When you’re a gambling addict or a compulsive gambler, it’s very hard to break out of that cycle, you always seem to go deep and deep into trouble and can’t see no way out.
But believe me as someone that has hit and been at rock bottom many of times there is light at the end of tunnel and you can get out of that horrible rot you are in.
First of all, if you want/ need to stop gambling the first thing you should do is block yourself from all online gambling sites, sign up to Gamstop and gamban. Speak to your bank tell them your situation, they will then add extra blocks onto your card for you.
You can also use self exclusion which you can block your accounts for a certain amount of time if your not ready to quit and just want to take a break.
Try to avoid all bookies, casinos, places where you would gamble. Go into big supermarkets and use the self checkout so you avoid the scratch cards and lottery machines.
You need to change the way you think. You can do beat this, you can sort yourself out and be the best version of yourself. You need to be honest to your loved ones, you must tell them everything do not miss anything out.
As it says in “step 1- Honesty” if your not honest to yourself and loved ones there is not point doing it.
You must tell them everything, every little detail- all the money problems- all the lies you have told-
If you can give control of your finances over to someone that you can trust.
I done it with my wife, she had full access to my money and bank account, so if I spent any money anywhere she would know straight away.
I know this isn’t always possible but you need to be accountable to someone and make sure there is a consequence if you have a bet again or go back to how you used to be.
I also had to give up certain friends as all we would do when we met up was sit there and gamble, we would meet up at the bookies and gamble together, meet in the pub and gamble together. That is all we would do.
Filling the void of gambling:
Problem/ compulsive gamblers gambled all the time, whenever we had a spare second we would either be putting or checking our bets. While your not gambling now you will have a lot of spare time on your hands which can be very very dangerous to us. You must try and fill this void with something that will keep your mind off gambling.
Look at hobbies- do you have any? Any you would like to try? try new things, something that you have always wante to do but never got round to it.
I started reading. when I was gambling the only thing I red was the forms and the racing post in the paper. Now I read books weekly until I started to write my blogs, i’m in love with writing now, I can say what im thinking and how im feeling.
Just remember you are not on your own going through this aswell. There are many people you can talk to and seek help from if you are struggling.
Just for today I shall not gamble.
Take one day at a time.
www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk
Www.gamban.co.uk
Www.Gamstop.co.uk
There are also a lot more, but these are the three main ones I used and I know they work.
Sam Irwin.
Recovering Gambling Addict.
[email protected]
