Activities to do instead of gambling!

[shaun1]

Netflix!

[Calvin (facilitator)]

Great ideas everyone! keep up the great work!

Regards,

Calvin

[Catherine1]

Activities I do instead of gambling: Gardening, craft, cooking, catch up with friends I havent seen in a while, go out for a cuppa (I can afford it now I am not gambling), walking the dog, yoga, pilates, Metafit classes, puzzles. When you stop gambling, you can start to live again.

[Lexie]

Jigsaw puzzle is a great idea! And you can borrow them from local libraries.

Why not leave machines - poker machines, computers, smart phones etc - behind for a bit.

Do a Crossword puzzle.

Play solo card games e.g. Patience

Do a jigsaw puzzle - remember those, they take up hours.

Seeing you like a challenge Bull, how about you get a book of Menza Puzzles

[12121266]

Hey guys one of my favourite things to do is go fishing. Fishing has replaced gambling for me. Its quite similar to gambling as they both have alot of anticipation I never know when I'm going to get that river monster or next bite. This has worked for me really well.

All the best with all your Recovery's we can beat this addiction together !! Cheers bill

[Earth]

It’s nto about the activity it’s about th connection to people and relatioationships
Have a look at ur relationships how are they
Have a look at ur health how do you want to feel,

We all get hurt in life but is there something that really hurt you and you couldn’t talk about it besides gambling.

Meditate and look inside

Let me know your thoughts 🌸🌼���🌺

[Coleen]

Thanks Jynxwolf. I didn't think of it as a longterm thing, but I see what you mean. I'll keep going. Thanks for support.

[JinxyWolf]

Hi Coleen,

It took me a good couple of months after quitting to start to rediscover my passions. For me it was art, sketching, wood burning, creating and golf. But nothing will give you the buzz that comes from the pokies, but as we all know that buzz comes at a horrible price. I'd rather be bored out of my brain than pay that cost one more time.

I found that setting financial goals is a huge help. My first financial goal was small, save money for art supplies, second one was a a little bigger, save money for golf clubs and so on. Set up some goals, set an achievable time frame and it'll give you something to work towards.

Nights can be hard, stuck inside nothing to do. I like to put on some music or a movie I've seen a million times, settle in the the couch, grab my sketch book and just sketch. Put pencil to paper and just draw, doesn't have to be anything in particular just doodle. My brain can just shut off and rest, no thoughts of pokies, stress can just melt away. You said you enjoyed nature, perhaps there are some online forums you can visit and find people with similar interest, or how about just grabbing a pencil and some paper and drawing some trees or whatever, they don't have be perfect, just let your mind wonder.

Goodluck, JinxyWolf

[Coleen]

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?

[Oregon]

You are correct. Nothing is the same as the thrill of the win. But that moment lasts a few seconds. And it's surrounded by so much pain of loss.
Whereas keeping these activities up, you can look back and realise you've accomplished something.

A big win is free money. It's not an accomplishment. Maybe your research helped you back a good horse or you used strategy on the poker table but it's still not money earnt. It's money won through luck.

These activities give you long lasting pleasure and a feeling of accomplishment. I play the trumpet and there is no feeling to match mastering a tricky piece, (or even just a few notes) because of hours of practice. I do crosswords. I used to struggle to get a few clues on the daily newspaper crossword, now I can get almost all of them. One day I will finish the crossword. That will be a thrill I have earnt.

For me my gambling addiction is pokies. I have to remind myself, that the thrill is very very short lived and it's not earnt. I can't say I achieved anything because all I did was push a button. The buzz, the thrill, it's all amazing and the lights and sounds and coins flashing on the screen, it's all a charade to me now. I'm trading in that quick buzz for long lasting happiness and contentedness.