by Coleen » Sun Mar 11, 2018 10:58 am
I am really struggling with finding alternative activities. I've tried so many strategies, the delay 20 minutes, put the money in another account as soon as I get paid, dress daggy when I go out so I can't stop by the club on the way home, buy perishable food so I HAVE to go home quickly. These have worked but not long-term, I always revert back. I know what triggers me, its a high or low mood, if I'm feeling down, off I go. If I've worked hard, had a good day at work, I'm happy and I want to reward myself! The horrid pain of the aftermath of losing on the pokies never seems to stay in my memory though. When I get the urge, more placid activities like reading a book, watching a movie, doing crosswords, but don't give me the buzz of going to the club with the noise, music, lights and people. I don't have any friends but I'm still very happy in my life, just not that I lose money on the pokies. And I've read up the absolute fast and repetitive buzz that pokies give, so much faster than blackjack or keno, so I get the whole picture. But its such a struggle to find something else to do when I want to feel that happy feeling of going to the club. I'm a big believer in Mother Nature, so I have done walks outdoors and find that gives me a nice physical happy feeling. But that's ONE thing, and at 8pm at night, that's just not safe to do. Anyone who has a similar situation and mastered it please?