Sharing Our Friends of GamTalk Along With Real People, Real Voices, and The Struggles To Stop Gambling Addiction and Begin Recovery…

I enjoy sharing some of my supportive friends and the resources they offer to help those who might be problem gamblers or may have a full-blown addiction to it.

My fine friends at GamTalk – https://www.gamtalk.org/ have many resources anyone can tap into to get help from gambling. Dr. Richard Wood is the founder and Ken L. is an administrator of this awesome website as they have given many a safe place and platform to share and give support to those looking to stop suffering in silence from this cunning and insidious disease.

I would encourage anyone who has a gambling problem to go join free and be with other like-minded people so you know you are NOT ALONE. I also try to share my thoughts on their community wall with empathy and inspiration to those who may be having a tough time trying to quit and how vital having an open willingness for CHANGE.

In order to change you much follow it up with ACTION. Willing to make changes within your actions is what will help you become BET FREE. Willing to change your addicted thinking, choices, bad habits, and behaviors that come with problem gambling.

It needs and takes action to work and you’ll begin a path of recovery that will be successful and gain a much better life. I’d like to share some anonymous voices so others can see just how difficult it is to change and stop gambling addictively.

Real Voices of Real People

Durr. posted:
“We need to be able to survive a bad day. No matter how hard we try to live right, bad days will happen. It is wise to pray to be tough, fight through it, and believe that tomorrow will be better. When bad days happen get into your activities list and get active. Plan and prepare for war against this addiction. Have a journal and fill it with tips and articles about how to quit. Every day, add a bit more. Every day, study the key tips for you. Every day, do what you need to do to renew your mind and habits. It works.”

Pete E. posted:
“New here and this day shall be known as day 1 for me…I have come to grips that I need help to stop gambling.”

Cindy R. posted:
“My first post …I suppose my entry here will be quite usual. Anxiety way up, making deals with payments, and have noticed that when I’m chasing losses now for the last two months I’ve been noticeably hyper-frustrated when a scratch ticket doesn’t win.

Since I really need the win. Noticing this has prompted me to begin looking to stop or slow down. My mind is as tense as if I’ve Jenn up all night for New Year even with 5 hrs of sleep. Getting help locally is awkward since I’m a neighborhood professional. Thanks for letting me vent here…looking for a therapist whom I can trust locally here in Canada.“

Sally K. posted:
“I’ve been gambling for over 12 years and it’s ruined my life. I have no hope for the future. It’s like I can’t feel anything unless I’m sitting in front of a slot machine. I’m scared to go to Gamblers Anonymous as I’m not a faith-based person. I want to find a support group; to be able to talk to and listen to other people like me. Does anyone have any recommendations on where to start?”

Kleaner31 posted: “I recently found out my 29-year-old son has a gambling problem. I’m looking for how I can help him the best.”
Ken L. answered: “Hi Kleaner,
The best way to help him is to suggest that he visit this site, find some counseling, and start attending GA meetings. And maybe suggest he turn his finances over to you until is finds solid recovery.
I have included a link to Gam-Anon which is a Program for family and friends of the gambler.
Wish you both well. https://www.gam-anon.org/meeting-directory

Dee M. posted:
“Well, now, because of my undisciplined actions i.e. gambling every day, my car is being repossessed on July 8th unless I come up with the money, which I gambled away….I’m an idiot. I seriously have reached out to many agencies, but cannot find help with this. Unfortunately, I NEED my car for work, but I’m pretty much screwed.” Steve answered: “Sometimes churches have funds to help ask them for counseling and for them to take you and the payment to the bank with you.”

(I ) Cat L. answered, “It is what happens when you continue to gamble and then chase your losses… You need to break the “cycle” and start also taking your financial inventory. Give your money and all cards, debit, and credit cards to your spouse or a trustworthy person to handle your money. There are many treatment options if you are ready for change.”

Jcp82 posted:
“I’m so very happy I stumbled on this forum today. Day #2 of working to make a positive change in my life. It is amazing how (1) simple activity can take over a life. It hurts my insides that I cannot gamble today. But I have no choice but to push through. It will get easier I know, but wow. So happy I am here to read these stories. I am not alone in this and that is a good thing. Have a great day everyone!”

C Marie posted:
“Day #3 Thanks everyone for your help. The suggested podcasts are really helping me. Little victories. Today will be a good day. If not, we will make it one. Take care out there guys!”


Cat Lyon – (Me) posted ( I wanted to share my recent amazing NEWS and Accomplishment)
“Hello, Group and friends,
Happy Belated Canada Day to those who live in Canada!
I’m in the USA, and we are celebrating Independence Day tomorrow, but as I write this, I hear fireworks outside. I guess some wanted to start it EARLY… Awe, just the little things. I say this because I sure know I had a lot of crappy 4th of Julys when I was still deeply in my gambling addiction.

This brings me to Thanking Ken for the “Thoughts of the Day” today and tomorrow, depending on where you live. (what country) …As Ken shared, “Change is a part of the flow of life. Sometimes we’re frustrated because change seems slow in coming. Sometimes, too, we’re resistant to a change that seems to have been thrust upon us.”

For those who may be having a rough time, struggling to maintain recovery from this awful and insane addiction, CHANGE is a vital part of our humble beginnings within our recovery path and the willingness to make it.

To have a much better life for you, your spouses, your family, etc. CHANGE doesn’t have to be feared or scary. Wouldn’t it be great to have a life without this addiction dictating it? Or it sucking the life out of you. It is possible. I have been doing it BET FREE for over 15 years. I know it is possible. Was it a rocky road at first? Heck yes. But I truly was sick of being sick and tired.

It took me two failed (thank GOD) suicide attempts and two times through a crisis center and gambling recovery treatment program. No kidding. But? I NEVER GAVE UP.
WHY?
Because I knew I was living one bet away from death. True. I knew if stayed out there gambling I’m sure another suicide attempt would be looming and as they say, “third times a charm,” and I know I would not be here today if I kept gambling addictively. It is true that every 1 in 5 gamblers WILL try suicide. It’s a fact. And even though at that point I lost just about everything, almost my marriage, and my life, I was one HOT MESS!

Today I live a much better life than the one had before I became a gambling addict. I am very proud that I just completed and graduated from my Freedom Debit Relief program! I finally have paid off all the old debts and collections I had and it was a lot of $$$$$$… I feel so proud of myself for not only getting my financial inventory in order but being accountable for paying all those old debts off.

It IS an amazing feeling!
So, never give up trying to stop if you have a gambling problem or it is a full-blown addiction. Your life is worth more than that. And you deserve to be happy and have peace in your life.

Our past doesn’t have to define us so don’t let it dictate YOUR future!

Break Free From Addicted Gambling

I think this gives some examples of how tough it can be to maintain recovery or just reach out for help and have a start somewhere and somehow. When you visit GamTalk’s website, I would also encourage you to read the “The Stories of Hope.”

My story is now there as “Book Writer of Hope.” https://www.gamtalk.org/stories-of-hope/ …This one story of Mary’s really resonated with me as a woman because I too was addicted to Slot Machines… https://www.gamtalk.org/mary-ms-story/

Never Lose HOPE

If it can help just one person to get help and stop suffering in silence like may have, it is well worth recovering OUT LOAD! Catherine Lyon 🤗

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Do You Have Still a Victim Mentality? You May Still Be Harboring Resentments, Anger, & Denial. Change Your Attitude is Part of Doing Your Recovery Work …

For those who begin their recovery journey, one thing is clear. If we don’t learn to “let go” of the “Victim Mentality” while doing our inside recovery work? It may keep getting in your way to grow within recovery. 

To keep moving forward within your recovery journey, we begin learning to let things go, begin to set boundaries, be open to accepting the fact that we can’t go back and adjust or change what has already happened while deep into our addiction.  It is easy to recognize the victim mentality in our friends or family, but it is hard to recognize it in ourselves.  When we feel powerless in our situations, we try to place the blame on something else to protect ourselves.

Even those who seem healthy and well-adjusted can be suffering silently with a victim mentality. Having a victim mentality can prevent us from growing as we don’t learn from our experiences, rather we separate ourselves from them and point fingers.

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It also can hold us hostage and keep us from changing our situations, because we fail to recognize that we have the power to change our situations.  The victim mentality is very seductive; it offers affirmation, sympathy, a comfortable and quiet lifestyle, and removes responsibility from our lives.  However, it doesn’t offer peace, power, or progression.  So how do you know if you have a victim mentality? 

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Take the time to carefully consider the questions below.

When something goes wrong, do you blame someone else?

Are you still angry about something someone did to you in your past?

Do you feel powerless to change your life?

Do you believe that things will never change for you?

Do you feel unhappy?

Can you blame your unhappiness on others in your life?

Do you feel that if someone else changed something, then you would be happy?

Do you have a hard time forgiving others, including yourself?

Do you believe that your future holds mostly pain and sorrow? 

Are you afraid to take risks?

Do you frequently find excuses for your lifestyle (age, size, sex, education, background, etc.)?

Do you review your failures, mistakes, and shortcomings often?

Are you frustrated when friends offer you suggestions for how you can change?

Do you often begin phrases with “I cant..” or “I’m not got at…”

Are you thinking of someone else as you read these questions?

If you answered yes to 8 or more of these questions, you may be trapped in a victim mentality.

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HERE ARE WAYS TO BREAK FREE OF BEING A VICTIM

Recognize Where You Are

Most people who are trapped in a victim mentality do not even realize that they are.  They often turn to people who take advantage of them because they do not think they have a choice.  You need to recognize that the common denominator in your circumstances is you.  Only you have the ability to change your life, and you need to allow yourself to change.  Take the time to decide that you can let go of your victim mentality.  Stop thinking about how you have been wronged and start thinking about how you can move forward.  

Forgive

C.R. Strahan said “Forgiveness has nothing to do with absolving a criminal of his crime. It has everything to do with relieving oneself of the burden of being a victim–letting go of the pain and transforming oneself from victim to survivor.”

Forgiveness is not excusing or forgetting what happened, it is giving yourself the tools and ability to move forward.  Forgiveness is giving yourself permission to be ok even after you have experienced terrible suffering.  The person who has wronged you doesn’t even need to say sorry in order for you to forgive them, as forgiveness is not for them, but for you.  It is ok if forgiveness does not come immediately.
It takes time.  Be patient with yourself; emotional wounds take far longer to heal than physical ones.  For more help on learning to forgive, check out this blog.

Take Ownership and Responsibility

One of the key indicators of a person with a victim mentality is that they constantly blame everyone around them when things go wrong.  You need to take responsibility for your life. Stop blaming others and making excuses.  Start finding opportunities for growth.  You are in control of your life.  Instead of saying “I have to” or “I need to” (blaming situations for your actions) start saying “I’m choosing to”.  

Be Grateful and Serve

Be grateful for your circumstances, as someone always does have it worse.  There is always an opportunity to be found even in the hardest of trials and instead of asking “Why?” ask “What can I learn from this?”

Then, turn your focus outwards and find someone that you can help.  Volunteer in a soup kitchen, volunteer at an animal shelter, or simply write a heartfelt note to a friend.  Your life will feel more fulfilling and valuable and you also build self-worth. Then dedicate your time being of recovery service to others.  It makes your heart feel good! 💞💝

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