Thanks for sharing your story Trucker. While I don’t claim to know everything and have all the answers I do know two things. One, with any addiction we must first admit we are powerless over the addiction and two, fight our addiction one day at a time. If we just worry about today and making it through today without gambling, it is possible to become gambling free. Just like you turning away the poker with your last 16 dollars. That’s huge. You controlled the moment and the urge and took a huge step in the right direction. We can accomplish anything in this life if we have the mindset to take it one day at a time. Forget looking at the end game, lets look at the process of getting to the end game.
As far as the finances go, I do know this, no matter how bad of shape you are in, it will never get better until you stop going to the casino. You mention of the BIG win, but whos to say you will walk out after that big win? Just like when you were up 900 and the family would be in better shape, you didn’t walk out. Who’s to say that wouldn’t occur with the big win? I’m a firm believer winning is the worst thing that can happen to a gambler because it gives us false hope. False hope that we are in control of our gambling when in fact we are powerless to gambling. Yes it might take a long time to get back on track financially (the same is true with me) but by continuing to gamble it will only get worse. Take that one day at a time approach to your financial situation. Most of us didn’t get in financial troubles over night so we wont get out over night but each and every day of being gambling free is one day closer to being free. It might take a year, 2 years, 5 years or maybe even 10 years to get back on track but at least it will happen.
I’m so thankful you posted your story this morning because you seem like a great person, just like many of us are, but the addiction turns us into people that we are shameful of. Keep the faith and keep pushing forward one day at a time!
You can do this! We are here to help!
