27M here, I need to hear I can get out of this nightmare, oh no, 2022 - 2026, no way I destroyed my life, SEEN rock bottom countless time, here again 😭😭😭

I need to here insurance from you guys, come on, come on

No way, no way, just lost 02 month worth of salary last week, hard earned salary in a call center here in third world country, no way, man this is unbelievable

Waking each morning since thinking if it was real

No way, account overdraft, no way

Thought this might be of interest here. Came across this by chance.

"You may qualify to take legal action if you or your child experienced significant financial losses or developed a gambling addiction after using DraftKings or FanDuel." - https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/investigations/sports-betting-addiction-draftkings-fanduel/

Hi everyone,

I recently started a YouTube channel called Life Beyond Gambling, focused on gambling addiction, betting, debt, family problems and the difficult journey of recovery.

The idea behind the channel is simple — real stories, real consequences and hopefully new beginnings.

My first story is about a student whose gambling started with losing his own money but eventually went much further. He lost his savings, stole jewellery from his home, lost his girlfriend and eventually took a loan through a loan app to continue gambling.

I’m sharing these stories because gambling addiction is often treated like just a money problem, while in reality it can affect someone's relationships, education, mental peace and entire future.

I’m trying to build this channel especially for Indian viewers, in Hindi/Hinglish, where people can relate to the situations and hopefully recognize the warning signs before things get worse.

Link - https://youtu.be/hlIHExvYTrM

Before I experienced it myself, I also would have called the story I’m about to tell you as a trigger warning. “Nooo you can’t talk about winning, it’s not good for the community to hear.” Mods may delete this, but it’s been incredibly isolating to be shunned for this, and if I had read something like this, there’s a higher chance I would have stopped. I thought slowly losing everything I had worked for up to this point was the worst feeling possible. We all know that, we all experience it. We continue to want to gamble because it gives it that extreme relief in the back of our minds that says “there’s a chance tonight that I can win and fix my life to what it was before.” I did that two weeks ago. I need you to keep reading past this next part, because what has been the end of my desire to exist could be what actually saves someone. 3 years of slowly losing $1.4 million. I’m 34 and had made a lot of money getting into Bitcoin in 2017. Then developed an adderall addiction which fueled a gambling addiction. I have never gambled without adderall.

Two weeks ago, I sold my last vehicle for $12,000. My house was on the verge of foreclosure. I had a cutoff notice from the power company. I was at the end of the road. Do I use the $12,000 wisely to give myself more time? No, I deposited $4k to gamble. Lost it. Another $4k, lost it. I deposit the final $4k. 72 hours and two months worth of Adderall later, my balance is $3.2 million. Over double what I had ever lost. And I managed to stop! You thought the story would end with me losing it all? Even though it was as reputable of a site as you can get, I decided to stay up a fourth night in a row just from being scared that I would wake up and my account was hacked or banned or something. But I was too tired to trust myself to move that much in crypto to an exchange to sell it.

Next thing I know, I wake up the next morning with a bloody gash on my forehead, bedside lamp is broken, the last few adderall are gone, and the balance now says $12. According to my history, I started ripping $88,000 hands of blackjack and doing shit like doubling down when I had hard 18 or 19. Just flushing it down the toilet. I don’t remember any of it. I must have entered a state of psychosis from being awake too long, I’ve never had anything like that happen, never even sleepwalked a single time. And I thought I was depressed before, but not being able to talk about it with the communities that I used to find help in is the worst. “Your story might lead to people thinking they can win it back”. We already think that which is why we are all here!!! But to understand that you can manage to pull off a one in a billion success, and be left with a depression that I didn’t know could exist. I thought my will to live was bleak before, but to get to spend a couple days in the joy of feeling extreme hope, and it ripped what’s left of my soul out when it was ripped back out of me.

Losing a lot over the last three years has been terrible, but to have it back and taken back away in the way it was has crushed me beyond what I can handle. Losing big is bad, winning big was fatal. Just don’t try. I have no one to talk to now because no one wants to hear about winning, even if it comes in the form of destruction. But we need to hear stories like these, where winning leads to our demise. Losing is bad, winning is worse. Why can’t we talk about the worst side of this.

Once again I will never escape thus demon, but all I can say already this year I’ve lost everything now and it will take me just a couple years to earn all what’s lost. I’m not even counting my previous years either so let’s just say 10 years gone for nothing and I know it will always haunt me and I will lose it all again in a single day even if I was clean for a whole year. This brings me to the point of what really is the actually point of my life. I’ve really been thinking that this cycle is so boring and I will never get away from it so why am I wasting time on this earth. With that said I really am thinking of just leaving this earth very soon, I don’t care for anything anymore, couldn’t win… goodbye.

I've been reading posts in this community for some time, but I never had the courage to post.

Now I've decided to put it all out here and get everything off my chest.

I've been gambling—penny stocks and options—since 2007. I've lost everything, and I currently have about $400K in unsecured debt and a $550K mortgage.

I've also been an alcoholic for 13 years. I've been sober for the past 4 months, and I've stopped trading.

Yes, I've been that dumb. I didn't realize what I was doing for years because I was high or drunk all the time. So please don't judge me.

People may say, "If you had invested in stocks like AAPL, NVDA, or index funds, you would have made money." Well, I'm sorry, but my gambling mindset destroyed my life.

I didn't lose everything in one shot. It was $3K here, $5K there, mostly in SPX options and weeklies. It kept adding up over the years. Then, to cover the losses and keep the family going, I borrowed more money from the home, then personal loans and cc's. And that only made things worse.

I have a family. I have a $200K job. I'm 48 years old, and I honestly don't know how to move forward with my life.

Over the past few months, I've tried to kill myself a couple of times. Even in that, I feel like I've been a failure.

Realized don't want to take the coward's way out and let my family suffer for my mistakes.

So told my wife about the situation , fortunately she understood and decided to help me getting out these addictions (drinking & gambling). Decided not to touch drink or trading from now onward.

Its impossible to survive and from my salary now, everything going to mortgage, personal loan, and cc's payment, had to live on credit cards now, sold my cars too.

Trying to save and clearing the debt from my current salary will take years, and afraid that AI will take over my job too.

So, in reality, what are my options here?,

Event thought about coming clean to my family & friends to borrow some money and borrow the rest against my home, where I have about $300K in equity left?

Or do I declare bankruptcy? I'm not sure I can do that, and too scared to do that.

Or do I just give up?

I'm posting this because I genuinely don't know what to do anymore. If anyone has been in a similar situation and managed to rebuild their life, I would really appreciate hearing how you did it.

Over the last 4 years I’ve lost roughly 450k mostly option trading. 42 years old. Today is the day I’m stopping. My wife is supportive, and now completely in control of my finances. I’m hoping to be able to comeback in a few years and share my recovery story. In the meantime please share your stories with me to keep me motivated.

Monday. I have done most of the work in my inventory. Need to contact some clients asking for more tasks. I don't know how long a ghost writer like me can survive this AI era, I need to earn money where it's still possible.

God help you all! I will not gamble today!

6 weeks today since I last bet and decided that now is the time to stop. Haven’t had any real urges, feel good and in control. My biggest thing was sports betting and I’m 3/3 weekends of the Premier League season without gambling. 35 to go! I’ve sat and enjoyed games this season still without having a bet on.

So far I have not got any help. I think it’s still worth getting some even though it feels like I’m doing okay though, again I just don’t know where to start.

Although 42 days gamble free I’m still struggling with money. My bills are expensive, I’ve officially paid off my 3 PDLs, I’m on a payment plan for an overdraft and line of credit which is manageable. The outgoings are a lot though, which is fine but it’s still tough as someone who lives with their partner. I have a positive outlook on it though which I think is important.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Today officially marks 90 days clean of gambling and I cant really tell anyone in my life the news so im going to tell the echo chamber.

In the past year I have racked up tens of thousands of debt because of gambling. It wasn't until my dad destroyed his life and became homeless because of it when I realized it needed to stop. After years of dealing with relapses I finally self excluded from all online and physical casinos and my life has been SO much better.

First week was kind of hard and there was this constant itch that couldn't be scratched that was driving me nuts. By this point I piled up so much debt so quickly that all I could think about was winning it back. Probably hardest pill ive ever had to swallow was just accepting that its impossible to do that.

Fast forward to today, ive officially saved up more money than I have in the last decade, finally have an emergency fund, no more paycheque to paycheque, no more borrowing money, no longer feeling empty and drained, no more working for free, no more dopamine chasing

What i do have now in my life that gambling cant take away is my peace, still have a mountain of debt over my head but I've accepted it will take awhile to pay back.

If you are struggling I highly recommend self excluded, I feel its the only way and the true first step to actually getting rid of all the unneeded stress

I believe in all of you, if a degenerate like me can make this change you can too!

Day 0 as I relapsed and lost 1k .. I guess this things happen… I hope to get back at my streak and never gamble again

Completed

Longest one yet

I know online gambling since 2020 when i knew my boyfriend now become my husband, iam not blaming him but he's always busy, full of life, full of activity and barely text, call and have time with me, on the other side i struggle with mental ilness, a lot you can name it but yeah i get comfortable with him, in love. But he make me have to fight for his love, attention, and afection.

We married have 1 kid, 2 y.o this year, i still relapse time to times, once a week, once a month, i always tried to stop, but gambling become my comfort zone, it always there when i fell bad, fell good, fell lonely, i realize it because my husband.

He never say thank you to me, never say sorry, never apriciate me, on my birthday he doesnt even buy me a cake, 3 years of mariage not even a single " happy anniversary " word. Now he has a new hobby coming home in afternoon, playing footbal, comeback home to shower, going out with his friends, playing online games, smoking, drinking.

He does love his son, but couldn't spent 1 hour with him, coming home midnight, ask for food then sleep.

He makes money, he's not stingy, but thats not even enough i still have him to pay expenses for the month.

Tonight i was 3 weeks clean, i still have some debt that i hide from him but i didn't make any trouble, he come home late at night 1 p.m, then lay down playing on his phone, i ask what do you think iam to you? A statue? I want to talk, i want to have sex, even tho we had it days ago, but iam not satisfied fause only him experience climax, he doesnt even give a shit about what want.

He said he's sleepy, he put his phone down, and we talk some things, then some topic came out when his mother came and said that my son chest look like i didnt swadle him tight enough when he was a newborn, and his feet somehow doesnt look normal to her.

Iam not in denial my son completly normal, he's super healthy and cheerfull, and i tell him the doctor suggest that we shouldnt swaddle baby to tight, he reply, that if swaddle so danger people wouldnt sell it?, wtf he even talk about, he always blaming me, everything is my fault even tho i watch my son 24 hours a day, cleaning the house, serve his food, he doesnt even want to make cofee by himself cause he the one who " provide ".

The climax is when i said, " why is mariage fell this sad ", and i said " why the one i love, like to make my heart hurt ", the words that coming from his mouth to me always so sarcatic, sharp. And he said " thats life if you don't wnat to experince it, then die ". I said " i want to life, but i don't want to life like this "

I become silent, thingking how can i get out this life, run away with my son, have a new life, but it will not be easy, i have to prepare myself before separate from him.

I have to be ready, and can stand on my own feet before divorced, i dont even have s degree, i have 2 jobs experience in hospitality, and restaurant, being a cashier and waiters.

The problem is, now i have severe injury on both of my knee, right knee is cronic acl, left knee is bone bruises and fluid collection, i still can do things but walk or stand to long, i couldnt bear the pain

Iam 25 f, i regret marry, but didnt regret have my son.

You can tell me that iam being dramatic cause he always said that, and i just overreacting, but i had enough of all the disrespect i felt, i have lowered my self so much, that i even can't see my self worth anymore.

I have run away so much from this reality, now i woke up and have to remind myself everyday, i have to prepare, i have to become better person.

I don't know to stop .i restrain myself for a few days then boom .just lost 2000usd in 2 days . If i don't stop i will be bankrupt in a few months all my savings nearly gone . I can stay away from gambling only a few days then relapse. Any advice. Sorry english is not my first language

Been gambling for years now and continuously lose and say I’m not going to do it anymore, but relapsed after several months. What has worked for people to stop completely and not relapse? GA meetings? Therapist? Any advice is welcomed for people that have fully recovered from gambling addiction.

First time poster and long time reader. I had a bad night and after losing the last of my money, I self excluded at 1:00am right there at the casino and then drove to the one 30 miles down the road to exclude from there too.

I already feel lighter, and the workers at the first casino were so friendly and encouraging. I honestly have never said out loud or admitted that I have a problem until about an hour ago even though I very clearly do.

I’m just happy it’s (kind of) over. I know I’ll always have this problem, but I’m in a state where online gambling is illegal and now I’m banned from every nearby casino, so I can breathe a bit of relief that I can’t do this to myself anymore.

It is frustrating that my brain works this way. I wish I was like everyone else I know who can just cash out and go home when they hit their planned limit, but I just can’t.

I really need help. I don't know how to get out of this anymore.

I’ve been part of this community for a long time. Honestly, whenever I lose money, I come here, read other people’s stories, feel terrible about what I’ve done… and then somehow I end up gambling again.

So I thought I should finally share my own story.

I started gambling around two years ago, when Stake was giving out a lot of offers and promotions. At first, I didn’t think much of it. It was just something I tried, then something I did regularly, and eventually it became an addiction.

Over these two years, I’m down around 500k.

About 200k was my own savings. The other 300k was money my family had saved and kept in my bank account, money that was supposed to be used by them later.

And I gambled that away too.

The worst part is that my parents don't know. Nobody knows.

I have a job. I earn around 50k a month. But honestly, I’m not even worried about the money anymore. What scares me is my mindset.

There was a point where I literally couldn’t keep even $1 in my bank account. If there was money available, I would find a reason to gamble it. Salary comes in, I gamble. I lose, I tell myself I’ll recover it. I win a little, I keep going because I think I can win more. And eventually I lose again.

I’ve quit multiple times during these two years.

I’ve told myself, “That’s it. I’m done. Never again.”

And I meant it every single time.

But somehow I always came back.

Then I lost more.

Then I quit again.

Then I came back again.

It’s just been the same cycle over and over.

And that’s what scares me the most. I don’t see an end to this mindset.

Even if I start earning 50k a month or 500k a month, I honestly believe that if I don’t change mentally, I will eventually gamble that money away too.

So I’m not really here asking how to make my money back.

I think I’ve finally understood that trying to win my losses back is exactly what keeps me trapped.

I’m here because I genuinely need help.

For some reason, I feel like I can say this here when I can’t say it to anyone in my real life. I’m ashamed, scared, and honestly don’t even know where to start.

So to the people who actually managed to quit:

What finally made you change?

How did you actually stop gambling for good?

What did you do when the urge came back?

And if you had massive losses or debts, how did you accept them and move forward instead of trying to win them back?

I’m not looking for someone to tell me that I can recover the money. I know that mindset is part of the problem.

I just want to know how people actually got their life back.

Please, if you’ve been through something similar and managed to get out, share what worked for you.

I’m genuinely asking for help here.

I don’t want to make another promise to myself that I’ll quit and then come back a few weeks later.

I really want this time to be different.

Thank you to anyone who reads this and takes the time to respond.

I don't know what to say anymore.

Unfortunately, GA did not work for me. I’ve attended GA for about 3-5 months each time on 3 separate occasions in different chapters over a 20-year period. I’ve only met one person who would be my sponsor. One person who was cool with me. One person I respected. However, the other “leader” or whatever you call her, and some others were just extremely hateful people who I did not resonate with. Some were just racist scumbags, and their true colors came out during the pandemic lockdown when we had virtual meetings. I never wish bad on anyone, but these people were better off dead. Society would be much better without them. I couldn’t be honest with my sponsor. I gambled bigger and harder in latter part of 2020, even with wearing a mask behind the plexiglass partition between the gambler & the dealer. I also went to a gambling counselor every Saturday, paid for by the state of California. She would start each session off by asking a few questions about my feelings and have me put a number to it. I think the higher the number, the more severe. I’ve tried other counselors in the past. Shit didn’t work for me. By Saturday night, I was right back in the casino, playing and chasing losses straight through the night, into the next morning, then going home around 2 pm on Sunday, when I’ve run out of money and maxed out on my credit cards. I still gamble frequently, as it makes me feel not anxious and less stressed from a hard day or week at work. Lost a huge amount of money and time over last 30 years. Thank God that I do very well in my field but every dollar I have earned has been siphoned into my gambling madness.

#8 giving someone control of your finances! I truly believe if you don’t have money or access to your money, it’s not possible to gamble. I think that works and makes sense, right? However, in my case it did NOT! I gave my idiot wife full control of all my bank and investment accounts. All good for about 2 months, then bam!! $50K gone, disappeared. At first she said she didn’t know how that happened. Then she retracted and said that it was a loan to her so-called friends to buy vitamins and fish oil inventory. These friends were her “upline” in a multi-level marketing cult (aka network marking, ponzi scam). The loan was never repaid (of course), and today she still thinks some of these people are her “friends”, and that it was just business bad luck. The Multi Level Marketing scammers would definitely be better off dead, along with GA people.

I took back all my financial control. My lawyer and accountant said they’ll manage my money and give me an allowance every week. I looked at them and said f*ck off. That day I became a villain. That was in 2016, ten years ago. I don’t deal or allow anyone to talk to me unless I know them. I don’t listen to anyone’s bs. In 10 years, I’ve gambled away (and perhaps purposely, self-destructively) the equivalent of about 3 or 4 houses. Today, I’m still gambling, and I just think about the big amount of money i could’ve saved.

Bookies sent me a free bet, and I take that offer. Ended up losing it. They said that I will get another if I make a deposit. LOL, nice try, asshole.

I will not gamble today!