23year old degen

[Oliver615]

I’m 23 years old and realised a while ago that I have a severe gambling problem. I have been trying to stop for ages but it’s just impossible. I feel like I have an incurable disease. I am my own worst enemy. I have managed to stop doing damage while I’m sober but every time I get on beers and bags I lose control. I clear accounts and do my arse without failure the majority of the time. Even when I win it all goes back in. Getting on it is too much of my life. I’ve limited it to as little as possible but every now and then the big nights have to happen and I end up doing my ***. Just every time I think I’m getting better I accidently relax the measures I have in place and it’s back to square one.

[Printemps]

hiya @Oliver615 good on you for having the strength to share your story. I think a lot of others here will resonate with what you were saying regarding gambling more while under the influence. What strategies have you got in place at the moment to manage those big nights?

Do other members have some advice right now?

@Menz199 @AGHS @yep123 @spentitallagain ?

[AGHS]

Hey, drinking can do that hey.....I can only suggest you actually plan a bit better before going out for a big night. Take a prepaid card with you and leave your main card at home, this way you cant have access to cash to gamble. Not sure if any of your mates are also able to try and steer you away from pokies/gambling when you go out??? Perhaps talk to them...again pre-planning. Avoid pubs that have pokies/gambling if you can. You can never ever just relax from gambling.......its either give it up completely or not. The fact that you have managed your gambling when your sober (which by the way is great), shows me that you do have the strength to say no, adding alcohol to the mix and all your hard work is undone. Again, some planning and you should be able to avoid these relapses. Hope this is of use to you.

[John933]

How do you fight addiction?

[Lostangel]

I feel ya brother, I’m 23 and have the same problem the stage I’m at now is the replacing one addiction with another just as I’ve eliminated the beers and bags, the gambling has gotten worse. I’m sorry I can’t help but I just wanted to say I feel where your at and I understand!!

[terryhappy]

@23year old degen How are you going today? I was lucky enough to stop at 20 on 6/5/1989 life has been amazing and manageable since by the grace of God one day at a time. There is hope...