normal” gambling. In fact often the addiction seems to try and make up foir lost time if we go back to it. Read the other stories here, you will see the sorts of thigns that have helped others stop gambling.
Do your family know about your latest gambling? I am sure one of them would be delighted mto help with one of the barriers you will read about – accountability. Limiting our easy/instant ability to act on an urge and not being able to gambel in secret is a big help. I would think this would also help with the shopaholic thing as well.
I will leave it there for now. You stopped before and you can stop again. This ti9me though you will have some barriers in ploace. This ti9me you can continue to use support to maintain recovery. 3 1/2 years was great and support will make you stronger still.
Keep posting and maybe I will see you in ojne of the groups here soon.