[Jonny123987]

Quitting gambling was the hardest thing I have ever had to do from a mental standpoint. I’ve had to learn how to walk twice due to injury and surgery and gambling seemed harder to quit than to walk. I gambled everyday really for over 20 years. I played with millions and millions of dollars in the amounts and amounts of bets. I loved to wager. I loved the high. I loved the plans I could come up with that would save me. I that shit was the answer to all my problems when the answer was right there always.

[Jonny123987]

Hi Meghan, Thats amazing – Thank you very much for sharing your triumph with me. Woot! Kudos to you!

I’m doing well. I have more money saved now than ever before in my life. So not gambling does actually pay off and I’m a true testament that if you can quit gambling you can turn things around.

Sure do II still have those feelings and thoughts. Yes. But now I’m able to change that thought up and think about something else. Like ice cream or something better than gambling. 🙂

I haven’t gambled since Dec 27th 2016. Seems like a while ago now. I still have the urge now and then. But I realize that I’ll loose everything in my life if I place bet one.

I’m glad you accepted your losses. That was by far the hardest part of quitting for me. That and figuring out what to do with myself… It turns out that I’m not that into sports unless I’m playing or gambling on them. Its nice to not have to always e thinking about gambling. I remember when I couldn’t stop thinking about gambling 24/7. I don’t want that back in my life and know no one should live like that.

[Jonny123987]

Hi Vera,

What’s going on? I thought you stopped this behavior?

Jonny

[Jonny123987]

Hi Meghna83,

How are you doing? Thank you for reading my story. I hope it was helpful. I’m doing well, thanks for asking. Just dealing with normal life problems and trying to stay busy with work. Today is June 28th, 2019. I quit gambling December 27th, 2016. Seems not that long ago but I guess it has been some time. It’s been roughly 2.5 years since I left placed a bet. That’s pretty cool.

To answer your question… I had to come to grips with the fact that the money was gone. That is was never coming back. That no plan I had, no system, no winning streak, etc., was ever going to get that back. I had to look deep within and realize that maybe the losses were the price I had to pay to learn the lesson I had been taught. Some lessons unfortunately cost us a lot sometimes. I realized that people make mistakes in business, in marriage, with health, etc., and those mistakes can cost money. My gambling addiction came with a huge cost, maybe the cost of that is greater than the money lost. I had one choice. My life, the chase, and getting out of the fog, or death. I had only one choice. To get out of my way. Stop placing wagers. And I did. Is it still hard. Not as much but I literally just passed a casino on a drive to a family vacation and had a small urge. That urge will never be gone. But my mind is strong. If I place a bet than all is lost.

Be well and keep me posted on your recovery.

[Jonny123987]

Thanks Monica and Jen! That’s extremely kind of you both to say hello. 

Monica – 18 Months – Woot! That’s amazing. Great work. Well… we sure worked hard and long at hurting ourselves… I suppose we’ll have to work just as hard or harder to improve our situations. 

Jen – I’m sorry to hear you’re still struggling with this horrible compulsion that we share. What do you think you need to have happen to say you’re done once and for all? You can have your life back and not gamble anymore by simply not allowing it in your life. I know it’s not easy, but whats the alternative? If the gambling path working out well from a mental, physical, and economic stand point? If so then keep going y all means. But if it isn’t…. then it’s a simple equation really. That equals its time to stop. Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. So basically you’re driving yourself insane… It’s proven that your brain releases more of the drug we all love so much right before a loss. Not a win, but a loss. Meaning you get more high right before a loss. Your body and brain secretly and quietly want to loose so you can feed that high or fog. In takes a while to get out of the gambling fog but once you do you will see clearer. At the end of the day quitting should be the easiest thing really. All we have to do is STOP.

Much love. Please keep me posted on your recovery. Life isn’t ever perfect but it’s better not gambling. 🙂

[Jonny123987]

Thanks Monica and Jen! That’s extremely kind of you both to say hello. 

Monica – 18 Months – Woot! That’s amazing. Great work. Well… we sure worked hard and long at hurting ourselves… I suppose we’ll have to work just as hard or harder to improve our situations. 

Jen – I’m sorry to hear you’re still struggling with this horrible compulsion that we share. What do you think you need to have happen to say you’re done once and for all? You can have your life back and not gamble anymore by simply not allowing it in your life. I know it’s not easy, but whats the alternative? If the gambling path working out well from a mental, physical, and economic stand point? If so then keep going y all means. But if it isn’t…. then it’s a simple equation really. That equals its time to stop. Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. So basically you’re driving yourself insane… It’s proven that your brain releases more of the drug we all love so much right before a loss. Not a win, but a loss. Meaning you get more high right before a loss. Your body and brain secretly and quietly want to loose so you can feed that high or fog. In takes a while to get out of the gambling fog but once you do you will see clearer. At the end of the day quitting should be the easiest thing really. All we have to do is STOP.

Much love. Please keep me posted on your recovery. Life isn’t ever perfect but it’s better not gambling. 🙂

[Jonny123987]

Thanks Monica and Jen! That’s extremely kind of you both to say hello.

Monica – 18 Months – Woot! That’s amazing. Great work. Well… we sure worked hard and long at hurting ourselves… I suppose we’ll have to work just as hard or harder to improve our situations.

Jen – I’m sorry to hear you’re still struggling with this horrible compulsion that we share. What do you think you need to have happen to say you’re done once and for all? You can have your life back and not gamble anymore by simply not allowing it in your life. I know it’s not easy, but whats the alternative? If the gambling path working out well from a mental, physical, and economic stand point? If so then keep going y all means. But if it isn’t…. then it’s a simple equation really. That equals its time to stop. Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. So basically you’re driving yourself insane… It’s proven that your brain releases more of the drug we all love so much right before a loss. Not a win, but a loss. Meaning you get more high right before a loss. Your body and brain secretly and quietly want to loose so you can feed that high or fog. In takes a while to get out of the gambling fog but once you do you will see clearer. At the end of the day quitting should be the easiest thing really. All we have to do is STOP.

Much love. Please keep me posted on your recovery. Life isn’t ever perfect but it’s better not gambling. 🙂

[Jonny123987]

Checking in. I wrote on my other feed bout thought ‘d update this feed to the top of the forum page as think their is valuable experience in here that someone might be able to read and use to help them. I’m a recovering gambling addict that just passed his 2 year mark on recovery. If you want to read my story I think. it can benefit you. I was just like you are now and did find a way to quit. day 1 starts now!

Best,
Jon

[Jonny123987]

Hello GT World,

Just thought I’d stop in and say hello and give everyone an update. Seeing a Lot of familiar names on here still which is nice. Good to see people are helping others.

I just passed my 2 year gamble free Anniversary on Dec 27. So that’s good. Life actually is pretty good. Quitting gambling was by far the ultimate game changer in my life. Sometimes I think about gambling. I turn on a game and watch for a few minutes before I pass out of boredom. The truth is. will never gamble again. It took so much from me for so long. And quite frankly it doesn’t work… The match doesn’t lie. I worked for over ten years and made pretty decent money… when gambling. To show for it and all my genius and all my plans and all my tomorrows I was living in my dads garage, driving a beat up car, always feeling the stress, never having time for anything or anyone, being n debt up to my eye balls, loving pay check to paycheck, feeling lonely, feeling like a nothing blight on society, always looking for the next score, not eating well, etc., it never er ended. Just a process of shit.
Because I was able to quit gambling I have the following now. A great and clean apartment with all the nicest things a person could want, I was able to leave a decent job and take on a bigger challenge and seemed out a better company and got it. still have the same car as I like to save money. Have a chunk of money invested in the stock market and am doing ok. Have an emergency fund. Am taking great care of my teeth. Get acupuncture, massages, treatments for my back, etc. I could get fired tomorrow and bye fine on money for at least 2-3 years because of the money I have saved over the last 2 years.
I’m not saying this to brag or say how great I am. I’m really not great. I’m always hurting just like anyone else. But now I just don’t gamble. I don’t allow it in my life. It’s bad. It’s the devil. It’s the worst of a person coming out.
We can all stop though. We can have life back. The simple choice of not doing it will solve the equation. It takes time. It takes patience. It takes inner strength. It takes everything you have and more. Gambling compulsion is a very serous issue and needs to be dealt with with the same ferociousness that you gambled with. A non stop will to say NO.
Good luck everyone. I love you all.

[Jonny123987]

I would stop worrying about lying to your husband and work on the lying to yourself first…

Jon

[Jonny123987]

Thanks Laura. Appreciate your kind words. I’m still gamble free and thankful. End of Dec 2016 was when I last gambled.

I hoed you are doing fantastic.

[Jonny123987]

Good work Johnny B!

[Jonny123987]

You are doing great Sara! Congrats! I bet you feel a bit more balanced now.
Gambling is so scary. Good Work Idid It!
Lets keep on not gambling everyone!
Happy Mothers Day to all you mothers out there!

[Jonny123987]

Hi Everyone,
Thank you for writing on my post. I’ve been pretty busy working and trying to live. 🙂
I haven’t gambled and don’t think about it much these days. The other day I did see a lotto ticket and thought for a second that would be fun…. But that was about it. It’s been a tough time of things lately as I’ve lost someone I really cared about and looked up too.
Hi I Did it, Jonboy, Johnny B, and Monica – I hope you are all doing well. I understand the feelings that you are having Jonboy. I have felt it myself many times.
I wish I could say that once we stop gambling everything gets better… The thing is, it does get better from the stand point that you don’t have the gamble hanging over you every minute… You don’t have that stress. But it doesn’t;t change the rest of things that drove you to gamble. We have to figure out a positive way to deal with that reason.
I should start writing on here again. Be well all. Let me see if I can write something on my other post.

[Jonny123987]

Good job 3rCER!

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