Success Stories

[dragon007 (facilitator)]

Hi Michael75

Thank you for sharing your experience and encouragement.

When you do tell your partner about your gambling it will be a shock for her. It may help the situation if you can show her that you have put into place a number of strategies to help you to stop gambling.

Just some thoughts on strategies that you can try:

* put up as many barriers as you can to stop gambling:

1. set up automatic payments to pay for all your bills - utilities, insurance, rent, loans, grocery cards, etc, pay for petrol ASAP. The less cash you have, the less temptation, the less you can lose.
2. get rid of any credit cards.
3. close all gambling accounts.
4. self exclude yourself from gaming venues, TABS. etc.
5. delete all gambling accounts on your devices and install banning software.
6. join a support group - Gamblers Anonymous, Smart Recovery Australia.
7. speak to a Financial Counsellor - National Debt Helpline - 1800007007
8. speak to a Telephone Counsellor on Gambling Helpline - 1800 858 858 it is a 24/7 telephone counselling service, it is confidential and anonymous. Because it is 24/7, we can help you get through any though times you are feeling at the moment, help try to get you past that urge to gamble.
9. create your own First Aid Kit to help you take your mind away from gambling thoughts and urges. Use your senses - listen to music, watch your favourite movie or cat youtube video, smell something nice, eat some nice food or drink, move - exercise, walk, dance; get a massage, call Gambling Helpline, do anything get your mind off the gambling thought, don't try wrestling with it, it is exhausting, best to leave it alone, don't give it any energy by engaging with it.
10. see a face to face counsellor and talk about your motivations for gambling - (financial, boredom, stress relief, loneliness, excitement, entertainment, etc) and find ways to replace what gambling does for you.
11. and throw everything at it, sometimes one strategy may or may not work, so the more strategies you have in place, the better chance you will have to get through the moment.

I hope this helps, keep trying, be nice to yourself and be patient, it takes time.

Regards
dragon007

[onemorechance]

After 15 years of gambling on sports, horses and greyhounds, I have been able to stop and am now over 1 year into my recovery.

My life has changed dramatically.
I paid off all debts, now in complete control of my finances and have savings for the first time in my life.
I attend regular therapy sessions to deal with issues I never faced whilst I was a gambler.
I have a loving, caring and supportive partner that I inspire through my recovery and progression.
I have better relationships with my family. They now trust me, can see the effort that I have put in to get to where I am today, and are proud of me.
I can be the real version of me. No more lies. No more shame. No more locking myself away in my bedroom.

Giving up gambling for good was the best decision I have ever made.

[How the F did I get here]

@one more chance
Hey,
Thank you for posting! Congratulations on such a milestone, good on you.

I appreciate you letting us know how well your life is going minus the gambling.
Brought a smile to my face reading.

Gives me strength to push on and finally enjoy the life I deserve and want without the nightmare of gambling. I want the life you now have, which from your words sounds beautiful!

Thank you and all the best living a gamble free life

[onemorechance]

@one more chance
Hey,
Thank you for posting! Congratulations on such a milestone, good on you.

I appreciate you letting us know how well your life is going minus the gambling.
Brought a smile to my face reading.

Gives me strength to push on and finally enjoy the life I deserve and want without the nightmare of gambling. I want the life you now have, which from your words sounds beautiful!

Thank you and all the best living a gamble free life

Thank you for your kind words, it's great to hear that my success story can help to inspire others.
Life is so much better when you do not gamble.

I really hope you can find the same levels of happiness as me through not gambling

[How the F did I get here]

Your success definitely does inspire me. Thank you!! One thing you mentioned was no more shame, that really strikes with me.
I have so much shame and guilt when I gamble and still have it very much so.

I have lost so much more than money in the process, my confidence and self worth are shot.
I no longer want to be ashamed of myself, it's such a horrible feeling to be ashamed of the person you are and hate yourself!!

Thank you once again for sharing your success!

[onemorechance]

You should be proud of yourself that you have managed 27 days.
When we gamble, we are not the real versions of ourselves. I became such a liar. To friends, family, partners - I didn't care.
Now that I don't gamble, I cannot lie to anybody. I am the opposite. I have become completely honest and open with everybody.
That in itself is a massive win. But also knowing that I am back to being the real version of me is what inspires me to not gamble.
I hated that version of me so I don't want to go back there. EVER!

[Calvin (facilitator)]

Thankyou to all of you sharing your accomplishments, your level of self awareness and also all your support you show others :)

[pamela]

I would like to say that since I stopped gamblin my life has changed dramatically.Its been 3 and a half years since I gambled last..I now lobby against gambling..I do speaking engagements..I joined a drama group and we are all ex gamblers and we are gearing up for our first performance..simple rings please me.and life has meaning once again..so dont give up the struggle to be gamble free..

[How the F did I get here]

I would like to say that since I stopped gamblin my life has changed dramatically.Its been 3 and a half years since I gambled last..I now lobby against gambling..I do speaking engagements..I joined a drama group and we are all ex gamblers and we are gearing up for our first performance..simple rings please me.and life has meaning once again..so dont give up the struggle to be gamble free..

Hi Pamela,

3 years!! Hopfully I can get there! Amazing! Well done.
What kind of speaking engagements do you do?

[pamela]

I tell my story at training events..and there are Q & A 's after and I find it really cleansing..