Gambling Addiction

[suewatters1]

Hi everyone. I just came back from the casino. I haven't gone in about 7 weeks. Well I could have come home with 2 1/2 pay checks but I left minus 2 paychecks.

I go by myself so I have nobody to tell me lets go home or lets go do something else now.

I am sure later I will be crying over this. It still hasn't totally sinked in.

I wish I new why I can't stop. Is it the bells and whistle the noise and the joy of the game or the fact I can never have enough winnings to quit?

Like I don't have enough problems

Sue

 

[Mari]

H! Sue, I do not know anything about gambling but I feel so sad about this, it sounds like something you need help with. Possibly you should not go unless you are with someone - never go alone. I have only been to a casino once in my life and is a very sad story which is too long to tell about right now. Mari

 

[suewatters1]

Thanks Mari

Sue

 

[Halo]

Sue,

I have a first hand knowledge of gambling however I have never felt that mine has become an addiction. I do have to keep it in check every so often as I do have an addictive personality and it could get out of hand quickly.

What I have found helpful for me is to only bring an alloted amount of money and no debit or credit cards. Once that money is gone...its gone. It also makes you think more about which machines/tables you "really" want to play instead of aimlessly throwing money in a machine or on a table. Another thing that I have found works good for me too is to set a timelimit on how long I will stay. No, not the type where I say I am going to leave in 3 hours but really don't but the type of timelimit where I actually have somewhere to go, someplace to be. That way I am forced to leave and I can't stay longer...whether I am winning or losing, I am done.

I hope that some of these suggestions help but on the other hand if you want to quit gambling for good you can always check out Gamblers Anonymous.

Take care
:hug: :hug:

 

[suewatters1]

Thanks Halo

Sue

 

[Retired]

Has your gambling ever been the subject of discussion in your therapy sessions?

but I left minus 2 paychecks

When behaviour affects one's quality of life, it seems like the time to get help to change that behaviour.

Is losing the equivilant of two paychecks detrimental to your quality of life?

 

[suewatters1]

Hi Steve I have discussed it in my therapy sessions. I was told to go to GA. I thought since I hadn't gone in almost 2 months I was having some kind of control over this. The thing is that almost everytime I could come home almost $1000. richer but I can't stop playing so I lose everything and them some.

I am in debt over my head really bad. So I can't afford to lose anything.

Sue

 

[Retired]

I was told to go to GA.

What are you going to do?

 

[suewatters1]

Right now I am not sure I know GA meets once a week.But I am getting more counselling and I just got a motivation life coach. I hope with all that I will feel better about myself and I will be less stress out and be willing to tackle all of my problems and then I won't feel the need to escape.
That is all I can say right now.

Sue

 

[Retired]

Here's some information for GA in the Ottawa area:

Gamblers Anonymous Ottawa Region Homepage

 

[suewatters1]

Thanks Steve never saw that website before.

Sue

 

[Into The Light]

sue, i just wanted to say you really should be proud of yourself right now. i know you are feeling pretty awful about your life as it is today but i see you taking control of your situation. you are struggling and it is hard but i see you doing everything you can to work through the problems and to find solutions for yourself. you're doing good work and i just wanted to point that out to you for those moments that you may feel overwhelmed with things. you are strong and you are finding a way through this.

 

[suewatters1]

Thanks ITL I am doing the best I can. Also this forum has helped so much. I been to other forums where I posted my first post and never got a reply back. Also another forum I posted a topic in the category of needing of immediate help about how my ADHD was affecting me and how I was feeling that day about it. I felt terrible it was ruining my life and I was very depressed over it. Well my topic was moved to the section to the ADHD forum as they felt it wasn't an urgent problem I was having it wasn't a crisis. I was feeling very depressed over it and they couldn't see the urgency of my feeling to find ways to deal with it.
I hope I make sense

Well Thank You and Everyone for making this such a great forum.

Sue

 

[Banned]

Hi Sue,

I'm sorry for all you're going through. I've been away for the past three weeks and am just getting caught up on things now...

I think what Halo posted is really sound advice. There are alot of things going on in your life that you don't have alot of control over and that's really unfortunate. Sometimes we're dealt a crappy hand and we have to try to make the best of it any way we can. While gambling has certainly been a difficult area for you, there are some things you can do to try to minimize it's impact or negate it altogether, causing you less stress overall which may help some of your physical symptoms as well. It's reallly, really difficult. I hear you on that.

I hope that you will be able to put some of Halo's suggestions in to place because they are excellent ones, and that you can make contact with GA. They are in a really good position to support you and help you work through this. We all want to see you succeed and have some joy in your life.

 

[suewatters1]

Thanks Turtle

Sue