It isn't mentioned here as an addiction but I think I have a gambling addiction. Not a big one, but it seems to be there nonetheless. The problem is scratchcards. I can spend my last money out my wallet to buy one then if I win I gamble all that money to buy another one then lose and feel gutted. I'm a student and don't earn much, but I still buy them. I always think well there's a 1 in 4 chance of winning and I think I may be that 1 and get one. I get excited scratching it off, thinking what I could win, then when I don't, I feel crushed. Yet I do it again and again, just because that could be the time I win. Not sure if it's an addiction but I recently blew £10 just to buy them in one go. I came away with just £7 winnings so I lost. It's a regular occurrence. I'm too young to have an addiction aren't I? I don't know.
Joey
No, you're not too young to have an addiction. I'm a terrible influence on you, Joey. You should steer clear of my blog. I can't believe I'm reading this after we spent Christmas Eve right here scratching tickets! Gambling is a losing proposition. I buy lottery tickets because I can afford to. I work fulltime, my house is paid off, no one depends on me for shelter or support. If you see a problem in yourself, fix it. Here is a link:
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/ (http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/)
Hugs, Devlyn
I enjoy it way too much. I'm doing about addiction in college at the moment and I just sit here thinking yep that's me. Thank you for the link. I'll check that out now.
Joey
I'm an alcoholic, Joey, so I understand addiction. Things that are meant to be fun or entertaining often take on an unhealthy obsession where more is better. Eventually, the fun destroys you. Keep yourself in check. We can be our own best friends, we can also be our own worst nghtmares. Hugs, Devlyn
If it interferes with your life then you can consider it pathological and might want to approach it as such. Nobody is too young for addiction. Have you tried substituting something else? I had a hell of a time quitting smoking and sometimes it helped to just keep myself busy in ways that were just as or more gratifying than smoking.
Actually I'm way out of my league here. If you try and can't stop gambling you should try to get some kind of professional help I should think. It being small-scale stuff is still serious if you have small-scale resources that you'd rather spend elsewhere.
I've tried to avoid the shops I get them in but where I work sells them and where I get ny lunch they're right next to the exit. I will try to keep myself busy with college and such.
I might look up if there's any support things in the UK.
Thanks for commenting though, both of you. I know exactly what you mean with the own worst nightmare thing Devlyn.
Joey
How are you doing with this, Joey?
Not great to be honest :/ I took some money out of my savings so that I could get some dinner as I had no money left in my current account and the money that I took out £10 I ended up spending half on scratchcards. I won £10 and rather than walking away I decided to blow it on some more and lost. Thank you for asking though.
Joey
It's the behaviour that is the problem, not necessarily the substance. Heroin, gambling, cutting, and drinkng are all addictions, all dangerous.
This is why we call it paper crack. I've seen some people really get carried away with money they can't afford to lose. Make sure to check out if the uk has a hotline for gambling issues due to the lottery. In the states, we do. I have one guy that every time he buys any, I tell him that's a pack of cigs or some gas. He's a habitual scratcher and he wins just often enough to stay hooked yet end up losing his money that he can't afford to.
You're both right. There's a website on the back of the scratch cards but I'm always too scared to do anything about it.
Joey