[JayB]

Hi , I am a 20 year old gambler who has recently lost 9 grand gambling playing roulette and blackjack , i have tried to stop before and just can’t get past the first few days.
Its ruining my life, all i want to do is gamble even when i know i should be revising for my university exams.
Has anyone got any tips to get through the first few days gamble free?

[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!

[charles]

Hi Jay and welcome.

I hope you are reading the other stories here. You will already have read some fo the things that will ehlp.

Things like putting barriers in place. If you gambel online then you can get a blocker for your PC, exclude from sites. if you gamble in bookies or casinos then again you can self exclude.

How do you fund your gambling? Who could look after your money and credit cards etc so that you can’t access it to gamble with?

Who can you talk to at that university? The student services there are bound to have a mentoring service and/or be able to recommend local support.

The most important thing you need to do is to use support. Keep posting here, talk to the Uni, maybe check out your local GA meeting.

Keep posting and let us know what positive steps you are taking.

[maverick.]

JayB,

First off all thanks for sharing, at 20 years old you are so very young and have your whole life ahead of you, I turn 39 tomorrow and have gambled since I was 14, over those years I have lost hundreds of thousands I dont share this to sound like a big shot I share this to let you know what happens if we dont stop, I rent my house, rent my car, have nothing of any monetry value, declared bancrupt in 2014, stole to fund my addiction, have escaped prison by the skin off my teeth…………I cant tell you what to do but while I activley gamble I become someone I am not……….a non caring person who doesnt care who he hurts while in the grip off this addiction.

You are so very young my friend so please think hard and change the path your life is heading down, 9 grand is alot of money but trust me it only gets worse, in truth I cant believe how little I spend when I dont gamble and as each gamble free day ticks by we quickly start building a better life for ourselves.

Take care JayB and I wish you all the very best in your life and recovery.

Maverick

[JayB]

Hey

This would of been day two but i caved on day one, but i have managed to not gamble yesterday or today.

Thanks Charles, i took the steps you advised and got an online blocker, it has really helped. As for the people to keep my money safe, i have not told anyone about my problem. I am too embarrassed and too proud. I feel it is my problem and i should take care of it myself. Its day 2 at the moment and im still thinking about gambling most moments in the day, Do you think my addiction is down to my stress withUni?

Thanks Maverick, Your story really helped motivate me to change my ways permanently, i related to the feeling of not being myself when i gamble, my flatmates notice it and i feel like nothing else matters at the time.

Finally i hope your recoveries are still going well.
JB

[charles]

Hi Jay,

If there is a possibility that Uni stress has lead you to this point then that sounds like another good reason to talk to the support that will be there.

Whatever the cause of this addiction the important thing is to find a way to stop gambling. Then it’s possible to start to look at/deal with anything else that needs addressing.

One thing I have found though is that whatever the cause there is no “reverse gear”. Once we cross the line into compulsive gambling then there is no return to “normal” socail/recreational gambling.

Find other things to fill your time, other, healthier ways to cope with stress.

Keep posting and let us know how you are moving forward.

[JayB]

Today i gambled away all my money and i only have 75 pound left in my student overdraft,

I was chasing my losses and i feel sick. gambled away 1400 pound that wasnt even mine,

I am going to go talk to student support at university tomorrow

Dont know wether to tell my parents or not, cause i know they will want to bail me out but i know i will just gamble away the money

I need help

[dirtbikedude56]

Hi Jay,

As a recent uni graduate, with debt I know the feeling. I have done exactly what you did in the past, and if you don’t stop I promises you will do it again.

You need to look at the big picture, let go of the fact you lost 1400 pound, and move on.

Once you graduate and have a well paying job, this amount of money wont mean anything to you, but if you don’t stop it will only snowball.

[JayB]

Cheers dirt bike,
An update on my story, I’ve went on to lose more money. I just can’t seem to stop myself! Even when I’ve self excluded myself from everything I still seem to lose more and more.

But I’m determined this is the start. I’m gonna pick up a part time job and start earning back my money, everytime I say I’m gonna to stop I always think what If I put 20 quid and stop when I’ve doubled it. I just can’t do that! I have a serious problem.
I don’t know if I’m repeating myself from my previous posts or not but I’m venting out my frustration at myself.

From today I am going to stop.
Everyday I am going to post here and aim to get myself away from this dirty habit once and for all
Jay B

[vera]

Compulsive gambling is progressive Jay.
I tried so many times to double my money. It never worked because every win went back on the double.
We need to keep repeating the mantra “CGs never win. CGs never win. CGs never win, CGs never win, CGs NEVER W I N”, until the penny finally drops in our addicted brains . Only then will we ask ourselves, “Well , what’s the point of trying when we will NEVER win?”
It does sink in eventually, Jay.
NEVER give up trying!
We are all in this battle together. One day at a time.
It is not easy but it is possible.

[Συντάκτης]

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