Why This Time Was Different: How I Finally Quit Gambling for Good

I have tried quitting gambling many times before, but it never seemed to work. Was I lacking willpower? Was I unlucky? Or was it simply too hard?

In this post, I want to share why this time was different - why I finally managed to quit gambling for good.

The First Attempts

My first few times trying to quit were always the same. I’d stop after losing money, feeling ashamed and angry with myself for wasting what could have been used for something better. I never really understood why I was gambling in the first place. I just knew I wanted to stop.

I never reached out for help or told anyone I had a problem. I didn’t see it as an addiction yet. I would quit for a short while, sometimes even months - but I always came back, and every time, it got worse.

I saw what gambling was doing to other people. I knew the risks. Yet, I still kept returning to it, convincing myself I had control.

Realising It Was an Addiction

Eventually, I told myself, “Ah, now I understand. It’s addiction. It’s time to really quit.”

But even then, I failed again. I finally accepted that I was addicted, I saw the damage it was doing to my life and I still continued. That’s when I realised that simply knowing you have a problem isn’t enough to stop it.

Every time I quit, I would try something new. I’d register on GAMSTOP, set gambling limits on my bank cards, even block gambling transactions completely. But none of it worked for long. I always found a way around it.

I kept asking myself the same question: Why can’t I quit?

The Last Bet

After my last bet, after losing yet another loan - I told myself it was time to stop again. I didn’t know then that this time would be forever. Deep down, a part of me still thought, “Until we meet again.”

But this time, something truly changed. I decided to seek help. I reached out to Gambling Services and started talking to a therapist. Even though I didn’t go through with CBT therapy, those early conversations helped me start asking the right questions.

Why did I fail so many times? What triggers me? What am I trying to escape?

It was then that I understood the truth, all those times I returned to gambling, I wasn’t chasing money or wins. I was running away from life’s problems. Gambling had become my escape from stress, boredom, and emotions I didn’t want to face.

Building My Wall

In the past, I quit gambling but never worked on the reasons that made me gamble. I didn’t build anything to protect myself when those urges came back.

This time, I decided to build a wall around me, one strong enough to keep the triggers out. I joined the gym, started enjoying my hobbies again, and began reading and learning new things. I made myself busy in the best way possible.

My escape mechanism became healthy habits - gym, fishing, even a simple walk. Every time I felt stressed, I dealt with it. Every time I had a trigger, I wrote it down and faced it.

Slowly, I built that wall thicker and stronger. Over time, nothing could break it - not stress, not boredom, not life’s problems. I finally understood that real strength isn’t in avoiding the urge, but in creating a life where that urge no longer fits.

My Advice to Anyone Struggling

If you keep trying to quit and failing, don’t give up. Get help, even if you think you can handle it on your own. Talk to someone. Ask yourself the deep questions and be honest with the answers.

Build your wall one brick at a time. Take every possible step to protect yourself, from blocks and bans to new habits and people who support you. You don’t need to do it all at once, but you do need to start.

The Hardest Part

The hardest part for me wasn’t quitting itself - it was accepting reality. Accepting the financial mess I was in, the time I had wasted, and the people I had hurt.

But once I accepted it, I felt peace for the first time in years. That peace was worth more than any win I ever had. Going for a walk, feeling the sunshine, taking a deep breath, and finally feeling free, that’s worth everything.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to take huge steps. Focus on small daily changes. Build your wall brick by brick, and one day you’ll realise nothing can knock it down.

Evolving With Me - no longer a gambler.

If you haven’t read it yet, I share the full story of how I quit for good here: How I Finally Stopped Gambling for Good.