Introduction

I am a compulsive gambler

or, more accurately,

When I gamble, I gamble compulsively.

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I'm not sure who I'm writing this for....me, I think...but....if anything here is helpful to anyone at all out there...then I'm happy to have decided to journal on the world wide web rather than a notebook or a file on my pc :)

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I plan to record many of my thoughts on gambling addiction and recovery.

These are simply my thoughts.....my opinions.

My thoughts are based upon my experience and research that I have done as well as discussions with many other compulsive gamblers.

I don't claim to know it all...what I will record here is simply what I believe to be true at any given time...of course, that's always changing....just when I think I've got 'it'....'it' changes :)

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Just in case someone ever DOES read this...if you have a gambling problem....if you have tried to stop and have been unable...if gambling is hurting you and you do not know what to do or where to turn....

You are not alone.
You are not stupid.
You are not weak.
You are not bad.
There is hope.
Most importantly, you are not alone.

There are many online resources available...forums, chatrooms, hotlines

google for them --reach out find others like yourself

there is a way out of this.

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If you always think the way you have always thought
you will always feel how you always felt
And if you always feel how you always felt
Then you will always do what you have always done
If you always do what you have always done
Then you will always get what you have always gotten
If you always get what you always got
Then you will always think how you always thought.
If there is no change
There is no change.

-- Author Unknown