I am a mother and wife but I have a gambling addiction too that has left me with severe financial difficulties and wanted to share my own experience here on Emma’s blog. I am a member of her Facebook Support Group and I know how supportive the moms are there and I hope they can offer me some words of encouragement here too.
I am a loving mother and wife and I have so much to be thankful for as I’m so lucky to have a loving family around me but I feel so lost and alone because I have a gambling addiction. This addiction has taken a grip of my whole life. I go to sleep thinking about it and wake up thinking about it. I become snappy when I can’t gamble, it makes me edgy and angry.
Gambling has seen me wreck my marriage in aspects, my friendships with people I love and it has made me become dishonest, I will do anything to get my hands on some money to gamble. I’m stuck in this nightmare and need some support.
I’m looking into ways I can get help with the debt I’m in and I am seeking professional help to stop gambling, but like drink or drugs, it has its grip on me.
I accept that I have a gambling addiction
I feel like when I gamble I have some control over my life, I can control something. I get that little buzz that I love but then that buzz is going to cause nothing but stress and anxiety and regrets and hurt. I don’t remember when or how things got so bad, I just know that now I’m out of my depth with it all.
All of that said I’m hopeful that now I see the truth, that I am addicted to gambling that I can fight this rather than sweeping it under the carpet. I’m trying to resolve my debt problems and not gamble altogether. As with any addiction going cold turkey is very difficult and I need tough love from everyone around me to help me get through this.
It feels like the devil’s got a grip on me. I think with any addiction there’s a root cause and I’ve still not found mine. I am ready to finally escape my gambling addiction and I am now able to say I have a gambling addiction without feeling ashamed.
Gambling Addiction Online Help
GamCare – GamCare’s employees are dedicated and experienced professionals, helping problem gamblers as well as their friends and families.
Gamblers Anonymous – GA is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to do the same.
This is an anonymous blog post. You can share your own experience to help others. All blog posts submitted via the blog anonymously email form will be added to the blog anonymously for you, just like this blog post has been.
Firstly well done on admitting there is a problem so you can address it. My dad had a gambling addiction and lost well over 80 thousand pound, we didnt know he had a problem until the day we found a suicide note, luckily the police found him but i wish he had told us before it got to that point. Are your family aware of your problem if not its best to talk to them and get it out in the open sooner rather than later. My brother was also following in my dads footsteps and last week he self excluded himself from every website he had an account with. Its simple to do online and hes self excluded for 5 years, if he wishes to reopen his account he has to have an interview first, also if they suspect hes opened any other accounts they will close them straight away, this may be worth looking into for you too. Remember there is only one winner and that is the bookie. Good luck x
hi hun, thankyou for sharing your story with us all. it takes courage to do something like this. i think you will be surprised at just how many people have addiction …. myself included, not gambling but still an addiction…… the thing is with addiction it doesn’t matter what it is you are addicted too….. the addiction takes control of our lives/……. there is a way out you no, there are many support groups you can attend to help, and believe me they do help….. my advice for now would be to take each day as a fresh…. believe every day is a new day and conquer that day only, they call it *just for today*! so just for today, don’t be scared to not do it, tomorrows another day, we will all have our bad days and good days but the first step is admitting it which you have openly done in your blog today. tahnkyou hun and all the best for the future! x
I can relate to this……in a much smaller way. Got a bit addicted to a raffle site. I have managed to reign myself in but easily could start again. You are so brave and honest for sharing your story. I hope everything works out in the end. Hugs Hun xx
My sister is addicted to raffle sites, she wins a lot but puts so much into it it’s insane! Set a limit and stay strong Hun xx
Well done for admitting and facing your problem. There are things that can be done. Are you currently getting the help you need, or just sourcing the help at the moment? If you’re looking then the first thing I would do if self exclude from every place you find yourself gambling, the process is a lot easier and can be done all at the same time. I don’t have the rest of the information to hand at the moment, but get in touch with gamcare too.
Good luck, you can get through it.
Best wishes xxxx
My stepdad has a gambeling addiction i can understand how u feel. My stepdad goes to GA and its really helping my mums left him tho she uses his gambeling as a excuse for her affair but hun there is help out there you dont need to do it alone x
I hope you get it sorted, good you have shared. Xx
I hope you manage to beat this hunnie. Good luck x
Thank you for sharing xx
The first step is admitting there is a problem xx
Well done in admitting you have an addiction, I know that’s a huge step and the first right step! Good luck to you getting the help you need X
Firstly huge well done for admitting you have an addiction as that’s incredibly hard to admit. Secondly I really hope you get some help and manage to turn your life around x
Thank you for sharing your story.
The first step is admitting you have a problem and then going to get help to deal with it.
Well done on taking that first step
Can’t offer advice but well done in admitting you have a problem.
All the best with GA
Take one day at a time Xx
I hope you beat this. Any addiction is horrible but it is possible to win the battle x