[Jay2K]

Hello everyone my name is Jhamaree,

I have been gambling since I was maybe 15. Although I am still young I want to get a grasp on this addiction and turn my life around. This addiction has not only hurt me finically but it has also affected me socially . I have become less social because of my gambling addiction . This addiction is very real . I got addicted to gambling when I first started playing daily fantasy sports . I figured I watched enough professional sports that I could easily predict outcomes on a consistent basis . That may of been the worst mistake of my life . A mistake I have been suffering the consequences of ever since . Daily Fantasy Sports is a lot different from gambling in some aspects but it has the same feel as gambling now . At first I was winning a bit here and there but never anything meaningful . I gambling all through my junior and senior year of high school . Once I got to college I continued. I currently attend a university in Alabama . Alabama banned Daily Fantasy Sports as they deemed it a legitimate form of gambling , so I had to find an alternative . This is when I started to gamble for real . At first I liked sports betting a lot more than daily fantasy sports because I was just betting against the house and not against thousands of other people around the world . I have lost thousands gambling and I see no end in sight unless I seek help. I just turned 21 in December and I am a junior in college with a 3.07 GPA so the gambling hasn’t destroyed my life as I have not left it fully stop me in the classroom even though I feel I have not been able to maximize my potential because every waking second of every day I think about money I want and money I need , and in my head I feel gambling is the easiest and fastest way to make big money . I am started to think I’ve been gambling these past years just for the thrill of it .

[Jay2K]

Fighting the urge to gamble has been the most difficult challenge in my life . I want to gamble more than I want to be around family and friends . I close myself off from people who really want to get close to me because I know deep down the type of person I’ve been and I don’t want them to suffer for my wrong doing . As you can see I know I have a problem and desperately want to quit gambling but I feel I can not achieve this goal on my own .

[i-did-it]

Hi jay2k
Jappy has given you some excellent information so I will just welcome you to the site and say well done for taking action now to stop his horrible illness from destroying your life – well done !

[Semaj]

Hi Jay2K, i know what you mean. My poison is also football gambling, and I have been caught up in it for the past 4 months. The obsession is very real, and unfortunately, extremely hard to break away from.

And you are right to suspect that you might just be gambling for the thrill of it. A study by one of the world’s leading experts in addiction has said that gambling is not a failure of will, but a brain disorder. You can watch BBC’s short interview with him here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF5SzIN63w8

I have recently restarted my journey to recovery, and I hope we will both succeed. There are many people on this forum who have gone through similiar and also much worse situations, and I hope their journeys will help you kick this addiction for good. Hang in there!

[Jay2K]

Thanks for the responses, I am going to try and take it day by day . The hardest part about it is not having people to talk to about it because you don’t know anyone who relates to your situation. Now it feels like I’ll be meeting many people who have shared experiences. I have faith in all of us , that we can overcome this !

[Raynor98k]

Hi Jay2k,

Congrats on recognizing you have a problem so early (and doing something about it). Many people go through a big portion of their lives gambling, only to realize it is a problem some 20 years down the road. You have seen the immediate affects of gambling. It sucks, it blows, it’s the worst. It sucks your soul out and robs you of your character and integrity. The good news is, it can be stopped.

I find the best way to break a bad habit is to create a new good habit. Being smarter with money has helped me a lot. I’ve made financial goals for myself, and made strict budgets adhering to these goals. I suggest you make some long term financial goals for yourself, because you are incredibly young and have time on your side (which is the most important thing to growing wealth).

First step, admit you have a problem (you have done this). Next step is action. GA never really helped me that much, but talking to people sure has (maybe it will be different for you). Action items you should take right now are self exclusion. Spend a day going to casinos/bookies around you (without cash or card) and just fill out self exclusion forms. Go to security and tell them you want to exclude yourself. Every experience I have done this has been nice, they take this seriously and will help you. It’s relieving to walk out of a casino knowing it is your last time there. Next step would be to block yourself from online sites. This has been a killer for me lately, but I have betfilter installed on my devices now, and have contacted support on pretty much every gambling site known to man asking to exclude me from playing there. Once you do both of these, things will get better.

Another important step is to come up with a money plan. Surrendering your finances to a trusted love one is a recommended suggestion on here and in GA. Currently, I have very strict spending limits on my debit card, and have cut up all my credit cards while I pay down the balances. Most days I just carry a little bit of cash for gas and food. Different techniques work for different people. The important thing is that you put barriers and strategies in place instead of just saying ”I’m just going to be better with money” or ”I’m never gambling again”. Breaking an addiction requires a lifestyle change. You have to commit to change or things will stay the same. Stay strong and know that you’re already WAY ahead of others in stopping. Good luck and keep posting.

–Nick

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