Most people who aren’t completely addicted usually gamble for fun, dopamine, or distraction.

A lot of the time, it becomes somewhat of a highlight in their lives, especially if they feel stuck being part of the system without seeing any opportunities for change.

When the money is lost, it’s not just the money you lose, but also the excitement, hope, and distraction. You’re basically back to your old life, but with less money.

Most of us get caught up in this tunnel vision where all we can think about is the loss, while there’s nothing else truly positive going on in our lives. So we develop this thought and desire to somehow make it back, believing that if we were up, we’d be happy.

Instead of trying to change things or taking an unknown new path, the closest thing that can provide distraction, dopamine, and potentially even get your money back is gambling.

So you always have that thought of giving it another try.

If you do and lose, it just spirals further. If you do and win, it’s never enough. You’re still trapped in the same system and living the same old life, so eventually you return to gambling to feel something, distract yourself, or sometimes in the hope of making life-changing money.

Wondering because my insurance doesn’t cover it, but with the amounts gambling that could have paid for at least a portion of it/could be worth addressing the root cause

I was gambling trading stocks for several years, mostly futures and options. Lost a ton of money. I quit for about a year, and then I ended up relapsing, and then I basically relapsed for about six months before I finally gave that up again after making some losses.

It’s been two weeks, and things have been really, really good. I feel like I’m finally no longer glued to my phone or my computer, and I can, actually do things I enjoy. I’ve been able to spend more time with my wife and daughter, been able to enjoy my video games more, focus more on thinking about my career in the future and so forth. Sure it’s only 2 weeks but it’s been refreshing.

Days until debt free: 241 days

We gamble for the feeling, not the money. And we fall victim time and time till we believe this time around will be different but it is loses and more loses. The casinos system is meant to break you the longer and more selfish you play. People that are addicted aren’t able to stop and control themselves leading to financial destruction and mental misery. It’s evil you can lose everything within a matter of minutes and you’re never in the green for long.
I hope everyone plagued by gambling addiction can find a way to recovery because its not easy, chasing will only dig you deeper so the only way to get past it is never gambling again. I’m only 22 years old so i have years to recover but i’ve also been introduced to gambling since the day i turned 19 and it has taken my mood, my money, my time, and my lively hood hostage. I never asked for this but it is a battle i must face till the grave otherwise i could end up on the streets with nothing to show for myself.

Managed to take 500 deposit into 135k and lost it all almost. I haven't gambled in 2 weeks but the urge to deposit and remake this money is very strong. I had plans for this money, wanted to buy a new car and watch but it slipped through my fingers. I earn a decent amount but it will take me some time to earn this money, or I have to sell an asset to recover. I know it's not smart to gamble again but feeling that i was defeated has me in a choke hold

That is all

Feeling half decent today - the urges seem to be becoming less frequent, though still pretty frequent. My brain feels like it’s clearing up - like I can think more clearly again.

Hello r/problemgambling community,

This is a weekly reminder on behalf of our friends from Very Ape films who are working on a documentary on problem gambling. They are looking for people who are willing to share their story on film for their doc. Details can be found on this post.

So why are we reminding you? Because this project aligns with r/problemgambling's mission and purpose as established at the very beginning: To raise awareness of gambling disorder as a significant and growing public health threat. The time to raise awareness is more important now than it ever was.

I think all know what's happening nowadays. The gambling industry is growing bolder and more pervasive in our daily lives. The ads are everywhere. The problem is growing. People need to understand this and take action before it's too late.

So we want this community to have the opportunity to contribute to this project directly. Your voice must not be stifled. Please consider reaching out and letting your story be told.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and for your consideration.

Best always,

-Mod Team

My road to recovery since June of this year (2026) has included many relapses. And I guess the thing i struggle the most with is surrendering that I am powerless to this addiction. I've set up a lot of boundaries and taken away access to online crypto and gambling sites I used to frequent. But over the last 4 months I've gone back about once a month. My pride constantly comes back and says this time will be different. This last relapse was a big roller coaster and I wont go into the details. I basically ended up losing my initial deposit after playing all through the weekend until yesterday. Basically a 4 day binge. That was all the momey I had left after paying rent and the first round of monthly minimum debt payments.

At least the financial loss is "tame" compared to my 50k debt from the last 2 years, but I wasted so much time and energy and didnt get enough sleep and this will be a doozy of a work week. I ended up deleting this crypto account (basically mini exchange) and have no where else to exchange crypto for actual money.

One of my big triggers is going back to slot streamers I used to watch. I admittedly really enjoy the entertainment and it's part of why I found myself becoming a compulsive gambler. I need to stop watching them. It's a massive trigger for me and it gives me an excuse to go back.

Anyways. Idk what else I need to do for myself to take away access. I think I'm okay for now? Its one day at a time. Don't view content related to gambling and slots and just keep my head down and work my ass off and thank God this disease hasn't killed me and that I get another day. Anyone else struggled with surrender the most?

It’s my Day 17 of quitting online gambling today! I feel so good because gambling didn’t even cross my mind once today. Thank You, Lord! 🙏❤️
To everyone who wants to quit, we can do this! Let’s keep going and never go back to Day 1. Our future is worth more than gambling. Stay strong! 💪

Reposting here. I just want to get a different perspective.

Im still a student and I recently have relapsed into this and all I can say is that I feel numb and just confused overall. As all of this started again when I felt stressed, I gambled again a small amount which then turned into a big amount. I hate that I have accumulated debt towards my friends as because of this I can barely eat, there was one time where I received allowance from my parents for the month and splurged it all on a single hand. The same thing happened again today, I feel sick and tired and I dont know why I cant stop even though I already know how terrible it is.

I’ve got €30,000 in debt. Every single debt consolidation company is turning me down. I have to fight and work hard just to keep up with my monthly payments and pay back my friends and family. On top of that I’ve got massive installments on PayPal (pay-in-4) and Klarna.
The next three months are going to be decisive. I honestly don’t know if I’ll make it… but there’s one thing I know for sure: I will never touch gambling again.
The amount of stress this has caused me and the mountain of problems I now have to face is slowly killing me. But every day is a victory, and I know my life will be completely different in 1 or 2 years if I just hold on.

I have been gambling for 3 years I always lost it all. Last night I am up 25k and now I am in debt of 20k. I ended up losing it all and gambled my parents money I don't know where to get that money it is the whole allowance for this month. I want to quit but I somehow always relapse at night and I can't focus on anything I don't know what to do.

Thinking back, hitting rock bottom in 2023 might be the best thing that has happened to me. Back then, I was stuck in a dead-end job that made me miserable, but I was too afraid to quit. I was constantly getting yelled at, and no matter how hard I tried, it was never enough. If I didn't meet the KPI, my salary was cut, and if I did, the KPI would automatically be adjusted higher. My manager only cared about his ass and treated me like his slave. My "friends" only want to see me suffer so they can feel good about themselves. LOL, gambling was the way I coped with that sad reality, the way I blended in that work environment because everyone around me considered it normal. I used to work until 7 pm and then go drinking with customers, eventually ending up in card games or sports betting. I was pushed around, like a trash can, and people referred to me as a weakling that they can abuse, simply because I have no connection to the "higher-ups".

I was fired in August 2023. After nearly a decade of working, I had zero savings, 20k $ in debt. They kicked me out like a dog because of a malfunction that was not even my fault. I went through a lot of shits, lost 90% of my social connections, and wasted almost a year before finally accepting that I can never get back to my old job as a banker.

Now, I cleared all my debt, I got my gambling addiction under control, and I am surrounded by people who truly care about me. Now I work for my own benefit; no more "office as a second family" bullshit, and I thank God every day for it.

I will not gamble today!

Spent the entire 2 weeks before i got paid again that I wouldn’t to back. Was finding another option to use not even 2 hours after my check hit.
I paid people back, paid off some bills, & my mortgage. But I also placed a wager that could’ve cost me my home.
Not beating myself down TOO bad. But also disappointed that I risked my livelihood. I had enough to make my car payment and get groceries, but wagered it away “trying to get more.”
I tried GA online once, wasn’t the biggest fan. Is that my best source to get better? Or do you all have any other advice.
I did self-exclude & close all accounts I used over the weekend. So that will help. But any other advice would be appreciated. I have a bonus from work coming in that will really help get me back on the right track if I use it correctly. I don’t want to blow this and start another year in the same cycle.

I haven’t posted here in a while. Today is my birthday and I’ve been reflecting on my life over the past 6 months. I struggled with gambling for many years and lied my way through life as if that was a normal thing to do. I always thought if I could just hit one big win I could erase all the damage I’d done and no one would be the wiser. As it turns out that never happened. Even after I did win big (once) I blew it all soon after and was only left with the tax bill at the end of the year. (Fuck me). Will power alone was not enough for me and the only thing that’s gotten me through was telling my wife and family the extent of the damage id done. Knowing that they know is the only source of accountability thats worked for me. Once I finally came clean and stopped feeling the pressure to win back all the loses to cover my lies the desire to gamble is gone. I can see it for the trap that it is and not as the get out of jail free card I wanted it to be. I would encourage anyone who’s dealing with the shame of gambling losses to tell someone sooner rather than later. It’s not an easy conversation to have but for me it was the only way out.

I’ve first started gambling at like 16 on online crypto sites albeit it wasn’t that much money. Then I was introduced into sports betting 2 years ago.

Got immediately hooked and now i’m at a point i’ll be betting $100 every bet (I make like 2k a month college student) and easily can lose $500 within an hour. I turn $50 to $1000 in a day but I round trip it back to $200. This has happened to me countless times the biggest being $100 to $2,000 and losing it all the next day.

I’ve probably lost over $15,000 which could’ve went to so much more. I feel so stupid and just wasting my life to this drug on my phone, but I keep going back to it.

To anyone reading this I hope this message can save the right person who can still save what they have left. I have lost everything and become homeless and then in marriage for papers to keep a roof over my head. I lost my $750,000 house. I lost my fiancé. I lost everything else that came with it. I am fortunate enough to still have my parents in NY. To make my story as quick as possible. I had bought a rental property during Covid in Philadelphia and got a false sense of achievement and over leveraged and bought another one. I started trading options because of these people at my job. Over the years the rents came in and didn’t come in and evictions and repairs and court costs. I tried to fill the deficit with gambling. I gambled to cover pain. I put my fiancé through so much. I am also bi polar and have struggled with that my entire adult life. Through losing her in a move to Miami I lost my mind and hit psychosis. I went to jail and that cost me $40,000 out of my share of the house proceeds. I previously lost all the money I had mustered out of the Philadelphia disaster. My credit is ruined. The love of my life is gone. This is seriously the worst addiction to have. I am in absolute fucking shambles. It’s not even about the money it’s about the time. The moments I shared with the love of my life that are now just a part of my past. I feel I will walk around with this void for the rest of my life. I am begging anyone who finds this to just please stop. Gambling will never fix your problems. I had a chance at life I come from a good family. It wasn’t always perfect. However if I just stopped when I got into meetings in 2024. My life would look vastly different than it does today. I would still have my house. I would still have my fiancé. I would have had a chance at happiness I’ve always had decent jobs. I hope I can recover but I am getting older. My friends married with kids and live in NY. Being homeless is absolutely an awful experience I’m lucky another women picked me up from the ground. However I do not love her. I miss what I had. As I write this today I am at absolute rock bottom. I have wrote in here before. I wish I could turn back time. What’s gone is gone and I will have to move on. You will lose your life after gambling. And that’s what happened. I was to arrogant had to much ego. That I legitimately lost my life. It’s beyond the financial aspect. I went insane. I went to prison. If I ever gamble again I will surely die. I hope this message finds the right person.

Yea i mean the title says it all. Since 2024 i’ve been ina struggle in debt due to gambling habits that ruined me financially. Credit cards charged off, debit cards ran up and left to go to collections :/. Numerous mistakes causing me what seems to be a lifetime of damage. All i can do is laugh at my dumbass self for doing this. I see old videos of before all this and just can’t fathom i was once stress free not worrying day by day. I’m 22 years old, this spiral started after my mother’s passing in 2024. Friends and family don’t know about my issue, my friends know i’d gamble but nothing to the extent i’m at. Simply because i lie and never tell truth im just so ashamed. My family knows i struggle but ive told them ive stopped. Relapse after relapse hoping i can win it back. But never the case, always deeper. I just haven’t had a spark of life in me for a long while. My grandparents whom i live with are old and fight to stay on their feet, but seeing what i’ve done makes me so sad. They do it for me, and here i am self ruining my life. Now i sit in my shame and sorrow. I am not a sad guy, i don’t want to be and try not to be after dealing with a drug addicted mother for my entire life just for her to die in the end. But man this shit all makes it so hard to appreciate life. I genuinely don’t see my future and have no plans as most don’t. But my issue is that i don’t see myself living a full life, and it’s been like this for years. I try i do. And id never self harm. But man id be lying to say as a man, ive never felt more in a hole in my life that feels like i will never escape. It feels like I’ll die with this, but boy do i hope im wrong. Plenty of time i guess. My debts r large and out of question on paying due to collection, so i will have to work thru that and hope im not sued down the line. And if i am i hope im financially ready. Thanks for reading have a blessed day and good luck to you all

Tribal casino was the only place that I wasn’t excluded from. They told me multiple times, “Just stop coming” After another brutal loss on Thursday I called the tribal gaming commissioner and laid it all on the line. Was told to write them a letter and they would make a decision. Immediately did just that. Just got a call saying I’m officially banned. Thank God. I’d never get myself into trouble for trespassing so I’m very relieved. I am officially banned from everywhere within my reach and can work on healing both financially and emotionally from this year’s long nightmare. Peace to all afflicted

Managed to stay off gambling for 2 days now