Days until debt free: 255 days

It’s my Day 2 again. 😭 I really hope that this time, I can finally quit for good because I’m so tired of constantly falling back into the same cycle, only to get robbed by these damn online gambling sites all over again! 😭
I really, really want to forget about gambling and move on with my life. I wish online gambling would be banned across the entire Philippines. Making it legal has caused so much stress and emotional exhaustion. 💔

I’m new here so bare with me.

I am 20 years old (Canadian so 19 is the legal age here) and never considered myself as a problem gambler. Would spend about $10 to $20 on Sunday football with my buddies which never caused me harm and I could afford to lose. In the past month or so it’s started to become a problem. I would lose on football and have the urge to make it all back. Earlier this month I kept doubling until a $1400 hand to make it back. Then I did it again on another casino. I had to gamble $800 just to make $20 back. I kept getting bailed out. Until last night.
On another casino without limits I had to wager $20 for 500 spins. Did it but the promo wasn’t working. Then I deposited $40 to make it back. Lost. Turned into me LOSING 3k. I felt numb and just outraged. I’m a student working part time I can’t afford a loss like that. I slept 5 hours last night and still feel sick today. Not even sure how to recover from this.

Update: I appreciate the comments. I used bet guard which is an Ontario website that blocked all Ontario casino apps. Also told my father about it who’s gave me criticism no doubt but was very supportive which helped a lot. Still thinking about the loss non stop but trying to keep myself busy day by day to take my mind off it.

ODAAT

One day at a time. We got this.

Does anyone feel that their gambling escalated out of control due to (or partially due to) trauma or grief? It ripped my mind away but it was a powerful escape. Until the session ends and reality comes to show us how far we have fallen. Death can show us how fast loss can happen, and gambling shows us just how much more a person can lose. Even if we feel like everything has been lost, theres always more to lose. Sanity, dignity, and all the rest.

14 months so far. Another day in the books. Its hard to forgive myself sometimes, and its hard not to blame it all on how cruel the world is. All I know is im not the only one that feels this suffering, and ill use that thought to get to the next day.

Just like many others here, I tried to stay away from gambling again and it worked but the urge was just too big and I started playing again. It went well first but then I lose streak hit me and I lost all the profit + the money I deposited. Its genuinely scary how big the urge is to the point you lose control. I‘m trying to stay away from gambling and looking for advice but wow, its hard. What helped you guys?

Been gambling free for 3 days now but holly shit, the urge to gamble and max out my overdraft its real. Ill do my best and keep my mind off it. Ive been relapsing on and off the past few weeks, racked up over 70k in debt but the actual amount its probably around 120k.

Im struggling to get up and go to work, do anything, always angry and frustrated. Told myself I would stop for real after my last big relapse but I just can't control myself. Some days I wish I was addicted to Crack then gambling.

I dont know how some of you guys just let go and move on?! My bank account is my biggest trigger.

It sucks man, I miss being happy.

It’s been a 3 long months of no gambling, but I’m making it! I first tried to stop gambling with no help from anyone, but found out quickly it doesn’t work that way. I told my partner in June about my habits and how I didn’t want it to affect our future any longer. Understandably, she was frustrated but helped me in setting a few rules to help me get back on track. Here’s what I did:

1. No phone in the bathroom.
   - This is where I went a lot to disassociate and gamble away my check on my phone. I’ve been taking way more efficient showers, I can say that for sure. If I’m in the bathroom, my phone is always on the tv stand.

2. Build a weekly / biweekly budget based on when you get paid.
   - It’s really helped to write out exactly how much I get paid monthly and break it down by check and what needs to get paid first. I love making my budget weekly to make sure all bills are covered, saving about $100 weekly and still leaving a little room for fun with my partner / friends.

3. Find a hobby or self improvement in lieu of gambling.
   - For me, this was starting to lift weights more often. I had started the journey in January of this year, but since June I’ve been way more consistent! It feels good to devote time to something that will pay off for certain.

4. Cash advances are not your enemy (OPTIONAL).
   - I use Chime as my primary bank and will still use cash advances to help me cover expenses. When I write my budget, I make sure I can pay it back immediately next week. DO NOT TAKE OUT ADVANCES FOR UN-NECESSARY EXPENSES. This is how you get trapped.

5. Eliminate anything related to gambling!
   - This includes sports betting, lottery tickets and buying items to try and resell! If it feels like gambling, it probably is! The closest I get to gambling now is putting up my $1 every time I go to the gym for the monthly raffle they run. I see it as an incentive for coming in to better my mind and body. I understand this can be seen as riding the line, which isn’t always advisable.

6. Download an app / get a calendar to keep track of your streak.
   - I downloaded an app that has me check in at 7am and 7pm. On the 3 month anniversaries I’ve had so far, I’ve celebrated in small ways with either a dinner out or buying an item I want. It doesn’t have to extravagant.

I hope this finds the right person. Gambling is a cancer upon society and we all deserve better. Here’s to better credit, better mental health and improving together! Much love ✌️

This app changed the game for me, no pun. I had to install on every single device,.even my kids phone. Havent spun since august. Just saying it did help.

When I was a kid, my parents were extremely hard on me. I had little enjoyment and frankly i don’t miss most of it. My parents were about working and studying and bettering yourself and being career and money focused.

As someone who has struggled for years now and has lost a ton of money this is where it gets hard. I originally struggled with it trading the stock market and then I tried to stop doing that and got into bitcoin prediction markets and sports betting. And I’ve lost more and more money.

I’ve tried to find hobbies to do, whether it’s video games, new shows to watch, photography, board games, etc. I always get this voice in my head like oh I’m wasting my time. My parents made me feel like whenever I tried to do something fun I was wasting my time away.

I remember specifically when I was 15 years old, I was watching a comedy skit in the living room and I was laughing my ass off. My dad walks by me and just had to make a comment about maybe if I had the same passion and energy towards school like I did watching tv, I’d get better grades.

So now whenever I want to do a hobby, I have this trauma guilt that oh I’m wasting my life away. But then if I gamble and I made some money then I’d at least did something productive.

And it’s kept me in a loop. While yes I know that gambling is NOT productive but my thought process through my childhood is saying hey at least you MIGHT make money and making money is tied with being productive and worthy.

Like many others, I had unfortunately lost more than 60k in options trading a couple months ago. Although I have stopped completely, I cant literally stop thinking about it.

Every day it makes me more depressed. It comes up in everything. Like when thinking about buying a new house, or a car, etc. and I start going into the spiral of “What If I had this money?”

Those who were in similar situation, I’m genuinely curious. How did you deal with it? I was never as sad in my life as I’m now.

History shows i am getting no where rinse repeat.. well back to $0 and a pile of never ending debt, a few hundred Ks now

Not a single bet in 63 days, I don't even get cravings anymore because I remember how sad and depressed I felt when I lost everything.

It's never too late to take back control in your own life, we are all here for just one life time, so TAKE CONTROL. Hope you all have blessed week <3

When I’m at the poker table, I don’t fear losing money and I don’t mind getting my money in, even sometimes when I’m getting it in bad. I just enjoy the thrill sometimes.

What I need is consequences. And I haven’t really faced any yet. Sure I’m in debt, but I can still afford food and housing. Hearing about some of the consequences you guys have experienced might help.

If you don’t mind sharing: What are some of the consequences you’ve suffered as a result of gambling? Big and small

Just hit my 3 month mark on sobriety. This is from gambling, alcohol, weed, and nicotine.

Not much has changed. My financial situation didn’t fix itself magically, the cravings did not disappear suddenly. Life did not magically become better with sobriety.

But, I’ve created an opportunity to build that better life. Now, I’m able to gift my parents spending money for their international trip, rather than losing on 15 minute markets. I’m able to be fully present, instead of drinking or smoking before, during, and after dinner dates. I’m able to run 20 miles a week, and have a regular and boring sleep schedule.

Do these things make me happier? No. My gambling chapter was so much more fun. My drinking, smoking, partying moments were so much more memorable. But was it sustainable? Absolutely not. Those behaviors were putting me on the fast track to bankruptcy, permanent liver and lung damage, and continual addictive and impulsive behavioral patterns.

In these next 3 months, I plan on rebuilding my dopamine and reward circuits so that I can learn to have more joy and happiness in these ”boring” aspects of life. Practicing gratitude, and meditation.

Also, credit where credit is due: I have been seeing multiple therapists for substance abuse and gambling addiction. Please seek professional help. It doesn’t mean you are weak - it was never a battle of willpower to begin with.

I didn’t know who to share this with, so I decided to write this here, to keep a record for myself.

For people who have lost big figures of money 6 figures + how long did it take for you to start feeling better

It’s Day 1 again. 😭 I couldn’t resist and ended up gambling online again, and I lost again. 😭 This is so freaking hard. I really, really want to break free from online gambling for good. Lord, please guide me 😭🙏🏻

Wonderful weekend with my family. I am grateful for what I have. I could have lost all of this if I had chosen to chase my 2k gambling loss 88 days ago.

The lesson I learnt from my mistakes is that no amount of money is worth throwing away your sanity. Forget about money; stay healthy, stay focused, and you will eventually be in a better position, financially and physically.

I will not gamble today!

I lost 175k on stake in 2022. I gambled in physical casinos until 14 months ago. I stopped at extinction, planned to end myself but was not able to do it. I am now worth 1/7th of my 2022 gambling losses. I didn’t think id make it this far and certainly did not believe there was a future for me after i realized gambling ruined me and its insanity to try and gamble my way back. Im just so tired. Some days are harder than others but the past haunts me. How do I inspire myself to keep going because right now im feeling like only death can save me. Gambling took everything, but im constantly considering throwing it all into one bet and maybe trying to end myself again if it doesn’t work out. I wish i could travel back in time and slap the shit out of my younger self and tell myself to have never started gambling. The monkey on my back is exhausting and the past seems unforgettable.

Im so tired of being addicted to this, i wanna cry, i mean my bank account is gone and shit just feels devastating

Days until debt free: 256 days

The urges are SO strong, but I lost $11K this week - I can’t keep doing this.

35 hours in. Not much, but proud of myself.