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7 Years - 26Feb2003 - 09-03-2010
My name is Steve and I'm a compulsive gambler. My last bet was 26/02/2003.
7 years after attending my first GA meeting in Nottingham i am still going strong. However i could be stronger!!
for the first 3-4 years of GA meetings i was regularly attending and involved in the meetings - i was the group secretary for about 2 years. But as my family life & career improved i found my time was becoming more precious and my attendance to GA meetings has dramatically reduced. I have probably only been to 3 meetings in the last 18 months which is not a good advert for any other compulsive gambler. I was always banging on at meetings that people should get to their meetings regularly (especially the newer members) as meetings make it! Now i feel like a bit of a hippocrite. A reason for the drop in meetings has mainly been due to 2 factors
1. the birth of my first child 17 months ago which is very time consuming
2. taking on a new job 2 years ago which requires a lot of travel and nights away in the UK.
Going forward i cannot see me attending as regularly as i did in the past but i definately need to start going to more meetings as i am only 1 step away from my next bet even though i have been clean for 7 years. What i need to do is try different meetings when i am working away.
Although i do not attend many meetings i still have many key barriers in place which have helped me refrain from gambling even though its in your face 24/7. My wife still looks after the finances and i try to keep as far away from gambling as possible (e.g. don't read the odds in the paper for football/horses/dogs etc and don't watch gambling on tv (poker / horse racing etc).
I have tried to leave a honest assessment as to where i am 7 years after admitting that gambling had beat me and would appreaciate any comments.
my name is Steve and i'm a compulsive gambler
Re: 7 Years - Guest - 10-03-2010
Hi Steve
Congrats on 7 years. Hope I can make it too...6 years to go.
Just a thought,with all the travelling you are doing, why not attend meetings in the places where your work takes you? Variety is good for you.
Although you are taking precautions, I feel nothing beats a GA meeting to makes us more aware that we have a problem, and as you say be always on our guard.
Best wishes
Roy