Gambling- The black pit of debt

It sounds like you know that you are not going to become rich by gambling. That is a start. It also seems that you are beginning to see the connection between gambling addiction and the craving to use despite the negative consequences. The gambling at this point has triggered off a response in your brain. Your logical self knows it is a dead end street. Your emotional self is looking for the next big high. The trouble is that with any addiction- gambling included, you are chasing your first high/win. You will never have a first win again. It will never feel as good.

So how do you quit right now. Go to Gamblers Anonymous. Go to their website, read their literature, get away from the computer at times that you are most vulnerable- times you used to play. If possible unplug all together. Spending time with recovering addicts is the best way to get clean. They have been there, done that. They know when you are fooling yourself because they have tried the same tricks: managing use, trying to put artificial controls into the behavior etc. That is only a temporary fix. They say with addiction there are only three consequences of use- go insane, die or recover. You are experiencing the insanity; trying to continue to use, feeling helpless, frustrated and knowing the shame of use. Dying comes when the consequences of use are too much; suicide, taking a loan from the wrong people. Recovery means learning how to live life without gambling and without using any addiction as a way to deal with feelings and negative beliefs about yourself.

The choice is yours, everyone has a bottom. The question is how low do you have to go before you get help.