Having played this game for over 20 years, I finally decided to quit gambling altogether. I can admit it was a problem which like many of us started small and then just got worse. And like many here, I dreamed of becoming a poker "pro" which is something I look back on now and cringe at. Now I want to help, I would like to share my experience so that perhaps I can help others who are struggling with a gambling addiction. I'm reaching out to see if anyone would like to discuss publicly or privately anything about their struggles or desire to want to quit. No shame, no guilt, just honest talk.

I'm almost 3 months gamble free, no cravings, no wanting to chase, just pure joy in my journey to not gamble again. My physical and mental health has improved enormously. For anyone who has thought about quitting or has quit, let's talk about how gambling (poker, sports, table games etc) can destroy your life.

Keep the journey up. x)

Thanks, I appreciate that!

Positive move, anyone whose relationship to gaming, betting or other activity is harming them would benefit greatly from discussing their particular challenge, it has to start somewhere. Best of luck going forward.

Definitely positive. I had really dark thoughts near the end and it was hard to see a way out, but I'm here to say that there is a way out,

is this the obligatory point where we set a line on how soon you will gamble again?

No need to set a line my friend. My mind is very clear on this decision. I read through some of the posts on here and it reminds me of when I first started playing and how gullible, ignorant and naive I was to the destruction that lay ahead of me as a result of poker/gambling. I can only hope that most don’t fall prey to it as well.

All the best!

o/u - 6 months.

I'll take the under. Three months is nothing, and the fact that he is revisiting this site after not having posted since 2013 is a bad sign.

OP, this is a poker forum, not a GA meeting.

"like many of us," "like many here": Stop projecting. There are plenty of professional players and winning hobbyists here. We are not all like you.

You say you want to share your experience (and then tell us almost nothing), but this is not the forum for that. Try https://gamblersanonymous.org/find-a-meeting/ or https://www.reddit.com/r/problemgambling/.

And if you haven't done so already, ban yourself from every online site and b&m casino/card room where you've ever gambled. Ban yourself from this site as well: https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/5...e-quot-204579/

There are plenty of threads on here that discuss poker/gambling addiction and plenty of threads discussing mental health issues that arise over gambling. This is a forum related to poker and this is my personal experiences surrounding poker. A lot of people don’t post this kind of stuff because of shame, guilt or ego but I believe it’s important to voice my experiences. You can dismiss it if you like, I really don’t care.

What is your biggest loss in terms of $?
and personal loss? (as a result of gambling)

you're right, you should share your story. I personally know gamblers that are not part of the poker world and it is devastating to see how they (mis)manage their finances and end up with life issues in addition to financial problems.

my piece of advice: make sure not to scroll the wrong places in 2+2 while you're in the process of rehab, if you look at poker sites or hands even out of 'simple curiosity', you might end up playing

I really try to not talk dollar amounts simply because one persons loss may sound like peanuts to another but they can both still suffer greatly despite the amount. As far as personal loss, my mental health suffered drastically. I was contemplating ending it all and since I’ve quit those intrusive thoughts no longer occupy my mind. My productivity at work also declined and I found myself taking days off way more often. I was in a deep hole financially and I couldn’t see a way out except by gambling which is so ass backwards because that’s the very reason why I was in that hole to begin with. I had tried different therapy sessions both online and in person and nothing helped. I felt lost and isolated because gambling addiction is so easy to hide. Once my mindset shifted and I truly decided I wanted to quit and it was at that point that things became much easier and the path became clearer.

And I agree what you said about not scrolling through threads but honestly I am so committed to quitting that I don’t suffer those urges to play anymore which is freeing in and of itself. I had tried to quit before but it didn’t last long and I was lying to myself because my mindset wasn’t made up. This time around I don’t have any urges because I feel like a normal person now who doesn’t feel enslaved ti the poker table. But thank you for pointing that out in case others on here are thinking of quitting as well.