[CraigMac6]

Hello,

Like most of us, I have been on this journey of self destruction for many many many years. It always ends the same way. With the lows outweighing the highs and always searching for that high. I come here today, very humble, looking for a new journey because the one I have been on the last 15 years isn’t a healthy nor a productive nor a successful one. The amount of money that I have lost through the years is mindblowing, while the money is one thing the time is something that I’ve really lost and cannot get back . The time in relationships, the time with being more productive and the time with my marriage. Today is day 1 of my new journey. I hope to meet others on this same path.
Have a great day and I will not gamble today!

[sjc1]

Craig – I hope this day has been positive for you. It’s a new/fresh start and you CAN sustain your positive mindset. I have been 9 months gamble free and each day I stay gamble free is a wonderful feeling. Give yourself the permission to experience the opposite of gambling nightmare. You can do it – one day at a time.

[CraigMac6]

sjc thank you for your post. I appreciate you stopping in.
I had a great day. One thing about not gambling, it seems like there are so many more minutes in the day to accomplish task. You are right, I want to experience my old self- pre gambling addict. I want to remember what it’s like to live for something other than an outcome of a game.

One day at a time!

[CraigMac6]

Good day all.

Here I am at day 2. Taking it with the one day at a time approach. All is well and I have made a commitment to myself today to not place any wagers or gamble in any form.

Have a great day !

[sjc1]

Well done Craig! Imagine how you’d feel if you were posting month 2 or year 2? I put a reminder on my calendar at the beginning of every month and I’m watching those numbers stack up! Keep going one day at a time 🙂

[sjc1]

Also I buy myself something at the beginning of every month as a kind of congratulation pressie! Just something small but significant:) because if I was still gambling I’d have no money to do that.

[asdfghost]

Hey CraigMac!

I’m glad you started a new thread. This forum has become a lonely place. Tons of spam and little-to-no posts from regulars or anybody at all. I’ll try to post myself at least sometimes.
Also yeah, congratulations on your Day 2. One day at a time.

[ax9722]

Well done la.

Same journey starts here. Same conclusions. Time is something you can’t get back.

Love you

[CraigMac6]

Hello everyone,

I’m back again after another long destructive gambling spree. Once again it wasn’t worth it at all and I lost much more money than I can afford to lose. There are times when I’m thinking clearly and realize that I cannot win and gambling is really taking my life. Then there are moments when my I believe I’m ok and I have a handle on things.
Maybe that’s why most of us fail because that moment of believing we can control our gambling allows us to slip into placing that one more bet. I think we can all agree that this isn’t easy, but as I move forward today I know I don’t want to place a bet because it really impacts my life in a negative way.

Have a great day all.
Day 1
Craig

[CraigMac6]

Hey folks,

Here I am on day two. I’ve done things a little differently this time. I’m keeping a journal and I’ve time writing down my top ten reasons I no longer want gambling in my life. I have read those over today and the goal is to do so each day to keep those “why’s” in the forefront of my quit.
Gambling is such a vicious cycle and seems to take its toll on all of us in the same manner.
I know I need to take some time and come to terms with some of the mistakes I made in the past due to my choice to gamble but I know I cannot dwell on them.
Here’s to day number 2 of the lifelong journey.
Have a great day

[CraigMac6]

Hi everyone,

Day 3. I’ve been really busy these last 3 days. Busy living you’d say. It’s been a great feeling to be able to do what needs to be done without constantly checking my phone for a score or to make a wager. I feel free. Life is still tough, like it is for everyone but I see my vision as much clearer.
I hope everyone is doing well.
See you tomorrow.

[iamhere]

Hi Craig 😊

How are you doing? Just thought id check in as it’s been a few days since your last journal ❤️

[CraigMac6]

Hey Iamhere,

I fell off the wagon again. It was a rough couple of weeks . Binge gambling. But I’m back and I’m happy to be here. I don’t have all the answers I just know I want a better life.
I heard something the other day that really stuck with me. It’s called “choose your hard.”
It goes like this:

Being overweight is hard, being in shape is hard; choose your hard.

Divorce is hard. Marriage is hard. Choose your hard.

Communicating is hard. Not communicating is hard. Choose your hard.

They went on to give a few more examples and I thought of gambling and thought:

Being addicted to gambling is hard. Not gambling is hard. Choose your hard. Today I choose the not gambling hard!
They both are hard but one will ease up as time passes the other will ALWAYS BE HARD. it’s really hard to gamble. The highs the lows, the time, the energy, the stress. It never ends…

Day 1

[CraigMac6]

Hello

I didn’t want today to pass without me posting my day free of gambling. I stayed really busy today. I’ve said it over and over but I’m my best when I don’t gamble without a doubt. Stay focused. One day at a time.

[sjc1]

Hi Craig – great to see your positive post. Keep that positive approach. I have been gamble free for exactly 1 year. Like you, I keep busy with ‘stuff’. I also like to have a little bottle (imaginary bottle I mean!) of those terrible feelings ‘the next day’ after a gambling binge.
No money/Can’t pay for anything
Self loathing
feelings of helplessness being so addicted to gambling

The list goes on and of course we all feel differently.

So this bottle has all that stuff in it.
I never want to open it again.
I don’t ‘throw’ it away tho because it’s part of me. Yes it did happen. Yes I was totally addicted to gambling and I’ll prob be paying off my debts for ever.

But I can never open that bottle again.

As each gamble free day passes that bottle becomes more tightly sealed.

Meanwhile I can breathe and move on with my life.

You CAN do it too Craig. One day at a time

• Esta respuesta fue modificada hace 1 mes por sjc1.

[sjc1]

Also, on my Outlook calendar I put a Red dot on the day I stopped. I made it repeat every week and I felt a great sense of achievement every time I got to the red dot on my weekly diary. I still do. That was a big motivation for me at the beginning of my stopping gambling journey.

[CraigMac6]

Hey Sjc1

I really appreciate your post and taking time to do so.

Yesterday was my daughter’s 6th birthday. It was another birthday without be being able to do much for her because of my gambling choices. It was sad really. She didn’t go without but she didn’t get a lot either. That’s the way it’s been her entire life. My gambling took away from not only the materialistic stuff but the time as well. I make pretty good money but I’m always broke because of gambling. There are many paydays 6k is deposited into my account and it’s down to cents within hours. Mostly due to paying for past gambling expenses or current ones. That’s not how I want to live my life and it’s really not who I am but I can admit gambling changes me greatly and not for the better.
Today I will continue the journey and strive to be my best me. The only way for that to happen is if I refuse to place that first bet.
Congrats on a year

[sjc1]

Hey Craig – my ‘rock bottom’ was that I couldn’t afford a birthday present for my Mum. I had to borrow money to buy her a present. That was one of my motivations to stop gambling. This year I had the money to buy her stuff and do other things for her. It was a great feeling. I never want to go back to that dark place again. Keep up the good work Craig. Next year you could buy your daughter all the presents you couldn’t this year.

One day at a time. Keep going. You can do it.

[Autor]

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