• Profile picture of resolve777

    resolve777 posted an update in the group Group logo of CommunityCommunity 3 years, 2 months ago

    I would like to share my own experience of stopping gambling. My first point of contact was online GA followed by a meeting the same week. I attended group meetings and 12 step groups. I then told everyone who I knew that I had an addiction. I was unable to take part in all of the activities we used to enjoy which involved betting in any form. At the time they understood. I then visited my bank and explained how every penny they loaned me for the past 25 years had been gambled away, every sob story I gave was a lie and to never give me the benefit of the doubt again. On the same day I self excluded from every gambling location within 5 miles. Telling my elderly mother was very painful, she didn’t understand how I could be an addict, they took me gambling from when I could first walk, but I should be able to control myself. With the help of GA I reached my first week, then month, then year gamble free. I have wobbled this week, but didn’t gamble, and listening to advice on here pulled me through. We all all different but I want to thank GA for helping me with 10 years of a beautiful gamble free life.

    • Profile picture of mozzie55
      mozzie55 replied 3 years, 2 months ago

      Nice one resolve777 you seem to be in a better place than you were with your last post. Well done, your experience shows that even 10 years on it is still a work in progress and not to become complaceant. Did you manage to sort out the problem over the family vacation? I have only 30 months gamble free to my credit but your post reminds me to respect the power of addiction and never understimate it’s ability to return. My confessions to all were similar to yours, very hard at the time but also incredibly liberating to be rid of the deceite.

      • Profile picture of resolve777
        resolve777 replied 3 years, 2 months ago

        The vacation is off. My wife and I are taking a break elsewhere, however my children are still going. 10 years or 10 days makes no difference really. We have all stopped for the same amount of time, from when our eyes opened this morning to making it back to sleep after another good day. Since I stopped however everything in my life improved. Paid off most of the debt, one credit card to go. Changed my employment due to my new found focus in life. Wrote 6 fictitious books, 2 have been published so far, the other 4 will be over the next 2 years. And all of this started with a wake up call and GA. Maybe I will share my story up to the point of stopping. It was chaos. 16 hours a day gambling at its worst. Just shows what we can do with mutual support.