21-03-2010, 10:01 AM
This will sound harsh, but it may well be that you're not ready to stop yet. With all addictions it is widely accepted that despite support and advice, only a real desire and a concrete decision to stop- often coupled with hitting 'rock bottom'- will work.
You say of meetings that:
' have always been worried about going to meetings as Ive always thought 'what can someone tell me that i dont already know?' 'How can someone telling me they've lost loads stop me? thats their business'
And that statement really tells a story- because if you really were ready to stop, wouldn't you do anything at all to make it happen? Even if you were 'worried' about going to a G.A. meeting, wouldn't you do it anyway- after all- what have you got to lose? An hour or two not spent in the bookies? You and your compulsion are already screwing up your life- a G.A. meeting certainly won't make it any worse.
Any G.A. member will tell you that listening to the experiences of those who have managed to stop are what spurs them on to do the same. In some meetings you may find members who have stopped for a few months, or a year, and in some for 10, 20 or 30 years. Why not take a couple of hours and listen to people who were in the same, or worse situations than you, and managed not only to stop, but to turn their lives around.
The solution is there, but only you can make the decision to find it.
You say of meetings that:
' have always been worried about going to meetings as Ive always thought 'what can someone tell me that i dont already know?' 'How can someone telling me they've lost loads stop me? thats their business'
And that statement really tells a story- because if you really were ready to stop, wouldn't you do anything at all to make it happen? Even if you were 'worried' about going to a G.A. meeting, wouldn't you do it anyway- after all- what have you got to lose? An hour or two not spent in the bookies? You and your compulsion are already screwing up your life- a G.A. meeting certainly won't make it any worse.
Any G.A. member will tell you that listening to the experiences of those who have managed to stop are what spurs them on to do the same. In some meetings you may find members who have stopped for a few months, or a year, and in some for 10, 20 or 30 years. Why not take a couple of hours and listen to people who were in the same, or worse situations than you, and managed not only to stop, but to turn their lives around.
The solution is there, but only you can make the decision to find it.