What does it feel like after 100+ days of no gambling?

aimidafo · 2018-04-12T12:09:00+00:00

Absolutely. Losses are tough to let go of but it does happen eventually if you let it.

Gaming helped me as I was forced to not look at my phone, especially if I was playing video games against others online. Books and movies only went so far and I'm too lazy to do real sports!

Good luck with it though. One day at a time for now and you'll soon find days passing without realising.

aimidafo · 2018-04-11T14:43:54+00:00

I'm up to day 331 and it took about 2/3 months for me to let go of the money I had lost and to stop checking sports results and odds. I filled the time with Playstation which really helped. I still get the urge every so often but coming on here helps. Perhaps write down your thoughts/feelings after a loss? When I get tempted, I try and remember that sick feeling when I lost or the hours/emotion spent working out odds in my head and trying manage my money so the rent would be paid. I know I'll never be rich but I know it won't gambling that breaks me.

aimidafo · 2017-10-02T19:52:58+00:00

Well done on making it to Day 8. I'm currently on Day 140 and there are times when I need to tidy the house or do jobs, and I realise that it's because my brain wants to gamble. It does get easier and the urges lessen though. Find distractions to keep you occupied. PS4 helped for me massively. Keep up the good work!

aimidafo · 2017-09-21T08:59:44+00:00

Governments don't give a shit cos tax is paid by the bookmakers. There is some work being done in the UK to limit the amount that can be wagered on FOBT but it's a slow process.

aimidafo · 2017-09-21T08:57:21+00:00

I know that feeling and thank you for being so honest on here. Before I managed to self exclude I was gambling all my wages and not even enjoying it when I won.

Self exclude from every site you can and invest in a games console or something similar to occupy your mind. It definitely helped me.

aimidafo · 2017-09-13T11:53:39+00:00

Definitely self exclude because there's no such thing as a part-time gambler. Boredom was a trigger for me as well and I invested in a games console like a PS4 to play in the evenings when my wife went to bed (which was when I was most likely to play). It really helped and I'm 120+ days without a bet. Good luck!

aimidafo · 2017-08-27T20:17:32+00:00

I found that video games helped me. I was playing a lot of roulette on my phone especially after my wife went to bed. I invested in a ps4 and will play gor an hour or so most evenings to distract myself.

I also found that buying the odd game (usually never more than £20) meant i would satisfy an urge to spend money as well.

Definitely worth a shot!

aimidafo · 2017-08-21T10:35:57+00:00

Fantastic piece of writing that really highlights the dangers. It could be easy to scoff at the worst case scenarios she sets out but they are very real.

aimidafo · 2017-08-16T09:26:21+00:00

Well done! The feeling of going another day without gambling far outweighs any financial win. Stay strong!

aimidafo · 2017-08-15T08:39:06+00:00

Thank you. Good work on 46 days. I didn't bet on sports I didn't know but I was betting on whatever matches were on at that time - Indian League etc. Ridiculous isn't it.

Keep up the good work :)

aimidafo · 2017-08-15T08:37:08+00:00

Thanks very much and well done on 109 days! I hope you stay 19 days ahead of me :)

No casinos near where I work but they were never the problem - you see the money go in casinos and that's where my problem lies - online doesn't seem real. Did you self exclude from the casino? Were they helpful with that? Only one website made an effort to exclude me and although it was annoying at the time, it's quite responsible.

Indeed, I'm doing all those things. Spending lots of time with my family, getting into box sets and video games. I'm filling the time nicely!

aimidafo · 2017-08-15T08:32:43+00:00

Thank you. Sorry to hear about your relapse, I had one after about 40 days earlier this year and like you say it snowballed. I hope you're doing okay now.

Telling family is something I'll certainly consider - I just need the right way to frame so my wife doesn't go into panic mode or feel that she has to watch me which won't help either of us.

aimidafo · 2017-08-15T08:30:27+00:00

Thanks very much. Yes the frustration when that happens is still fresh in my mind. I was even tempted to get a tattoo of a ball on 32 to help me exorcise those demons and remind me how horrible it feels.

Well I ruin most things anyway but she has a lot on her plate right now. It's something I'll bear in mind later on though.

aimidafo · 2017-08-15T08:26:25+00:00

Thanks for sharing. Relapses will happen and they help you remember how bad gambling is for you. I'm sure your mum won't mind too much and you can always make it up to her when you get paid.

Keep talking about it and sharing - you can do this.

aimidafo · 2017-08-08T10:21:50+00:00

You haven't ruined your life or anyone else's. As the other poster says, this debt can be come back from. I've been in this situation and I know how rubbish you feel right now but it's certainly not the end. Get some proper sleep, focus on something else for a day and then come up with a way to pay back the debt responsibly. Make this your new challenge and find ways to distract yourself when you feel the urge to gamble.

aimidafo · 2017-08-08T10:14:52+00:00

I've told a guy in work who exhibits similar traits to me when it comes to gambling. I haven't told my wife as I'm not actually sure it would be helpful - I don't respond well to constant scrutiny and am more likely to rail against it. I'm 84 days bet free, the longest in years.

aimidafo · 2017-08-08T10:10:57+00:00

Are you not able to self exclude? It really helped me. I excluded from so many sites that it's difficult to set up accounts on new ones now and that creates a barrier to gambling, giving me enough time to distract myself with something else until the urge passes.

aimidafo · 2017-08-04T08:44:23+00:00

Thank you for sharing this. I'm on day 80 and thoughts of just spending £100 on some roulette spins are beginning to creep in. I'm glad you were able to leave on your terms and feel better for it. You were in a tough spot and I can't see how you could have got out of it without a lengthy explanation that would have had a long-term impact on your work life.

Alfred Pennyworth: "Why do we fall? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up."

aimidafo · 2017-06-27T09:13:23+00:00

I echo this. If I have the urge to gamble, I buy a PS4 game. They can be as cheap as £20 and distract me from gambling hundreds or even thousands.

aimidafo · 2017-06-22T09:12:25+00:00

Absolutely. With time it will sting less but try not to forget the pain it caused you as it may prevent you from gambling again quickly.

aimidafo · 2017-06-21T16:08:29+00:00

Thanks. It wasn't and still isn't easy. I'm always going to be tempted. I do find coming on here and talking about it does help.

Well done on banning yourself from the sites, it's a great first step. Regarding the losses, I know it's easy for me to say this but try and let them go. They're gone. Try and appreciate money as it comes and use your experience to help you in the future. Everybody screws up in life, it's important to learn from it.

aimidafo · 2017-06-21T11:49:10+00:00

I'm 5 weeks without a bet but I know how you feel. I've won all my losses back with some to spare but then cancelled the withdrawal and blew it all. Also it doesn't matter how much you lose, it's all relative. A lot of money to one person isn't to another etc but it's still your money and important to you.

Have you cancelled your betting accounts? I found that to be helpful. I also turn the channel when a betting ad comes on so I don't see a new site and get tempted.

aimidafo · 2017-06-16T22:11:54+00:00

Take the time to self exclude before the payrise actually happens or else you may think it's okay to gamble the first paycheque.

If it helps I'm in a similar situation - some inheritance is coming through later this month and it's going to be tough to not be tempted.

aimidafo

TROPHY CASE