Weekend Addict - ANNOUNCEMENT - I'm going to stop

Former Member

Hi - I don't use this site very much (am not sure why cos it's a ruddy good site), however, I'm using this place on the Internet to say I'm stopping drugs! No-one here knows me, but I felt like I had to make an announcement somewhere! I'm certainly not telling my mum! :nervous:

Basically - I'm (or was) one of those weekend addicts. Absolutely fine through the week, no drink or anything, then on a Friday night £45 on some Coke, same again Sat and maybe an E and a lot of hash in between. By the end of the weekend your about £100-£150 down or due it out and for what??

I'm 25, in a lot of debt to the bank for a gambling habit, I still live with my parents too! I can't think of a better time to stop!

Wish me luck peeps and I'll let you's know how I get on. SHould hopefully not be too hard - however, I seem to lose all will power after a few beers!!

so it's :wave: to drugs - I enjoyed it while it lasted.

Former Member

Well good luck with it, it might be best to avoid the places you normally use drugs for a month or so, just to get yourself out of the habit.

Former Member

Cheers

Cheers! I think once the 1st weekend passes and it's out the road that should start the barrier!

I used to put thousands in fruit machines and stopped that so I know I have will power somewhere!

Thing is - why did I do all this stuff in the 1st place - total madness! All about growing up I suppose!

Former Member

Most people go through a bell curve though, their use goes up, peaks, the down side becomes too high so they ease off.

Others push further and either get addicted or have serious problems and then quit. Others arent so lucky.

Most recreational users do self regulate their use though.

As for why you did it, I dont know, though there is little point regreting it now, its not going to change anything.

Former Member

Good luck with the drugs mate.

I'm interested about how you got over your gambling addiction. My friend frequently uses fruit machines and visits the bookies regularly. I didn't realise how bad it had got until he told me his sister was paying for him to go to counselling to sort it out. I'm not a big gambler so don't understand that addiction but do you have any good advice I could pass on to him to help him out?

Former Member

Good luck mate, hope everything turns out good for ya

Former Member

good luck!

Teh_Gerbil

Good luck with it!

You can do it. :thumb:

Former Member

Ta

Cheers for the good wishes

Addicted7 - Basically mate - it got to the point that I was going on a night down the pub (even a club) and standing on the machine from the moment I got in til the moment I left. Blowing between £20 to £100 a night. If it was a weeknight I would not be able to walk past the arcades or a boozer for that matter without going in. It consumed my whole life. Weird thing was, I wasn't into horses/dogs etc - I even put £2 max on a football coupon but would happily play all day on the machines. Seemingly it's escapism! And it is I suppose - thing is though, I wasn't particulary unhappy - I had a good upbringing - a bit spolit perhaps but I acknowledge that - I'm from a council area so as you can imagine not overly spolit. I really do beleive an addiction is in your geans! I can remember from areally early age if my parents ever took me to the seaside, I'd not want to go on the rides I would drag my dad to the arcades so I could put a pound in. That was from the age of about 10!

Anyway - to answer your question - I simply stopped all of a sudden. The urge truly never go's away but on the 1st January 2003 I totally stopped. Once you build a barrier up - even after the 1st week, you then keep going and going. I had 1 minor blip for a few months last year but after January this year I done it again! And will never go back. You have to be ready I think. You also have to have a date you can work to. For example - don't just stop - keep playing a little while longer in the knowledge that you will be stopping. That way you can look forward to it and think of the benefits once your a non-gambler! Set a date like a birthday or new year - or just something significant. One thing I didn't do was go to GA or Gamcare, it may help others but I just done it off my own back.

I have an addictive personality - as per the drugs story - once I start I want more and more! My brother is the same.

I'm 25, still live with parents, am in 5 figure debt, have a decent job doing sales for a bank ironically, am a friendly chappy and popular, have loads of mates and don't do too bad with the ladies so I still have a wee bit going for me! Just a bit of a daft lad! I should mention while I was gambling I also put on about 4stone in weight (which I have now lost) and was treated for anxiety attacks (was on medication for 6 months).

So as long as I get over this 1 final problem I think I should be ready to call myself a fully fledged and responsible adult at the age of 25.

So time to find my next girlfriend and settle down now that I have all my youthful excesses out the road. I sure have learned the hard way - but sometimes thats the best way.

Sorry if I have bored you all to death with my story :crazyeyes

Former Member

No, mate, that's a touching and interesting story and you've come to the right place if you want people to listen and help you through this.

Thanks for the information on the gambling, sounds like a very similar situation to my friend. Interestingly when he went to his therapist (which his sister is paying for) he asked him alot of questions about his drug use so obviously there is some important connections.

All the best mate, and do come back to tell us how you're getting on.