Had to laugh Jansdad, I can understand how my posts sometimes maybe perceived as such, but that is not how they are intended.
I am a compulsive gambler, I’m 48, have spent over 4 years of my life in prison, have been an inpatient on psychiatric wards, lived on the streets, and been an utterly despicable character for the majority of my life.
I don’t look down on anyone ever. Because in my eyes no one will ever be lower than the person that I used to be, and the person I’m still capable of being, (oh so very easily), if I were to ever gamble again.
I know that compulsive gambling and bullshit walk hand in hand, but it still pisses me off when I see seemingly intelligent and articulate people going back to gambling, and then try to justify or rationalise it. Others may use the word “slip” to describe your recent gambling, I wouldn’t because it wasn’t a slip it was a deliberate and planned occasion. Ok you didn’t plan to spend the first $2800, but you did plan to spend $200. This despite knowing where it could end up. Its frustrating and annoying to read things like this, you’re obviously an intelligent man. You chose to do this to yourself. I dont know how long its going to take you to find the thousands of euros you lost this time, but I’m sure that in repaying that money you’ll have less to invest in your future, and that of your family, and its really not fair.
Anyway its done now, no reason at all you should ever do it again. Mind you if you had simple barriers in place like not having access to enough cash to gamble with, filtering software and the like, and maybe not visiting clubs where they played poker it would help deter you should the desire ever re-appear.
And maybe just maybe if you had of told your wife about your December gambling binge at the time things may have been different. We cant live on “ifs” and “what ifs” though. What is done is done, you’re two days into your new life now, no reason what so ever for you to return to your old one.
Oh ok I’ve just re read that last post and this one, ok I admit both condescending to a degree. Not apologising though, as you said your actions warranted it !
I dont know if this Mav, is the same Mav who used to come here but I know if it is he’ll be telling you that just because the monkeys off your back, it dosn’t mean the circus has left town. Please put yourself some barriers in place to make gambling all the more difficult for you in the future.
Take care. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Geordie.