Serious gambling problem, any advice?

[w8tlifterty]

Hey fellas,
I feel kinda bad even bringing this up as there is alot of people on here dealing with much more serious issues(my prayers go out to these people) but I'm ruining relationships with my family, my gf, and my close friends and I need some advice.....
A little background, I am the type of person that takes everything to excess, whether it be bodybuilding, gambling, etc..... I am only 22, and before I turned 21 I was very, very good with money. I have always worked a lot, I loved saving money and having it to buy the things i want. I grew up in a poor family but I always had money b/c I worked usually 40-50 hours a week all through High School and even helped support my family as we were going through rough times. I am a very hard worker, and by the time i was 21 i had saved almost 20,000 dollars(not alot to most of you, but for someone who started with nothing I was very proud) I was driving a brand new very nice car, moved to a bigger city to go to college( I am still attending) and had a great townhouse. Things went downhill once I turned a legal age to gamble....When I first turned 21, I blew about 5 grand in 2-3months, decided I had enough and quit for awhile...well the bug hit me again recently, and I have almost depleted my savings account. I still work as much as I did and make decent money but it all goes to gambling for the most part, I work just so i can go and gamble. Now, It has my family worried, my GF pissed, as I am not spending as much time with her, and am constantly moody b/c I spend usually 5 nights a week at the casino and don't sleep. I love my family and I love my girl very, very much(my girl means the world to me, I will marry this woman if she decides to put up with me, she is beautiful, both inside and out). I am at a lost for what to do, its easy to say just stop going, but I can't, I love the rush of putting a grand down on one hand of Blackjack or playing some NO LIMIT with some serious cash, I love the thrill of it....
Guys, any advice is appreciated and thanks in advance...
Ty

 

[OuchThatHurts]

Yes, I have some advice...

Yes, I have some advice: STOP BETTING!

You love the rush of gambling but you realize you have a problem so...

A. Make a conscious decision to stop gambling
B. Find a constructive way to get a rush that's less destructive
C. If possible in your area, go to some GA meetings
D. Take not gambling as a one day at a time thing (i.e. "I didn't place any wagers TODAY")
E. Rinse and repeat

 

[Lavinco]

Dude you have to stop going!

People like you and me cannot go to the casino. I have an addictive personality too. I used to be addicted to blackjack spending money that was not even mine. It put me behind with all my bills and ruined relationships with friends and family.
You have less control than you think once you spend as much money as you did. At first you probably just went for fun. Won some here and there and then started losing more and more. Now your reason for going is to get some money back that you lost and then you'll quit. Right? WRONG! Except your losses and GET OUT!
The only way to win is to stop going. Seriously bro, you will be way farther ahead. Even if you win big, you will justify going again in your mind until you are rock bottom once again.

BTW, counting cards like I did will not increase your odds of winning at blackjack. It will just keep you at the table longer.

RUN! Like forest gump bro. RUN! It will save your ass!

 

[w8tlifterty]

Hey guys,
Thanks for the responses... I need a swift kick to the ass, and your replys have helped a ton, I am finally gonna try and stop going all together!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Lavinco]

Hey guys,
Thanks for the responses... I need a swift kick to the ass, and your replys have helped a ton, I am finally gonna try and stop going all together!!!!!!!!!!!!

it may be diffacult to stop, but you gotta put it out of your life and out of your mind.

Don't feel bad though bro, we all make mistakes. Just learn from them and move on.

 

[w8tlifterty]

Thanks Lavinco, I appreciate your help....

I can usually stop going for awhile but it eventually catches up with me, and once I step foot in the casino its all over....Which is odd, b/c I have excellent self control in most other area's of my life(bodybuilding, diet, relationships, etc) but when it comes to gambling, man I have a hell of a time

 

[Sigmund Roid]

I liked what Ouchthathurt said.

Especially the part about finding a less destructive way to achieve that "rush"! Generally, it's better to replace a behavior than to leave a void. Much easier to eliminate the undesirable behavior when you make a conscious choice.

 

[HITHARD]

You can call the 24-hour number of the Compulsive Gambling Center: 1-800-332-0402.

Had a friend ruin his personal and professional life, no one knew of his "demon" until it was too late.

This should be looked upon as an addiction and should be treated as one. Self help alot of times is just not enough. Stay focused and the best to you.

 

[CrateBone]

Gambling

hello-

I read your post and thought I would post a similar experience I had.

I used to love to gamble at the casinos myself. when I was between 20-23 years old(currently 32)

Anyway, I once went to the casino with my Mother who also loves to play Roulette and slot machines. Well we went together and split up once inside. What I didnt' know was that she was watching me the whole time and I proceeded to loose over $1000 in front of her playing blackjack.

Well, words could not describe how my mom felt seeing me self destruct like that as well as how I felt once I realized she was watching me. I was very embarrassed even though I had won over $4000 the previous weekend.

The look on my Mothers face and the fact she was blaming herself since she had brough my brothers and myself to Various vacations that let us gamble when we were not yet 21 was devestating to me.

I promised her I would not gamble anymore and did not for the following 5 yrs. Since then I go to a casino about 1-2x per year. It kills me to loose $100 now that I have a family of my own. I do play in a fantasy football league that has a $100 buy-in and that gives me the excitement for 18wks. and is much lest expensive.

I am still searching for the activity that gives me that same "high" I got while gambling. I use weight Training, playing Basketball, running to get me fix in small doses now.

Good luck over coming it. When you put everything into perspective, you sound like you have way more to loose then gain as I did.

If it is still an issue, you have to move away from the casinos.