gambling addiction

hi guys, i just want to ask because i think it's starting to happen to me. when do you know that you're already addicted to gambling and how do you get out of it?

When you (talking generally here - not "you" specifically) start spending money that is intended to pay your household bills or you sell your jewellery or other valuables just to gamble might be a sign.

If you think you have a problem then you could well do.  You can get some help HERE.  They will offer confidential advice.

Hope it's of some help.

blue

Hi there,

I would also add to the above:

When you are chasing your loses too much. That usually results in spending more than "you" can really afford.

It should be more about entertaining yourself and not playing to get back what you lost. It creates a vicious circle i think.

Kind Regards

If you are asking that question then it most likely means that you should stop playing right now or at least make a break from gambling.

Almost all casinos have selfexclusion and if you think you are losing to much you should probably exclude yourself for a while or indefinitely.

Another option would be to exclude yourself from LCB forum if you find it too tempting to try new bonuses etc

The question you need to ask yourself is if gambling is just a fun pastime to you , has it become a burden , are you losing too much, did you lose control over your bankroll management etc?

Everyone made great points here and the only thing I wanted to add was good luck to luck to you. Quit while you're ahead!

Quitting is hard when you're addicted...the first step to prevent into a financial problem is to pay all the bill and primary needs first.
If you play, never expect to win...so play small...if you lose, you lose just a little. Use the deposit bonuses to play a little bit longer. The chance of winning is smaller than the chance of losing.
Reality is casino's are also companies that make profits. Keep that in mind.
There's no strategy for winning, it's all about luck! gambling is never 50/50 chance.
If gambling destroying your finance it's a matter of time it will destroy your social life. Quit as soon as you can.

very good points by all.  Just the fact that you are asking the question (as mentioned by Johhny) is a CLEAR AND DEFINATE indicator that you  do have a problem.....cold turkey is the way to go if you can handle it,  close all your accounts, get rid of any possible way to make a deposit, and let the casinos KNOW you are closing because you have a gambling problem....i have personally been there and done that and it is very similar to kicking a bad coke habit.

great suggestions guys- i too have been there  gl

As there are so many casinos out there, it's really easy for you to rejoin the treadmill. And even if it doesnt solve the problem in its core, accessibility is one of the main factors of getting addicted. So software solutions like http://www.betfilter.com/ might also be a good advice, as they cannot be removed and block any gambling associated website, I think even LCB. And it doesnt cost much more than 1 or 2 gambling sessions.

It's a very fine line, at least you have recognized it as maybe being an issue. Great points were made and good luck.

thank you all for these comments, suggestions and advises. i've been extending my work time so that when i go back home i'll just sleep. though, come weekends, i get really bored and go back into playing. right now, i do pay all my bills on time and just play with the spare cash. but i just think that it's becoming a habit that i think i should may be take a break. i still enjoy playing but may be i should try other things for now.

leave your house often, visit your family and friends, go out! You'll realize there are other things you can do to relax. Online casino does relaxing but in the end, it's frustrating when you lose and definately you'll feeling down and regrets.

I bet every gambler has been there (for some probably still there). It's not healthy to play online too much. Set your boundries to begin with.
I know it's hard to quit. If your needs to gamble coming up, say to yourself what you might lose if you play...say it over and over and over again...if you can, say it outloud! It helps!

Gambling is just like other risky activities, in that when done in small amounts, for enjoyment, there's nothing too terrible about this. However, like other bad habits, it becomes harmful when a person becomes addicted and the economic impact of gambling craving exacts a heavy toll. Article resource: LINK REMOVED

No advertising on LCB.  Do it again and you're banned. 

I ventured into online gambling back in about 2005 on a semi-regular basis but all it took was one or two really big wins to create that "rush" which hooked me and kept me going back for more.  I gambled thousands upon thousands over the next 8 years and this past July...it all came crashing down.  I was one of those who was chasing losses...couldn't get gambling out of my head and it literally took control of my life.  I was forced to quit "cold-turkey" at that time, self-excluding myself from all casinos I had ever deposited with and closed the bank account I had been using for deposits.  It nearly destroyed my life, my finances, my marriage.  I have not gambled online since July and it is the BEST feeling ever!  I have control of my life again and the heavy burden on my shoulders has been lifted.  I still get the urge to gamble from time to time and the only way I will do that now is to visit a land based casino WITH my husband which is about an hour away from home...maybe once a month.  That satisfies any urge/craving I may get and I stick to an agreed upon budget so that win or lose...I don't feel guilty that I spent money not intended for "entertainment".  Others have given you very good advice.  I tried many times to walk away, uninstall casino software...gamblers anon...but I didn't have the strength to stay away until recently.  I HAD to go cold turkey, that is what worked for me...so, the fact that you are asking now, is a call for help and I hope that you won't let it go as far as I did....stop, uninstall software, self-exclude, stay away from your computer/device for awhile and take up another hobby.  I did...and I have never felt more "in control" of my life!  BEST wishes to you and anyone else who is struggling with this.  It IS a tough addiction to let go of.

Thanks for the story hymacaw.  Good to hear that things are going better.  Don't want to be critical, but be careful of the land based visits also.  I understand you said its a ways away, and you go with the husband so that's kind of the control feature on it, but remember just like when it comes to online and someone will do anything to deposit money it can also happen with the land based.  Just be careful, you don't want  all of a sudden start going multiple times a week.  Its like a crack addict,(im not saying your a crack addict ) but a its tough to be a crack addict only on the weekends.  Once we make an exception for one time then we find excuses to make exceptions for other times. 

But again, Great Story and great work!

Hymacaw, congrats to you! It's hard to go cold turkey but sometimes it's the only option we have, hope you continue on your path!

BMW...Thank you for the wise words of advice...believe me, I know all too well the risk associated with an occasional visit to the casino, BUT, the fear of losing my husband and the life as I know it...keeps me at bay now that he knows the true magnitude of what my online gambling was.  HE is what keeps me in check now and I appreciate that more than anything.  He cared enough and loves me enough...to give me a 2nd chance and I won't let him down.  I felt like I was cheating on him the past 6 or 7 years, even though it was "just gambling", it took money away from HIM, not just us....and the look of hurt and disappointment in his eyes when the truth finally came out was enough for me to never, ever venture down this dark path again.  I have taken up some additional hobbies as well as limit the time I spend on my computer and that alone takes the "I'm bored so lets gamble" feeling completely away!  "I feel good"....as the song goes

good for you hymacaw, and well done on keeping away from online casinos.

I have to add that in case you find LCB too tempting to start gambling again you can always PM me to be excluded from our forum as well.

Naturally we would hate to lose you as a valuable and long standing member of our community. However gambling problem is what we take very seriously and I would not want to see you go down that road again.

What ever you decide we are here for you.

cheers
Zuga

thanks for the story and the advice hymacaw. since i posted this, i started to limit my betting as well. it became 2x/wk, then once and now i haven't made any deposit. i made myself busy at work and played  sports. i'm still here at lcb checking updates. may be i'll play again in the coming months.

Gambling is suppose to be fun. We all know that the house ALWAYS wins. Only a handful of players is being able to stay ahead or break even and only if they are "advantage players" or if very skillful at poker and sometimes at sports.

But vast majority of players is and always will be down. So we all need to recognize once our gambling stops to be fun and becomes something else ( like chasing our losses etc ).

So kudos to you hymacaw and luckiestgambler and stay strong! 

Gambling addiction can be a very easy trap to fall into especially for the thrill factor it gives us all. But  i think its more than just thrills and that is what helps to create the addiction. When you are gambling you forget about all your problems and it seems like the perfect escape for some and that is where the problems begin.

Whether you play online or at a land based casino you can be thoroughly entertained and doesn't require a partner or friend to go with you. When you walk into a land based casino everyone is accepted (providing your of legal age) and it doesn't matter where you come from, how your dressed or who you are, everyone is accepted and off in their own world of entertainment, just you vs the machine.

Sometimes when i go to the local casino i see sooooooooo many retired folks there. They are like the perfect targets because they are limited to what they can do and it requires little physical exertion other than walking from one machine to the next and sitting down. It beats the day to day boredom and all the while it is draining their life savings.

Some are more predisposition to gambling addiction as research shows that is a strong link to genetics. For others life is great and there is no rhyme nor reason to the addiction other than the endorphin's go off like a high that is like no other or simply greed after getting bit by the "big win" bug and the gambler thinks they are invincible.

It is easy to get sucked in if your not conscientious and set limits. No matter what is going on in your life - escaping from stress, loneliness, boredom or chasing the losses, in the end you'll be in worse shape than when you started.

Gambling should be fun and when it becomes stressful it is time to back off. It is easy to fall into temptation but remember you are stronger and wiser and the best way to beat any casino house is to use moderation.

Thanks for sharing your candid stories and remember we are all in it to win it........and winning doesn't mean hitting that big jackpot, its walking away after you win and not giving it all back and sticking to your limits.

Lips