My (2nd)attempt at giving up betting

heavyballs

I havn't had a bet since last Sunday and it's tough but it feels so good.

There are people on here that will abuse me saying you're just sheite at betting that's why u gave up etc.
I miss the buzz of having a bet but my addictive personality doesn't suit betting,i tried on-line accounts but i simply am not diciplined enough.

I'd say there are a lot of people on here that if they did what i did which was tracking every bet for a month they would consider giving up.
Now i wasn't betting big,maybe spending €80 a week but i felt i had to put a stop to it.
There are very few people who are in profit,i wasn't losing much but i was down and i feel i was on a slippery slope.
I will consider the GA route but am going cold turkey on it at the moment,there are a lot of punters just like me who don't bet big but bet frequent and because the numbers are small they think it's not a serious problem.

Gambling has ruined a lot of families and relationships,the odds are generally stacked against you.What i'm doing to help me stay away is when i feel like a bet i take the €20 or whatever and put it away,gives me a bit od added incentive.

ft9

Good man well done. The fact that you even wrote that tells me your determined enough to stop for good.

plasteritup

best of luck it man,i also have brutal habits with the betting,always small enuf bets ,bar the odd 100 r 200 on something i really fancy,online accounts can be very dangerous and when losing that few bob gets ya down probably a good idea to try and take a step back from it.

i find the ladbrokes cash card handy,have no account details registerd online nymore,and stopped spending 20+ hours a week in a bookies bout three years ago,pathetic when u think about it all sometimes,really can be like leaking money at times,but i have to say i do enjoy a gamble.

heavyballs

^^cheers lads,just for the record i didn't write that so everyone can say 'well done' etc,also,i'm not saying i'm great and gamblers are goons i just think betting is grand for the majority but there are a decent % that just should not bet and i'm one of them and i reckon there's a few more reading this thread just like me.

Mr Benevolent

there are a decent % that just should not bet and i'm one of them and i reckon there's a few more reading this thread just like me.

Me too, I stopped betting after losing thousands back in 2006. Never, ever again.

abouttobebanned

The problem for many people is that Gambling can create debts that people feel they can only get out of, with more gambling.

My betting now is just on Golf. I had to cut out some other areas after I realised I was just betting for the buzz and I actually didn't know enough about what I was betting on.

There is a huge stigma about gambling - people on this forum who once posted about poker, horses whatever...now don't want to admit to others that they have a problem - they feel ashamed.

I'm going to ask the admins if we can have a private forum for people who want to quit gambling. Listening to other people's stories and being able to tell your own, without a fear of the whole world seeing it could be really helpful to some.

What ya think?

Dr.Silly

I think it's a bad idea.

People who want to give up gambling, who post regularly here, should delete there boards a/c or just not go into the gambling area forum full stop.

Too much temptation.

heavyballs

abouttobebanned wrote: »

I'm going to ask the admins if we can have a private forum for people who want to quit gambling. Listening to other people's stories and being able to tell your own, without a fear of the whole world seeing it could be really helpful to some.

What ya think?

i think that's a good idea,Dr.Silly reckons you should just delete your boards account and there's an arguement for that also.
Personally, i think being able to discuss giving up may help others who want/need to give up.
Just leaving this site, i beleive, would increase my chances of falling back into it.My main reasons for gambling were:Social aspect/Boredom/Greed and thinking i needed to have a bet to enjoy a sporting event on the box.

I'm finding it hard to drive right past the bookies after work as i love the big flat hcaps in the evenings but i'm already finding i have more cash than normal.

abouttobebanned

Deleting a boards account is silly. The stopping gambling forum would not be a sub forum of this...it would be private, on the east wing of the Internet.

Dr.Silly

abouttobebanned wrote: »

Deleting a boards account is silly. The stopping gambling forum would not be a sub forum of this...it would be private, on the east wing of the Internet.

Addiction (not just gambling), is a very serious illness, and discussing it on a forum is not the way to cure ones addiction. One needs to seek professional advice, and not to share stories on a forum.

heavyballs

Dr.Silly wrote: »

Addiction (not just gambling), is a very serious illness, and discussing it on a forum is not the way to cure ones addiction. One needs to seek professional advice, and not to share stories on a forum.

you have a point but it also depends on the individual as to what way to tackle it,my own opinion is if the person is serious about giving up and is committed to it that's the most important thing,i know a few ex AA members who didn't stick with it,the professional advice won't work for everyone.

Dr.Silly

heavyballs wrote: »

you have a point but it also depends on the individual as to what way to tackle it,my own opinion is if the person is serious about giving up and is committed to it that's the most important thing,i know a few ex AA members who didn't stick with it,the professional advice won't work for everyone.

You are correct heavyballs, everyone is different and tackles issues in a different way. However, the first call should always be professional advice.

My advice (I know...hypocritical) .. would be to go to GA meetings, and a doctor.

eh i dunno

I only deposit twenty every 2 weeks and while i do plenty of bets i have the will power to not spend any more than a tenner a week. Don't win feck all but a tenner a week is only 2 pints. I would miss it if i gave it up so i will continue to waste a tenner max per week. I see lads here spending hundreds on bets and dont know how they do it or justify it. If i was betting that much i know it would have a serious effect on my health. How can you concentrate on anything when you have a few hundred riding on a bet?

Fair play to the OP and best of luck with it

abouttobebanned

Dr.Silly wrote: »

You are correct heavyballs, everyone is different and tackles issues in a different way. However, the first call should always be professional advice.

My advice (I know...hypocritical) .. would be to go to GA meetings, and a doctor.

Talking in a private forum on the internet is not a million miles from talking in a GA meeting.

Dr.Silly

abouttobebanned wrote: »

Talking in a private forum on the internet is not a million miles from talking in a GA meeting.

and this is exactly my reason for saying to take this to professional group/people.

You are so wrong it's not even funny.

Dr.Silly

eh i dunno wrote: »

I only deposit twenty every 2 weeks and while i do plenty of bets i have the will power to not spend any more than a tenner a week. Don't win feck all but a tenner a week is only 2 pints. I would miss it if i gave it up so i will continue to waste a tenner max per week. I see lads here spending hundreds on bets and dont know how they do it or justify it. If i was betting that much i know it would have a serious effect on my health. How can you concentrate on anything when you have a few hundred riding on a bet?

Fair play to the OP and best of luck with it

Gambling addiction has nothing to do with How much you gamble, be it a tenner, or a grand on a race.

eh i dunno

Dr.Silly wrote: »

Gambling addiction has nothing to do with How much you gamble, be it a tenner, or a grand on a race.

So would i be an addict then if im spending a tenner a week and maybe 2 bets a day?

Dr.Silly

eh i dunno wrote: »

So would i be an addict then if im spending a tenner a week and maybe 2 bets a day?

I can't answer that.

http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/content/20-questions

eh i dunno

Dr.Silly wrote: »

I can't answer that.

http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/content/20-questions

Thanks for that. Answered it honestly and im a million miles off an addict. Only answered yes to 2 and 7 means get help. Everyone here should take that test imo

abouttobebanned

Dr.Silly wrote: »

and this is exactly my reason for saying to take this to professional group/people.

You are so wrong it's not even funny.

You are so arrogant its not even funny. There are dozens of GA type forums on the Internet. Some run by professional counsellors. They're all wrong and you're right? Your username is almost perfect.

Dr.Silly

abouttobebanned wrote: »

You are so arrogant its not even funny. There are dozens of GA type forums on the Internet. Some run by professional counsellors. They're all wrong and you're right? Your username is almost perfect.

It is painstakingly obvious you are out of your comfort zone here. Enough said, and Good Luck.

abouttobebanned

You are a very strange, deluded person.

And does anyone else find it strange that someone who basically spends all their time on boards trying to pick horses, is telling people how they cannot give up gambing.

Dr.Silly

abouttobebanned wrote: »

You are a very strange, deluded person.

And does anyone else find it strange that someone who basically spends all their time on boards trying to pick horses, is telling people how they cannot give up gambing.

Yes, I'm the deluded one :rolleyes:

abouttobebanned

I don't think I need say anymore :-)

Nozebleed

best off staying away from the bookies day to day,you dont make money doing that...but there's no harm in having an occasional punt,stick to the big events..world cup,euro's cheltenham etc..only 4-5 events of the year. i usually outlay €100 for the big events and thats it.

ancientoracle

Fair play to you OP, if you had a problem, you've been man enough to own up and try do something about it. Keep at it, and you'll be over it in no time.

From my own personal experience, a lot of it is down to knowing your limits. There was a time when I gambled and lost a lot of money, but with some help from a friend, he helped me to settle down, develop a system and stick to my limits. I keep details spreadsheets of every cent that goes through my betting accounts, and won't bet above a certain percentage of my bankroll. It took time and patience to get here, but it taught me a lot.

I hope it all goes well for you OP

Juwwi

Good luck Heavyballs.

Dont be tempted to look up the odds on events that you'd normally bet in.
You will pick out selections in your head of what look good odds
and will only remember the winners after the event not the losers.

Also dont be temted to just have a quick look inside the bookies.

Dont even read the racing pages or look up the racing results.

heavyballs

robbie1977 wrote: »

Good luck Heavyballs.

Dont be tempted to look up the odds on events that you'd normally bet in.
You will pick out selections in your head of what look good odds
and will only remember the winners after the event not the losers.

Also dont be temted to just have a quick look inside the bookies.

Dont even read the racing pages or look up the racing results.

I'm doing good so far and defo a few extra coppers in the pocket,cheers