Charles makes a great point and one that I can relate to. I was never more sure that I wouldn’t gamble again than the time I did before my last relapse–which brought me here. Ultimately, I relapsed because I didn’t take my addiction as seriously as I should have, which meant that I didn’t do everything in my power to make sure that while in remission, I couldn’t easily relapse.
There are some interesting research studies that have been conducted as of late, which are starting to shed a new light on our problem. Many of these studies suggest that over time, our gambling has caused physiological changes and dependency which produce an effect somewhere in line with a high or an addiction to drugs. There are some differences that researchers are still trying to pinpoint, but all the same, I believe that as compulsive gamblers, it is something to consider in how we strive to heal. In my mind, it means that it is incredible difficult to stop on our own. For example, I have come to realize that the money part of gambling was not so much as important as the feeling of gambling and the reward of gambling–money is just a vessel to ensure an authentic high.
Just some food for thought.