Help! Gambling is ruining my life!

LegacyUser

Hey all,

I was after writing such a long message there, and it all got lost there.
So here goes all over again, but I dont have the energy, so I'm just going to use point form, apologies if this makes it harder for anyone to understand.

- Always going to the casino to play blackjack, usually losing loads of money.
- In a good job, and still always running out of money, still got the job though.
- Running up debts, not yet reached a serious level, but has the potential to do so.
- Like to play poker, it never causes me a problem, as I never lost more than I am prepared to lose on a night, where in blackjack, I can be allowing for losing 100, and then once I get there, I usually lose around 700 or 800, and sometimes over 3000, like this is ridicuous, how can I stop this, it's wrecking my life!
- Still single at my age too, it seems like a vicious circle, as if not getting a nice girl drives me to gambling, and then the fact that I gamble drives the girls away from me.
- Always leaving myself completely skint so I have to borrow money just to survive the rest of the month.
- Seem to play more when I am drinking, is this a sign I should quit drinking too?

Anyone know what I should do. I dont know where to turn to.
Also, anyone know any moneylenders in Dublin, as I dont get paid for another 3 weeks, and I have blown all my money.

I dont mind paying the interest, as I have completely run out of money.

channaigh

hi my brother was agambling addict it was a horrible time. he lied all the time robbed money from all of us. wiped out my parents bank accounts then ended up in hospital beaten to a pulp by who knows only himself due to his addiction.
please seek help now b4 it gets any worse. there are places can can help you
you don't say where u are but here is a number of gamblin ano 01 8721133 they have meetings even if you go and just sit and listen you don't have to say a word and its an hour out of your life. if its not for you its not for you but check it out. heres the website www.gamblersanonymous.ie

good luck

By the way my brother is doing well now 3 kids own business lovely house and wife.
it can be done but u have to want to do it its hard

LegacyUser

Request that you be "barred" from the casino so that you stop going in there when you are out drinking. Put a daily withdrawal limit on your current account so you can only take out a certain amount, say e100, in a given 24hr period. You can still access any amount you want by physically going into the branch for a withdrawal. You could also transfer the majority/50% of your salary into a deposit account to stop you getting at it on impulse. It's a minor minor step in what you need to do and is treating the symptoms rather than the disease but it's a start. Do it today.

As stated above, there is a lot of professional help available, depending where you are located? How old are you OP (still single at what age?)?

You have recognised that you have a problem and asking for help is the first step but, speaking from experience, you have probably sworn off gambling every month for several years now after losing all your money, only to get straight back into it when you got paid again. Surviving the month by looking down the sofa for your bus fare and eating cans of beans for dinner and then blowing a couple of k in half an hour. Borrowing a few bob here and there and never/rarely paying it back. Perhaps even stealing a few quid from relatives purse/bedroom/etc. Maybe only paying loans back after a win, which is rare.

You are catching it early while you still have a job and are not snowed under by debt so you are lucky if you can get away from it but it is a constant battle. It can be done alone but is so much easier if you seek help.

chuckles30

Going to a money lender is not the answer - that's only digging yourself further into trouble. I think you need to get help with your gambling addiction and I think that your have become addicted. I was actually listening to a guy on The Last Word yesterday talking about this problem and there are a whole series of public meetings planned this week in Dublin. Perhaps you could consider going along to one of these? I am posting a link with the details of these meetings below.

http://www.gamblersanonymous.ie/news.htm

As you have already seen, this problem is causing other problems in your life and I believe these people might be able to help you work through this issue and you will also meet other people who have been through this.

LegacyUser

'Thanks folks for the replies so far.

Frist step for me is to get myself barred from the casinos then. I am in Dublin, and I am a member of a few places, so I'll have a busy tomorrow sorting out my exclusion from them all, as like it was said here, once I get paid again, I'll be back in again, and it will be back to square one, but if I cant get in, then that should help. It would take a bif of getting used to, but at least the temtation should go away in time, and I wont be able to blow a load of money on impulse.

Thankfully I dont gamble online, it doesnt do anything for me, so my money should be a lof safer.'

chuckles30

You might also want to consider organising some alternative activities to replace the time you used to spend in the casinos - maybe arrange to go to the cinema/gym or take up a new activity. There's lots of night classes starting this time of the year.

LegacyUser

Like another user said previously i would set up a direct debit to transfer a set % of my salary to a safe account each month.
I transfer my money into a rabodirect account and just leave it there.
Next step would be to cancel all overdrafts if you have any and limit your daily withdrawals from atm's.
I was in a similar position with online gamling and in the end had to cancel my laser/credit cards.
The next step would be to find an alternative hobby/obsession to occupy your time. I personally chose health/fitness, joined a gym and started eating properly.
I think this is probably the most important step, you've obviously got an addiction personality so why not turn that into something positive.
I'm personally addicted to the gym at this stage.
You may need to see a professional depending on the power of your addiction.
Reward yourself for staying away from gambling, once your off the gambling for any length of time you will notice your disposable income will have increased dramatically.
Treat yourself to clothes, tv's, music or whatever your into.
Once your off it for long enough you will rediscover your value for money and appreciate how hard you had to apply yourself to feed a gambling habit.

LegacyUser

Iwasyou wrote:

Request that you be "barred" from the casino so that you stop going in there when you are out drinking. Put a daily withdrawal limit on your current account so you can only take out a certain amount, say e100, in a given 24hr period. You can still access any amount you want by physically going into the branch for a withdrawal. You could also transfer the majority/50% of your salary into a deposit account to stop you getting at it on impulse. It's a minor minor step in what you need to do and is treating the symptoms rather than the disease but it's a start. Do it today.

As stated above, there is a lot of professional help available, depending where you are located? How old are you OP (still single at what age?)?

You have recognised that you have a problem and asking for help is the first step but, speaking from experience, you have probably sworn off gambling every month for several years now after losing all your money, only to get straight back into it when you got paid again. Surviving the month by looking down the sofa for your bus fare and eating cans of beans for dinner and then blowing a couple of k in half an hour. Borrowing a few bob here and there and never/rarely paying it back. Perhaps even stealing a few quid from relatives purse/bedroom/etc. Maybe only paying loans back after a win, which is rare.

You are catching it early while you still have a job and are not snowed under by debt so you are lucky if you can get away from it but it is a constant battle. It can be done alone but is so much easier if you seek help.

i have to totally agree with posters advise i was in similar situation only it was internet poker lost thosands and borrowed thousands trust i been there when you stop at first you will be bored but after week or 2 you will find the stress going because no doubt when u lose your saying to yourself **** i shoulnd av hit i should av stood r why the **** did i call that follow posters advise

asking for yourself to be barred from casino will be hard and embarresing to do but if u do go through with it and ask for you to be barred then you are serious about stopping do the bank thing

Me Again

You have an addictive personality. Addictions usually come in groups, rather than just as single addictions. Booze and gambling are a pretty common combination; if you added cocaine into the mix I would not be surprised.

Some people do just grow out of it. It's a phase people go through, sometimes. But if you feel out of control and it is ruining your life then seek professional help. Gamblers Anonymous etc will genuinely help you and make you think about why you gamble and what you think you get out of it.

I am not trying to lecture. I have gambled all my life and at times have verged into gambling too much or spending too much time on it at the expense of the rest of my life. It is not a good thing and stepping away from it is a good idea.