I must stop, today.

[smartie]

Im off to my meeting tonight to start over.

Excellent news...keep in touch...

For me the only time i fail to recover from this addiction is when i stop trying...

Keep going to meetings..

In unity

Smartie xxx

[BigDave]

Everything I need to learn about how to recover and stay off gambling is in GA meetings. Unfortunately, for me, in my first year of abstinence I had 'selective hearing'. If I had been working (with an income) I would have definitely gambled, luckily I wasn't and didn't break out. However, I was not taking on board everything....the tried and tested ways that have worked for thousands of men and women over the last 50 years. I still thought I could do things 'my way'. Even though, after 25 years of irresponsible gambling, I had proved that 'my way' didn't work. It wasn't until I held my hands up in surrender and took on board everything I was ignoring that things changed for me, and my recovery started.

Someone once asked me a question, which was "can you honestly say that you have done everything on pages 30/31 of the orange book?" Until I could safely say that I had, only then I could honestly say that I was putting in enough effort. The majority of GA members do not do half of what is suggested on these pages but expect the outcome to be the same as someone who does.

One of the most important questions that was asked me, which was at my first GA meeting, was "what are you prepared to do in order to stop gambling?". My answer was 'ANYTHING'. I cannot allow myself to forget that answer.

Big Dave (Eastcote/Uxbridge)

[smartie]

Cheers for your post Dave...

As always...in unity

Smartie xxx