With thanks to Patrick for sharing his story! You can follow Patrick on Instagram at @patchfoster and on Twitter @patrickfoster02. You can also find Patrick’s book here - linktr.ee/mightbite
@LADbible TV why don't you do a stream with some of the people on here who are having difficulty getting out of this addiction and some of us who have not gambled today. I'd happily join one if it helps others
May i make an ignorant suggestion that may help ??? . Can a person become a "Zombie Debtor" for 7 years and be free ??? . Just "vanish" by having no communication for that period ??? . Then it's just leaves friends to pay off ??? . Because when the problem is analysed deeper .... and explained ... not only is it an illness ... the person just helps "Spinning The Wheel" for the company to increase profits ??? . The debts were unsecured ??? . I remember the government "releasing the cap" allowing the shops to hit the high street ... advertise ... and maybe "raise the winnings" ??? . I'm no expert and will remove the comment if it offends !!!
I think people like this is what make gambling look bad. I ended up scratching a winner for life ticket and lost it to my family that wanted to protect me from the "easy money", but had no intentions of blowing it away. That's just what most people make out of it, a massive borrowing operation where there is no way of ever affording your betting, doubling down with a too big to lose mentality, of course, this will end in tragedy. Invest in your own financial know how and knowledge to be able to afford the bets you are making and you will never be a gambling addict again. Of course, easier said than done. Thanks for sharing buddy.
That is a very valid point it is advertised everywhere, corruption is involved... can the government profit in anyway from the gambling governing bodies?
@@roundbabyproductionskids have exposure to gambling and alcohol ads everywhere, every sport promotes them ect. 2 things that’ll destroy a life within months of an addiction taking hold. But the UK government are more concerned with banning sweet adverts on TV before 9pm. Something tells me an overweight child still going to have a brighter future than destroying their life as an alcoholic gambler… I think governments need to review a few policies!
Thank you for your honesty and bravery to say it as it is. I saw my Father lose absolutely everything through horse race gambling. A lesson I never forgot.
So much respect for this gentleman for coming out to speak about his problem. Everyone can relate to some part of his journey, I surely can. I hope he’s in a better place now.
Serious addiction, whether it be drinking, drugs, sex, gambling, or something else, completely warps peoples' values and behavior. Oftentimes, it makes people do bad things. But it is a sickness. What this man did was bad, but it does not make him an irredeemable person.@@RA-wp6th
@@RA-wp6th yeah thats what its like when you are a gambling addict, its the same as borrowing money off someone for drugs when you know you are never going to pay them back.
I'm 30 years into my gambling addiction, I've lost over £1.5million over my lifetime, I've been living a lie for the last 15 years and its hidden from everyone apart from my best friend and my Mrs. Everyone talks about drug addiction being the worst thing in the world but I think I could rival any drug addict with all the shit and mental health issues I have put and continue to put myself through on a weekly basis. My advice to anyone who reads this.....NEVER GAMBLE.
Yeah man I mean it is literally like a drug, the way it's carefully designed to stimulate the brain the most, giving you the highest amounts of dopamine as quick and effortlessly as possible, just like cocaine for example. If you think about it everything is a drug ranging from caffeine to heroin or even like social media, the only difference from a mental perspective is how big of a hit they give you which will mainly determine how easily you get sucked in
thank you for your comment and advice. I am a young person that has now started to gamble small amounts and I can tell that its becoming unhealthy for me. I will listen to you and will never ever touch that machines.
Gambling addiction and drug addiction are the same things, the only difference is you can't get overdosed on Gambling otherwise both gives the high called dopamine, For a drug addict started by chasing the buzz then he ends up trying to stop the pain, For a gambling addict he always chasing the buzz, there are other ways to release the dopamine like doing something good for someone, a charity for a start.
Have you ever heard of Gabor Mate? He wrote a book called "Realm of Hungry Ghosts" he explains the emotions that motivate addiction and how to identify the urges and allow them to pass, if you are interested well worth a read.
My manager at Costa Coffee in London used to work as a manager at a betting store, she said "from experience, the moment someone wins, is the moment he/she is going to lose everything"
Thats very true. You better wish you loose your money the first day you play or you will get hooked like me. I turned $20 to 360 the first day I ever stepped foot into the casino. I got hooked so bad that after i went home i couldnt sleep and kept thinking of how easy it is to make money. As soon as I woke up the next morning i went to the casino again and lost 1000. I kept gambling for close to 1.5 years and lost around $10,000 and i will graduate a year late because of my past addiction. I havent gambled in 6 years now and my financial situation is the best its ever been.
@@jum3aa439I had a similar experience. I won £1,000 off of the daily free spin last year on sky vegas, went off on a different casino, gambled £300-400 then won another £1000. So overall on that day I made £2000 off of nothing, cashed it all out then continued gambling ever since as a secret habit. I recently slowed down and came to the realisation that I won’t win anything big any day soon.
One of the bravest men ive ever seen. The courage it takes to detail your addiction and put yourself on display is the one hardest things to do! Praying he stays away forever
It’s so crazy how most of us who have a gambling addiction became hooked in a similar way. The whole transformation into a full fledged degenerate is almost textbook.
He came to my school to do a talk about a year ago, his story really inspired me as i didn’t know how severe a gambling addiction could get. He was very open and honest even when we had some uncomfortable questions
This man came to talk to my sixth form in 2019 and it’s stuck in my head ever since. Any time I think about placing any kind of bet, or I hear of any friend or a family member wanting to, I recount this man’s story and realise it’s never worth it. Inspiring. So glad he’s recovered
@@KJ-xm7jw Man I pray for you you got this. I'm also battling with it in this new year got hooked on it for 10 days now and I lost 640€. Feeling so shity I wasted part of my salary.
Every time his lips moved was a lie, just a made up video for clicks. You really believe he staked over £50 grand on Mite Bite in the Gold cup🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 If you're interested iv'e got a bridge to sell.
A lot of this is more relatable and familiar than I care to mention, so I’ll skip the details, but I recognise how difficult it must’ve been to admit to the extent of this problem, let alone share it all openly in an interview - Huge respect for facing it head on and coming out the other side. You will be helping so many by speaking out about your experience with gambling, and hopefully save others from going thru what you did. You are a braver man than most, and although you may have lost a lot during that time, you thankfully saved yourself somehow... and that takes true strength. Wishing you every happiness for the future 🙏🏼❤️💪🏼
Absolutely love this video. It's worse than a drug habit when it comes to financial. It's mental and financially abusing. I bet over 22k in 6 months and I at 34yo had 24k drained my bank. I called the US gambling help line and they banned me from every online casino apps. It saved me. I'm now happy and my family is happy
I'm glad to know that these casinos are taking responsibility for the damage that they are causing. It is some what your responsibility but casinos are leeches
Stopped gambling 2 months ago after gambling for the last 15 years, wasn't easy with the World Cup but I didn't have a bet and vow to never again. Saw I was neglecting my children, never had money for fun days out, clothes or even time for them. In just 2 months I've been on nice days out with my family and spend more time with my children, loving it, just wish I'd done this sooner, I'm 40 by the way.
At least you realized it before you ruined your relationships with your children. Now you just gotta make up for a bit of lost time. Good luck brother.
Thank you so much Patrick for sharing your story. It takes a lot of strength to admit this to the world. I came on TH-cam to seek help as I have an addictive personality. I quit drugs & alcohol but noticed that I now developed a gambling addiction. Patrick , thank you; 🙏!
God bless you Patrick. Thanks for sharing your story. I'm clean off of a seriously bad codiene addiction, now 2 and a half years clean, took me a long time to open up and I was living a double life with it, lying, borrowing, stealing. You're aren't alone
I’ve been a gambler my whole life not on his scale, but have lost a hell of lot of money through the years and I can say he is telling the truth on every level!… what a brave man to share his devastating self inflicted experience.
I was a top student, went to two of the best economics universities in London, but gambled my career away and hundreds of thousands of pounds. My parents said that the worst part of the gambling wasn't all the money I lost but it was the time that I wasted. I have now quit gambling for quite a while. What stopped me was what my mother told me and one day it sank in: "every second wasted is a second that you will never get back!" And we only have one life. Make the most of it. Need to fill it with amazing memories which cannot be gained through gambling. It is a horrible addiction because the addicted person thinks that nobody will understand or forgive.
So you're a "top student" who doesn't understand basic odds? Lmao typical for College students, honestly. You learned a bunch of nonsense but then think you can win at the casino. Absolutely zero street smarts of basic logical thinking. I wish you luck
@@SunnyByNoon Wonder who is the idiot. It was an addiction same as drugs. Money is just the means to get the adrenalin rush from gambling. But if you haven't had a gambling problem, then you won't understand as evidenced by your ignorant comment.
Thank you for having the courage to bring to light the horrible journey of what gambling addiction can do to a human being there are millions of people going through the addiction
I pissed away a fortune gambling and I still miss the adrenaline of the casino. After losing everything the only job I could find was washing dishes. So anytime I feel like placing a bet I go to my buddy’s restaurant and wash dishes
Chasing a rush and chasing a win when you are losing is dangerous.... The real winners have luck, bankroll management, and a nice source of income. Luck alone is only good enough for a very small portion.
i made a 20p bet 37 years ago winning £70 and been betting ever since Im a pennyless 52 year old with huge debts, i have banned myself from online and local bookies, but if im in an area where im not banned i could easily lose everything i have, i have a routine where i try not to carry money and cards out with me and i always have this urge to gamble, its affected every aspect of my life and ruined a great part of it. watching this video is like watching myself, its a horrible sub life that is so hard to get out of. my heart goes out to you.
Every gambler remembers the wins. I was the same. Got into online football gambling. Realised that I was dancing with the devil, and managed to stop. Personality is the same, but I spend the money on trinkets that I don't need. I'm almost 50, too. Mad?
It's amazing that you are willing to admit these things publicly. I guess it shows how committed you are to change. Your honesty is humbling. Think I need to start taking a closer look at myself. Thank you.
The crazy part is that gambling addiction seems so harmless at first because your so blind to everything around you that all your focused on is trying to win big or get your money back to get back on track not knowing that everything around you is falling apart little by little it starts to affect your mood your family and even your job. It’s a crazy world to live the gamblers life. At times I feel guilty because I put a couple people onto gambling and they are going through the same situation we are all going through. I have a very addictive personality I’ve been hooked on heavy drugs and other things in my life and trust me when I say Gambling is by FAR the worst addiction I could ever have. Stay strong guys hope you guys all see the light 💡 God Bless
There is also a massive difference between someone who does a lot of research and just has a knack for being able to predict the future and someone who is just low IQ idiot gambling
this is what i really dont understand from this addiction ?? like how do you not have the common sense that ur more likely not goin to win it back ..nd when u dont ..how do u still not have the comon sense that u STILL more likely wont .. idk its jus a weird addiction that i dnt understand
Patrick your making a real contribution by being so honest and taking responsibility. I wish you all the very best in managing your life from this point on.
I'm 10 weeks without a bet. Please God continue to give me strength. Edit: It's been 30 weeks! I can honestly tell you I haven't felt so good in life. If you are struggling with Gambling, please seek help, there's a much better and beautiful life out there! And thank you for your support! ❤
Massive credit to Patrick for his sheer honesty, sparing no detail. Recounting his story must never get easy and requires immense mental strength. Helping others to avoid his mistakes will hopefully provide him with inner peace and he can find forgiveness for himself, like those close to him have done. Extraordinary tale and one that underlines the need for stricter gambling adverts and access.
Thank you SO much for this!!! I felt every single word! I’m currently living in my parents basement at 35 with two kids after losing everything to gambling abd drug addiction but even when I was sober from drugs I still gambled. You always think if you use the little bit you have you can win more and make everything better but it very rarely happens
i feel you, also 30+ not able to leave the house because i cant keep a job (what's the point if u lose all the money), low esteem, loneliness, and basically just like binge eating ,you binge gamble to suppress the negative feelings
What a great interview. Very honest. He really knows where he went wrong and confronted his demons first hand with no excuses. We’ve all met the devil in someway in our lives, this guy has got through it.
So i guess my devil is my good friend lol. Bcs i am feel like i am addicted wanna keep playing with him in Overwatch 2 as Mercy and pocket him bcs he protect/save me as damage dealers
I know this guy from 10 years ago from when I was at school. He was often helping in the evenings in the house at the boarding school I was at. Lovely dude, I was only 12-13 so, of course, had no idea what he was going through. Remember we were both buzzing the morning after the Miracle at Medinah in the Ryder Cup. Looking back he'd probably just made a few quid off it hence why he was so happy. Crazy story, though, and good to see he seems to have a turned a corner.
Thanks mate for sharing your story, i've been doing gambling recently and now realize that i have to stop totally and try to solve all problems it caused one by one.
My dad was a gambling addict. It cost our family the family business of 3 generations back in 1985. It cost my dad his marriage. He lost the respect of his family and friends. It was tough to watch as a teen. This made me a conservative person financially and I don’t gamble. I’ve seen the catastrophic consequences.
Very sorry for your father's and your troubles. I have two young sons and I'm literally crying while i type this because I had the money for a new car and I lost it last night. I was way up... did I walk away though? No because no one crossed my mind that I'd affect. It's honestly embarrassing and I feel like I'm in a trance when it's going on. My friends tell me cash out come on man you're up... but I couldn't stop. At least that's how it felt. It's not physical pain, but it feels like it because how strong the urge is and it's legal which makes it accessible. I'm sincerely sorry for your father and I'm sorry myself to my own sons. I pray you can forgive him and he gets better. My dad died a few months ago and I think that is what got me back into it. Depression and just having no family to talk to. Sigh* God I want to never gamble again. I hope I never do.. I'm really going to try to be disgusted with it especially after watching this and reading your comment. Thank you for your candor
I literally had suicidal thoughts over it. Then I just looked in the mirror and I said... if you think losing that money is bad, the decision your contemplating is literally the most selfish and permanent act I could ever commit. So I'm here trying to get the strength of mind to stop.
Thank you for sharing such intimate details regarding a very unglamorous topic. There are so many young people traveling this pathway and one very dear to me. It's never too late to take control. Addiction breaks people and families. This young man's family were there to listen and support. Prayers for the ones who have no one to turn to, or assist with intervention.
I'm a gambler. I hate it and love it at the same time. The huge highs and ridiculous lows. I've lied and hurt, recovered and relapsed. I was 17 when I went into a bookies and won £500 on one spin and the rest is history. It will consume you. Never ever start. For the people around you but also for yourself and sanity. It will eat you from the inside. Really respect this guys openness. Anyone out there struggling. Tell someone. One step at a time.
Everything this man says resonates with me and 35 years it took me to break free from this addiction. In that time I was managing multiple debt lines, a job, a life full of deceit and lies and periods of homelessness. Lost my parents who never got to see me clean and whose lives I also destroyed. Whilst I no longer gamble this never leaves me and so much I could write about the consequences of gambling addiction.
@@SosoLobi777 Yes thank you Soso. One of the reasons I comment on these videos is that I think its very important that whether a person is an addict or a friend or family member of an addict, they are not alone. Far too many people go through these experiences, and I believe it's important that we share our stories.
im in the same problem, hurting my parents and ppl who care about me, Im aware of everything but this desire of adrenalin hit is bigger then life it seems. Aware of everything but cannot get away of it.
@@lawrencetrent3898 No, for years I had about 10-15 lines of debt I had to juggle every month. Half of which were payday loans. I personally think I almost became addicted to survival as well as gambling - which i know sounds a bit weird but my life was really just about surviving to gamble.
Thank you Patrick for sharing your story. I have my own to tell. 45 years of it, and who knows how much money. Now just over 4 years clean. And 33 years free of alcohol.
I have watched many gambling addiction TH-cam video's. but this is the one without any bells and whistles and he is totally honest. I really really really want to wish him the best . Same time, watching his video, I am beyond confident that he can come out from this and live wonderful life again. There is no doubt.
I can relate Patrick! I broke a lot of bridges, lost huge amounts of money and did unthinkable things to get for my 'next spin'!!! Outside one of the bookies, a guy used to sleep outside when it closed and when back in when it opened. I asked him if he is ok? He said I sleep here because all my money, my house and everything went in to those machines! Lockdown forced me to stop and I have never gone back since! No one in the shops will stop or educate you! More needs to be done to stop more people destroying their lives!
I got hooked on fruit machines. No longer live in the UK, and where I am, they don't exist (as far as I am aware). When I have been back in the UK, there have been times when I have been in a pub and had a go on them. Wasted my best mate's stag do playing half the night on them. Thankfully I ended the night about even. But needed a last-minute double jackpot to prevent me having almost no cash for the evening! And still I carried on in one of the next pubs we went to. And a few years prior to that, I basically messed my life up on these things. Thankfully, apart from these occasional lapses, I have largely been off them for several years. I buy the odd lotto ticket or scratch card, and sometimes put a bet on here and there, but largely no longer gamble. But in general I could control that type of gambling. But the fruit machines were so addictive for me. And the crazy thing is you couldn't win any life changing amounts of money. The best you can really do is change your day or week! But can easily throw your life away on them!
there is a book about him called Might Bite where he explains everything from his debut in cricket to where he ended, being once a gambling addict, I read it and really helped me!
@@Greylobster that's very smart. Here in the Seattle area Washington State, there is a casino roughly every 15-20 miles. Currently I banned myself from the closest Five. I've never missed a bill in my entire life but I hate being so close to them where I can just go in for an hour or less and then lose control and walk out a loser. Now if I drive 60 miles to the closest one and get myself in trouble I was asking for it.
This hits me right to my core. As a recovering addict of gambling and having my life turned upside down due to my actions I relate so much. I don’t knock people having a small gamble here and there but for some like myself you begin to chase that buzz of the wins, whilst gambling away I didn’t realise how much I was hurting the people that I loved. Family, friends and even my girlfriend. I’ve recently started getting help talking to professionals via phone calls, live chats on sites or even talking with other former addicts. It was very hard for me to commit to making that first step just out of pure embarrassment but I came to realise that people are there to help, they’re strangers and 9 times out of 10 have been in the same position. Addiction to whatever it may be is hard to try and resolve don’t get me wrong. I’m still trying to change and hope to fully reform and get my life back on track. It takes time and a lot of trial and error. I was always told this saying by multiple people and always shrugged it off, it goes “the only one that ends up winning is the bookies” and that I came to realise the hard was very true. Don’t be ashamed to be addicted, it’s a mental condition. I can’t stress enough for people to get help, doesn’t have to be professional it can be talking to mates or whoever you want. Don’t bottle it up and hold it to yourself. Gambling is the devils work. You never win in the end, you lose a lot more than just money, I lost my girlfriend and it hurts me that I let her down everyday. If anyone would want to talk with me about their struggles don’t hesitate, I will try my best to help you any way I can. ❤️
This is an excellent comment,should be near the top. You're right there's no shame in seeking help I don't know why people have a stigma about this. If you feel you have a problem then talk to someone, anyone doesn't even have to be a professional.
Sign up to gamstop mate, and speak to your GP about CBT and addiction therapy. Get some hobbies, I started painting art... I had a 18hr a day casino habit... clean for about 8 years with 3 or 4 relapses
Massive respect to you mate! It’s definitely a silent killer! Problem gamblers often always keep it silent and bottle up all the emotions! It’s a crippling addiction and like you say it’s not always just the affects it has in the gambler themselves…it can ruin friendships, relationships, all sorts! If you’re somebody reading that comment or mine! Honestly trust me when I say that talking to people truly does help! the world may feel like it’s caving in on you sometimes but a problem shared is a problem halved!😁 Also people really do care and want to help 99% of the time! The pain and suffering from it doesn’t last forever and you can change your lives by acting out !👊🏻❤️
Can relate to everything he said. So sad that something you enjoy turns into a nightmare. I’m in the process of recovering from gambling and it’s not easy. 🙏🏻
I'm 19 and have lost over 5k gambling, I know it seems so little compared to this man but its genuinely effecting me, I can easily stop drinking and smoking but gambling is just different. I'm trying to get myself back together and I hope I can come back to this comment in a year knowing I have fixed this problem.
You are young still, and with a enitre life in front of you, i am in the same situation but i 22 years old, and I lost almost 2000, the best way to stop gammbling its sawing videos like this, and understand that always its someone in worst situation that us, and putting in your head that that money is lost, period, and dont try to recovered in gambling. I inicially lost like 1000, and I always was thinking that i can recovered in the same way, gambling, but now I lost 1000 more trying to recovered the initial ones. I so sad, but I know that if try again I only gonna lost more. Its so sad, really. Hay una frase en español que dice: "la mejor apuesta es la que no se hace". Regards from Mexico
When he said "500 pounds became 34k" I thought to myself that I would have retired from gambling right then and there Truly one of the most destructive addictions you can have.
A lot of people get lucky in beginning and gets hooked. That's how it it for lots of folks I've seen. Some lost millions and some professionals lost billions. The saying "don't gamble what you can't afford to lose"...never really stick until it's too late :(
@@BDAILY365 I'm glad I had someone to instill that in me, honestly. I enjoy poker and blackjack, and when my dad saw that he told me I'll be okay as long as I never expect to walk away with any money I walked in with. To this day I go to the low-stakes tables about once a month, and that's it.
@@staidenofanarchy yep, Even professional poker players all eventually ventured out to other businesses because they all lose in the end. Lots of them do drugs and drink and that also eventually break down. Now we got stocks and cryptos and that is also making lots of people bankrupt. It's just one thing or another. just got to learn to stay away from anything that starts to get addictive!
No you wouldn't have stopped. Because that exact moment when 500 turns into 34'000 is when your brain is flooded with such a rush that it creates a memory you'll chase forever. Winning this big is literally the worst thing that could happen to a person prone to gambling addiction. It's like shooting up heroin. Once you feel that rush.. you'll never forget. That's the problem.. you can't get the high and then stop. It's too late by then. You already know. And the brain doesn't forget experiences that intense.
As someone who was brought up by a parent who gambled (casino), I can totally connect with your account. It is very tough on the gambler. But the wrecking of the lives of those around the gambler is also tremendous, particularly to chidlren. Myself and my siblings suffered tremendously. As I always say, the worse part of living with a gambler is not the money, but the character destruction that comes with it, where the gambler creates his/her own fantasy world which is very tough to understand and deal with. I've had to work hard to heal from the emotional trauma caused by being brought up by an addict. But gamblers and those around them can heal with will and the right support. Well done for having the strength to mend your way and also for telling your story so candidly and educating others about the terrible life gambling brings.
I understand the pain Patrick went through.. it is horrible. I started gambling and I now had myself banned from Casinos and online gambling.. which helped me and i no longer gamble.
In my experience, a gambling 'win' is the psychological equivalent to 'being the Chosen One'. That is, you feel (in the winning moment) that life has selected YOU - specially and specifically; that you are valued and validated; that you are worthy, and you are seen. Little wonder then, that the pursuit of said experiences is addictive - because we all want so deeply to be loved, acknowledged and valued.
Excellent analysis. If people didn't have a need to be loved, acknowledged, and valued by others they wouldn't do these things. The question then becomes, how can we love, acknowledge, and value ourselves?
Very true. I had a couple insane sports gambling runs betting $2000 a game that nobody believes how good I did at the time even when I show them receipts. I was accused of photoshopping the images.... So I guess I really was, the ''chosen one'''
I delt with a bad gambling addiction for around twenty years, I once put my last amount of money on two $1500 bets on two bookies races, figuring they would bust and I had returned to being broke. Both bets came in and I won $34000. The next day I lost the entire amount in an hour, some would question why or how someone could do something so reckless, but for me over time gambling just became a form of self sabotage, it can psychologically wear you down, over time, the constant pain of financial losses and misery become an addiction in itself, it becomes self torment. I believe gamblers with ptsd suffer the worst as it becomes a form of self sabotage similar to people with bad drug addictions. People with really bad addictions are often broken people with issues they never resolved. I'm currently totally committed to resolving my gambling addiction, as I have a distaine for the harm it's caused me and the impact it has on the community which I believe is not a positive one.
Yes, I also was sterile to the negativity over time, it would always be hurtful though one becomes void of emotion, I currently have opted to move on from the habit, I am non-bias to those who chose the lifestyle, though it had proved a negative experience for me due to my addictive personality and my ptsd causing me to approach it poorly and without a rational approach. It was an interesting segment you had presented here. Cheers.
Just wanted to share my story as well because it might feel someone feel better. I’ve been an on and off gambler for years but last couple weeks I got my hands on the online casino and have lost over 7000 every time thinking I will recover the money and when I get close I go on a losing streak. Worst part is I can’t stop myself. I really needed that money to pay for bills and school and I’ve cried a few times 😢 my advice don’t ever gamble it is the start of something very dark you will lose your entire life
I kow what you mean bro. I lost a cool 5k really needed that money. I just remind myself the house always win. I will never gamble again…time and money wasted.
This is exactly my current situation, I have tried as much as I can to stop, but the more I try the more I get into it, it's ruining my life and my mental health
I had lost 1.6k and stopped for a year. Two days ago I played for two days and got 1680 and was like I'm done playing , I got my money back, next day I lost 1.180 So I just got left with 500. Plain stupid ain't I? Never gamble guys, I feel so disgusted about myself and this feeling I've got right now is awful. ( I know the amount ain't big like other ones but it's still money lost) I wish I never played in the first place.
I'm so sorry to hear this story. Hopefully you will recover soon and being in a better situation than before. The great thing about you is that you aren't afraid to criticize yourself.
For anyone that is struggling with a gambling addiction: The addiction is usually a symptom from a deeper problem inside you. May it be loneliness, bad self image or lack of self love which it all ties down to. We often times feel we cant be happy or love ourselves until we have sorted this problem but that is actually one of the reasons holding you back. We must be more compassionate to ourselves, in this moment. A future you who does not gamble does not exist. There is only this moment and you must be present in it to understand that this moment is all there ever will be. Peace and love to all of you!
What crap. The addiction is a compulsive disorder. Everyone has something wrong, look at all the fat people. It takes real work, not just accepting that "there's only this moment".
@Winifred You missed my point my friend. I was an addict for some 4 years with major depression, shame and negative self image. All I could think about was getting rid of the addiction so I was constantly fixated on a imagined future reality where I am free from gambling. Only after achieving that reality could life truly begin. Only then could I love and accept myself. This disconnection with the compssion for myself was keeping me locked in a cycle of fighting urges for a while and then having a massive relapse. I managed to stay clear for a couple months but nothing really changed. I was still feeling depressed. Then I relapsed again and only then did I change how I went about dealing with this addiction. For the first time I accepted myself how I was in that moment, wanting to change nothing. This ultimately led me to learn compassion for myself and the love inside me has grown so strong I naturally dont want to gamble anymore. I dont have to do anything anymore because letting go of the addiction comes naturally without effort. Hope this clarifies something and hope you had the patience to read it :)
I've worked in the Casino industry for about 6 years now. I've seen people like Patrick every single day. It's sad to hear their stories and how gambling took a toll in their life. I've seen people lose families, lose their house, businesses, assets, etc. I will try to convince them to seek help and that there is a helpline if they feel they can't control themselves. But ultimately it's up to the individual to make the first move. Being in the casino industry myself, I can see why people can get additive. It is like a drug. And the industry will exploit that. In the end of the day, its profit over people. Casinos will never go out of business as there will always be someone willing to make a bet.
Gambling fucked up my life. All started from a 33-1 win at Cheltenham festival one year ,and never bet before either. It turned me into a zombie in my own apocalypse, turned down so many opportunities to go out ,go places because the money I had was for gambling. It consumed my whole life, racked up so much debt,which i still deal with. My advice to someone who has never placed a bet just don't do it. You may be able to control it,but you may also not control it. Winning is a drug, something released in the brain that can totally change who you are.
I totally get this! It is like a rush ! Always looking for the next big money rush. I got into scratch cards and got really addicted. I felt stupid and felt my addiction wasn't valid. I've now been 5 years clean from scratch cards. They are a form of gambling. It's dangerous!
Your stories are truly life-changing. I've played roulette for years, but I've never considered it from your perspective-being spontaneous and playing based on a feeling of luck. In my experience, you have to grind all day to make any money, and playing on the spur of the moment never seemed like a good idea. Its like working a 9 to 5 job
I'm also a problem gambler I've lost more than 300.000 dollar. I want to stop but it's hard. The online casinos never contacted me once to ask if I have a problem. Responsible Gambling they say? They don't care at all. I won 50k and didn't even buy something nice for myself and deposited it all back losing it all in a few hours. It was all about the thrills. I didn't do sports betting but roulette. It's a damn sickness.
I won more than $100k and lost most of it before my fiancée caught on and threatened to call off the wedding. It was extremely hard to overcome but then I started reading more into the industry, how it functions and the psychology behind it. Understanding that the "thrill" is essentially a drug called dopamine, where it doesn't matter if you lose $30k before winning back another $20k in your mind you have won $20k and that's all that matters, doesn't matter if the true numbers you are -$10k because you just won $20k. Once I understood all of that it's like a switch in my brain flicked the right way and I had zero interest in gambling. Sure, in theory if you are betting on sports you can have odds that exceed the probability but that's not guaranteed and unless you have unlimited money then you will probably destroy your mental health in the process. I know very few people can do it but It's not for me. I know gambling laws vary from country to country but where I live you have to have responsible gambling ads and they say "only gamble what you can afford to lose" but that is very vague, an addict could interpret that as spending 50% of their wage on living expenses and the other 50% on gambling. I wish that laws were required to talk about things like risk of ruin, the feeling of dopamine when you win a bet and the probability of the odds with the bookmaker overround (for example if team A and B are both paying $1.90 to win, the bookmaker is saying each team has a 50% chance of winning but for you to make money in the long run you would need to win 52.64% of the time) Education is key, if people knew all of this and didn't find out the hard way then there probably wouldn't be such a big issue with addicts and those people would be able to bet responsibly (if they even wanted to) And with that all said I did feel great shame at the time but after learning about everything I no longer felt ashamed because it's the way our brains are wired to work. If you know someone that's addicted do not try to shame them or make them feel guilty please try to help them understand this is why they are feeling like this and then hopefully they can re-wire their brain to overcome their addiction. And I married that woman and have 3 children with her
I was kinda in the same boat took me a while to stop but you gotta do it sooner than later try take up boxing / kick boxing something to take ur mind away from it each day it’ll get Easier
The worst part is bookmakers and casinos ban "winning" gamblers, And then run the whole Responsible Gambling but continue targeting and preying on the problem gambler to bleed them dry and ruin their lives. Terrible industry, But nothing will ever be done as they all pay big taxes to the government who look the other way.
Not accepting responsibility is also part of the reason why you have a gambling issue. It's not the Casinos fault for not checking in on you, it's up to you to determine when enough is enough. The fact that you won 50k after many losses, only to lose it all within the same day says it all. Also, your choice of game is poor. Roulette, keno, dice, slot machines, horse betting, etc. are all games that you should NOT even bother playing. If you want to actually make money stick to card games like Poker and Blackjack. OR just do yourself a favor and not play at all.
I was addicted and when I quit gambling my life changed for the better. I have so much more money now than I did back then because I used to gambled it all away. It was such a stressful time of my life.
My best friends brother is a gambling addict.. it’s so sad to see how much it affects my friend and her family. Before meeting her I never realised how gambling can be a real addiction just like alcohol and drugs.
I've unfortunately had drug addiction and gambling addiction and I can honestly say the gambling is the absolute devil. You can gamstop block yourself from different establishments but I can tell you you find a way unless someone looks after your money for you which is so downgrading. Its horrible
I have also gambled to near extinction. I had to change my life,county I lived in, and Environment. I didn’t get rock bottom due to my forward actions. This is a addictive act no different from drugs or alcohol ect. I applaud this gentleman for his openness.
I’m gambling for almost 12 years non stop everyday almost. I’m working so I can gamble and believe that I can settle all my debt problems. I have lost almost 100 thousand dollar and I’m just 32 my girlfriend left me I have no friend at all 😅. So after this video I hope everyone over here can pray for me . I promise I will stop gamble guys . Thanks for the video
Hey man you dont need to promise us anything, promise yourself for a better life you can defenetly get your life back and real friends a few people in every community have so you dont need to feel alone. I wish you the best and remember promises is always for yourself and one day at time cause no matter what we never know if tommorows comming.
Gambling ruined my life in best period (18-25), meantime i had 2 promising breaks but they ended on playing even worse. Now i'm finally clean for 1,5 year and learning to actually live.
My experience was the opposite.. Started gambling at 20 and was able to buy a house in full at 24 with no mortgage from gambling winnings on poker and sports... I realize my experience might literally b 0.1% of the people wo do gamble though.. I do think people mostly lose long term because they are dumb AF if i'm being honest.
To anyone who thinks they can't get over it, you can. I gambled for about 12 years, tormented every day by it, crying to myself to try and make myself stop. The worst moment was I sold my house and had about £10,000. Told my gf at the time it was money to get married. I gambled some of it and got it upto £15,000 - thinking I was invincible I carried on. I've never been through anything so hard in my life than having to tell the mother of my newborn child that I gambled it all away and had nothing left. I promised her I would never do that to her again, 6 years later and I have never gambled behind her back since. Sometimes we have a flutter somewhere together (maybe once every 6 months) and saying this nearly brings me to happy tears but I'm finally at a point where I don't think about gambling anymore. I have my life back. Whoever needs to hear it. Do this, you got it.
@@MC-nf3xs I never said in my post that I did fully abstain. Do you or have you ever had a gambling addiction? If so then you'd know how difficuilt it is going from spending everything you have on a daily basis to spending £10 on bingo once every 6 months. So weird that you're even commenting. What sort of low person takes any oppurtunity to shit on someone when they're trying to help others? Need to take a look at yourself fella
@@markxv2267 Not as an addict. It's like saying that a heroin addict just needs a really good hit to get over it. No matter how much I won I would still want to increase my bets and win more. The more you win the less buzz you get from winning at that level so it makes you want to increase bets. I was spinning £10 spins in the end, which when I think about that now is insane. every 2-3 seconds losing £10
This is a genuine story… I have a mate who is a gambler and at our social club they had two machines that would give decent payouts. One night I had too much to drink and put a fiver in and then we both put a tenner in etc. In the few hours playing I lost £50 then eventually won £50 back. I left the machine ‘even’, knowing that I’d put myself through the worst stress I’d felt in a long time. It was then I decided my gambling career was over in that first night. Never again
As a gambler i always say one of the worst things that can possibly happen is the first time someone gambles they win especially if they win pretty big
Happened to me these past 18 months. I won 250k in the stock makert and keyp chasing more for the high. Ended up losing everything and now I'm negative. It absolutely destroyed my mental health, finances and friendships. It's terrible
This happened to me. I won $7800 in my first 4 days NfL betting. Lost $30k+ in 1.5 years and definitely racked up a fuck ton of taxes that’ll make me wanna kill myself once I realize what deep shit im in. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
@@__-of3btsame I won 2 times on horse racing nice amount and thought to myself this is it then years later still chasing that high my wife left me 3 months ago and I'm in big debt with only my clothes on my back
Yep... I am up over 1 million in gambling lifetime, but I don't know if anybody could have even pulled off what I did back in the day.. I look at sports gambling forums today and nobody has a record close to what I had. I might have been number 1 in the world during 2014-2015. That's how much I was hitting
For people who are online gambling addicts out there, I would honestly say most of you would be surprised at how easy it becomes to avoid it once you place an online ban on yourself. I was obsessed - placing bets on South American games that were happening whilst I was asleep, bets on sports I knew nothing about…Thankfully I was young and didn’t have life savings etc, but once you get over the initial hump, it’s insane how free you feel. The hardest part is accepting that you lost - I was in the red by a big margin against the bookies and you always feel that urge for revenge but seriously, even if it takes you years to recover financially and it hits your pride, just accept that you won’t beat them. Even your mates who brag about their big wins are likely using those wins to fund their habit and flushing it down the drain, just take it as a life lesson and cut it at the source. Losing thousands in cash is better than losing friends and family, and one day you’ll recover
@@bobsmith3378 yeah I can imagine, but there’s so many scammers out there that 99% of people will just lose more money by falling for it. I know one person who’s made a significant profit, and that’s it, when the majority of my friends gamble
Did you manage to block yourself from all sites or 1 at a time? I've blocked myself from some and I move to the next down the road. Unfortunately found one where there is no blocking yourself. And it's the worst one. A cpl others I put temporary blocks and restrictions but then I still go back to them.
@@ianscreamsvideo in my country there is an option to exclude yourself from every casino both online and physical, and sportsbookies also both online and offline. becaue bookies are only allowed with a licence in here, it automatically blocks you for every belgian bookie that you can use.
That couldn’t of been easy for u that interview,, I can relate to a lot of what u were saying, maybe not the level,, the only thing u didn’t mention was the self hate ,,, worthlessnesses,,thanks for sharing your story👍
he's used to talking about it, hes come in to my school to give a talk about it and another commenter said the same so he clearly talks about it a lot, great story, inspiring
As a dormant Gambling addict I can tell you, This disease is horrendous, the worst thing that can happen to you when you first gamble is to win big... Or even worse be exposed to it as a kid. Both things happened to me, lost well over 1m dollars and also filed for bankruptcy... It's a terrible addiction... The silver lining for me is that it helped create a great work ethic to achieve higher access to funds... Life is better now, still gamble occasionally but not like the old days.. I will never forget the multiple times I hit rock bottom over the decades..
An addict is always an addict even if you stop for good, the problem is not the money, it's the self-control you can loos it anytime, it's like you are playing with the fire and saying it won't burn me or I have plenty of water around to deep my hand into,
This story hits home, hard. I’m in my late 20’s and having gambled since I was able to, it was always just a bit of fun, UNTIL YOU WIN BIG. I would always put footy bets on the weekend and the odd mid week until early 2021 I tried some roulette each time I was paid and had a strict budget which I actually stuck to. £100 each payday, once it was gone it was gone. One month, over the course of three days I turned that £100 into £26k at some points placing 4/5k a spin which looking back disgusts me. I withdrew the lot and within 36 hours I’d already deposited 9k back in… sure I enjoyed the money and cleared mine and my partners debts but because of that win I now had it in my head that I could do it again, each month the deposits got bigger and because of that my partner was left to cover bills that I should of paid which racked the debts back up. One payday on my way home from work after loosing my rent money I drove my motorbike at 90mph through a red light cross roads purposely in the hopes that someone would hit me, they didn’t thank god and I’m still here. After that I pulled over at the side of the road and cried to myself at the thought of leaving my partner and my daughter with no father. I went home and came clean to my mrs about everything, the full extent. My daughter and my mrs are the reason I am still alive today. I’m 8 months clean now. This man’s story really sunk in and I hope it helps someone somewhere either speak up or quit gambling. You are something to someone, don’t let the fear of talking to someone take that away…
what a loser, wanted to end your life because of your fault and leave everyone behind, selfish af and if someone did hit you, you'd end up killing them too.
Started betting recently, had a big win of about £140 from a tenner and I rlly felt it. I had to stop myself and remove myself completely from the situation and the apps because that feeling is so dangerous.
I'm somebody that doesn't have a gambling addiction, but I LOVE casinos and will infrequently visit, primarily as a profitable poker player, sometimes as a blackjack/baccarat player. I have limits and I think I'm careful, but I'm always extremely weary because it is tempting and it can be fun, in moderation. Hearing stories like this helps keep me on track. I appreciate anybody who shares these stories. I imagine it isn't easy at all. I'd also recommend keeping data and never lying, so talk to a friend/family member/partner, and be honest about it. It's OK to go out and spend similar gambling to what you would have spent in a club or over a dinner, assuming you have the money, obviously. Sometimes you even win, and that's great, but you'll be losing against the house long term, so keep an eye on it.
Great to witness such an honest, frank admission of gambling addiction. I had a colleague at a previous job who had a terrible gambling habit, and borrowed off everyone. Eventually I got so annoyed that I said "I bet you a tenner you can't stop for ten minutes without thinking about gambling." He replied, "I bet I can!." I ordered him to hand over the tenner right then and there, which he did. I explained that even without the money involved his mind was brainwashed to gamble, and he needed help. He suddenly saw what I was talking about, and did change his ways eventually. And, yes, I kept the tenner to reaffirm what I'd just explained to him!
I used to have a combination of cocaine and gambling, it was such a intense buzz it ruined 2 years of my life I would lose 4 grand in one day then I would get out of debt and start the cycle when ever I drink and do coke, now I'm back on track I don't even drink do drugs or gambling I'm so much happier
A very powerful video , unfortunately a lot of people don't understand that gambling is an addiction, I've been gambling for the last 40 years and would love to be able to recoup the money I've lost over the years , always chasing the big win to change my life knowing that deep inside I'll just up my stakes for a bigger win , to many adverts on tv that need to be STOPPED !!!!!
With thanks to Patrick for sharing his story! You can follow Patrick on Instagram at @patchfoster and on Twitter @patrickfoster02.
You can also find Patrick’s book here - linktr.ee/mightbite
Silly boy
@LADbible TV why don't you do a stream with some of the people on here who are having difficulty getting out of this addiction and some of us who have not gambled today. I'd happily join one if it helps others
May i make an ignorant suggestion that may help ???
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Can a person become a "Zombie Debtor" for 7 years and be free ???
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Just "vanish" by having no communication for that period ???
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Then it's just leaves friends to pay off ???
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Because when the problem is analysed deeper .... and explained ... not only is it an illness ... the person just helps "Spinning The Wheel" for the company to increase profits ???
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The debts were unsecured ???
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I remember the government "releasing the cap" allowing the shops to hit the high street ... advertise ... and maybe "raise the winnings" ???
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I'm no expert and will remove the comment if it offends !!!
I think people like this is what make gambling look bad. I ended up scratching a winner for life ticket and lost it to my family that wanted to protect me from the "easy money", but had no intentions of blowing it away. That's just what most people make out of it, a massive borrowing operation where there is no way of ever affording your betting, doubling down with a too big to lose mentality, of course, this will end in tragedy. Invest in your own financial know how and knowledge to be able to afford the bets you are making and you will never be a gambling addict again. Of course, easier said than done. Thanks for sharing buddy.
@@francois-pierregalarneau3434 , it is a lot easier said than done for most gamblers!
Ban gambling adverts, its like selling crack, then saying take responsibly and stop when the fun stops
@@markwolf9869 gambling is worse than drugs. If you want to ruin another country, legalize gambling.
That is a very valid point it is advertised everywhere, corruption is involved... can the government profit in anyway from the gambling governing bodies?
@@markwolf9869 I agree with you but it's the exposure that kids have to gambling through the ads.. it's out off control in Australia
I also think they should stop advertising gambling sites and the lottery.
@@roundbabyproductionskids have exposure to gambling and alcohol ads everywhere, every sport promotes them ect. 2 things that’ll destroy a life within months of an addiction taking hold. But the UK government are more concerned with banning sweet adverts on TV before 9pm. Something tells me an overweight child still going to have a brighter future than destroying their life as an alcoholic gambler… I think governments need to review a few policies!
Thank you for your honesty and bravery to say it as it is. I saw my Father lose absolutely everything through horse race gambling. A lesson I never forgot.
Ahhh my dad loved the horses. Went to the track with him all the time...while he was betting I was picking up on chicks. Screw the horses.
So much respect for this gentleman for coming out to speak about his problem. Everyone can relate to some part of his journey, I surely can. I hope he’s in a better place now.
He spent others money and didn’t pay it back.
I'm glad you have decent aural comprehension skills@@RA-wp6th
Serious addiction, whether it be drinking, drugs, sex, gambling, or something else, completely warps peoples' values and behavior. Oftentimes, it makes people do bad things. But it is a sickness. What this man did was bad, but it does not make him an irredeemable person.@@RA-wp6th
@@RA-wp6th yeah thats what its like when you are a gambling addict, its the same as borrowing money off someone for drugs when you know you are never going to pay them back.
I've done both, from today I'll be a better man
I'm 30 years into my gambling addiction, I've lost over £1.5million over my lifetime, I've been living a lie for the last 15 years and its hidden from everyone apart from my best friend and my Mrs. Everyone talks about drug addiction being the worst thing in the world but I think I could rival any drug addict with all the shit and mental health issues I have put and continue to put myself through on a weekly basis.
My advice to anyone who reads this.....NEVER GAMBLE.
Yeah man I mean it is literally like a drug, the way it's carefully designed to stimulate the brain the most, giving you the highest amounts of dopamine as quick and effortlessly as possible, just like cocaine for example. If you think about it everything is a drug ranging from caffeine to heroin or even like social media, the only difference from a mental perspective is how big of a hit they give you which will mainly determine how easily you get sucked in
thank you for your comment and advice. I am a young person that has now started to gamble small amounts and I can tell that its becoming unhealthy for me. I will listen to you and will never ever touch that machines.
Gambling addiction and drug addiction are the same things, the only difference is you can't get overdosed on Gambling otherwise both gives the high called dopamine, For a drug addict started by chasing the buzz then he ends up trying to stop the pain, For a gambling addict he always chasing the buzz, there are other ways to release the dopamine like doing something good for someone, a charity for a start.
Have you ever heard of Gabor Mate? He wrote a book called "Realm of Hungry Ghosts" he explains the emotions that motivate addiction and how to identify the urges and allow them to pass, if you are interested well worth a read.
I lost 130k on Tesla last year LOL
I didn't even realize I was gambling at first.
Tesla is a meme stock.
My manager at Costa Coffee in London used to work as a manager at a betting store, she said "from experience, the moment someone wins, is the moment he/she is going to lose everything"
That saying is so true!
Facts
Thats very true. You better wish you loose your money the first day you play or you will get hooked like me. I turned $20 to 360 the first day I ever stepped foot into the casino. I got hooked so bad that after i went home i couldnt sleep and kept thinking of how easy it is to make money. As soon as I woke up the next morning i went to the casino again and lost 1000. I kept gambling for close to 1.5 years and lost around $10,000 and i will graduate a year late because of my past addiction. I havent gambled in 6 years now and my financial situation is the best its ever been.
@@jum3aa439I had a similar experience. I won £1,000 off of the daily free spin last year on sky vegas, went off on a different casino, gambled £300-400 then won another £1000. So overall on that day I made £2000 off of nothing, cashed it all out then continued gambling ever since as a secret habit. I recently slowed down and came to the realisation that I won’t win anything big any day soon.
Why is betting more allowed in the UK compared to other countries?
One of the bravest men ive ever seen. The courage it takes to detail your addiction and put yourself on display is the one hardest things to do! Praying he stays away forever
Jesus….wasn’t expecting this to be interesting, but it was hugely enlightening. Chilling. Good luck mate.
He reveals how gambling addiction can get its claws into a person and take over then destroy their life. It’s a terrible addiction
It’s so crazy how most of us who have a gambling addiction became hooked in a similar way. The whole transformation into a full fledged degenerate is almost textbook.
The funny thing is you believe the story🤣🤣🤣 😅😅😅😅😅😅
@@dancingbrave7514 It is real. There are worse life stories than this. Some lose millions and commit suicide.
He came to my school to do a talk about a year ago, his story really inspired me as i didn’t know how severe a gambling addiction could get. He was very open and honest even when we had some uncomfortable questions
What did he get asked?
@@MaisyGregory mostly about his personal life now, about his wife and how she still married him even though she knew about his addiction
Have a punt lad.
Whack a fucking Acca on son
"The house always wins" very true words.
This man came to talk to my sixth form in 2019 and it’s stuck in my head ever since. Any time I think about placing any kind of bet, or I hear of any friend or a family member wanting to, I recount this man’s story and realise it’s never worth it. Inspiring. So glad he’s recovered
I am fighting it now. But it's not easy . I know someday I will be free from it.
@@KJ-xm7jw Man I pray for you you got this. I'm also battling with it in this new year got hooked on it for 10 days now and I lost 640€. Feeling so shity I wasted part of my salary.
Huge respect to this guy for telling his story and doing something so positive as a result of his awful experience of being out of control!
Every time his lips moved was a lie, just a made up video for clicks. You really believe he staked over £50 grand on Mite Bite in the Gold cup🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 If you're interested iv'e got a bridge to sell.
@@dancingbrave7514 how much
A lot of this is more relatable and familiar than I care to mention, so I’ll skip the details, but I recognise how difficult it must’ve been to admit to the extent of this problem, let alone share it all openly in an interview - Huge respect for facing it head on and coming out the other side. You will be helping so many by speaking out about your experience with gambling, and hopefully save others from going thru what you did.
You are a braver man than most, and although you may have lost a lot during that time, you thankfully saved yourself somehow... and that takes true strength.
Wishing you every happiness for the future 🙏🏼❤️💪🏼
Absolutely love this video. It's worse than a drug habit when it comes to financial. It's mental and financially abusing. I bet over 22k in 6 months and I at 34yo had 24k drained my bank. I called the US gambling help line and they banned me from every online casino apps. It saved me. I'm now happy and my family is happy
Please help me how can I contact them.i am also struggling
@@blessingmurozvi60591800bets off
I'm glad to know that these casinos are taking responsibility for the damage that they are causing. It is some what your responsibility but casinos are leeches
Stopped gambling 2 months ago after gambling for the last 15 years, wasn't easy with the World Cup but I didn't have a bet and vow to never again. Saw I was neglecting my children, never had money for fun days out, clothes or even time for them. In just 2 months I've been on nice days out with my family and spend more time with my children, loving it, just wish I'd done this sooner, I'm 40 by the way.
Well done family first we are only on a short journey so enjoy every day with your love ones
Good for you 🙂.
I tried playing Hold Em a few years ago, but I'm not good at math, so it really hurt my brain and it was exhausting.
Well done.
At least you realized it before you ruined your relationships with your children. Now you just gotta make up for a bit of lost time. Good luck brother.
Im exact same mate. Keep it up u neever truly win if your like me and this guy. Impulsive as fuck
Thank you so much Patrick for sharing your story. It takes a lot of strength to admit this to the world. I came on TH-cam to seek help as I have an addictive personality. I quit drugs & alcohol but noticed that I now developed a gambling addiction. Patrick , thank you; 🙏!
God bless you Patrick. Thanks for sharing your story. I'm clean off of a seriously bad codiene addiction, now 2 and a half years clean, took me a long time to open up and I was living a double life with it, lying, borrowing, stealing.
You're aren't alone
I’ve been a gambler my whole life not on his scale, but have lost a hell of lot of money through the years and I can say he is telling the truth on every level!… what a brave man to share his devastating self inflicted experience.
I was a top student, went to two of the best economics universities in London, but gambled my career away and hundreds of thousands of pounds. My parents said that the worst part of the gambling wasn't all the money I lost but it was the time that I wasted. I have now quit gambling for quite a while. What stopped me was what my mother told me and one day it sank in: "every second wasted is a second that you will never get back!" And we only have one life. Make the most of it. Need to fill it with amazing memories which cannot be gained through gambling. It is a horrible addiction because the addicted person thinks that nobody will understand or forgive.
A wasted life.
Same story like me mate 😢
So you're a "top student" who doesn't understand basic odds? Lmao typical for College students, honestly. You learned a bunch of nonsense but then think you can win at the casino. Absolutely zero street smarts of basic logical thinking. I wish you luck
@@SunnyByNoon Wonder who is the idiot. It was an addiction same as drugs. Money is just the means to get the adrenalin rush from gambling. But if you haven't had a gambling problem, then you won't understand as evidenced by your ignorant comment.
That's so sad man. Wish u the best.
Thank you for having the courage to bring to light the horrible journey of what gambling addiction can do to a human being there are millions of people going through the addiction
I pissed away a fortune gambling and I still miss the adrenaline of the casino. After losing everything the only job I could find was washing dishes. So anytime I feel like placing a bet I go to my buddy’s restaurant and wash dishes
shi, this is low key the same thing i'm dealing with
🙏🏽
Chasing a rush and chasing a win when you are losing is dangerous.... The real winners have luck, bankroll management, and a nice source of income. Luck alone is only good enough for a very small portion.
i made a 20p bet 37 years ago winning £70 and been betting ever since
Im a pennyless 52 year old with huge debts, i have banned myself from online and local bookies, but if im in an area where im not banned i could easily lose everything i have, i have a routine where i try not to carry money and cards out with me and i always have this urge to gamble, its affected every aspect of my life and ruined a great part of it.
watching this video is like watching myself, its a horrible sub life that is so hard to get out of.
my heart goes out to you.
Every gambler remembers the wins. I was the same. Got into online football gambling. Realised that I was dancing with the devil, and managed to stop. Personality is the same, but I spend the money on trinkets that I don't need. I'm almost 50, too. Mad?
It's amazing that you are willing to admit these things publicly. I guess it shows how committed you are to change. Your honesty is humbling. Think I need to start taking a closer look at myself. Thank you.
The crazy part is that gambling addiction seems so harmless at first because your so blind to everything around you that all your focused on is trying to win big or get your money back to get back on track not knowing that everything around you is falling apart little by little it starts to affect your mood your family and even your job. It’s a crazy world to live the gamblers life. At times I feel guilty because I put a couple people onto gambling and they are going through the same situation we are all going through. I have a very addictive personality I’ve been hooked on heavy drugs and other things in my life and trust me when I say Gambling is by FAR the worst addiction I could ever have. Stay strong guys hope you guys all see the light 💡 God Bless
There is also a massive difference between someone who does a lot of research and just has a knack for being able to predict the future and someone who is just low IQ idiot gambling
this is what i really dont understand from this addiction ?? like how do you not have the common sense that ur more likely not goin to win it back ..nd when u dont ..how do u still not have the comon sense that u STILL more likely wont .. idk its jus a weird addiction that i dnt understand
@@hoodiemike210 u won’t ever understand unless u been in that situation lil bruh
@@hoodiemike210 I have been 68k in the hole and won it back within 5 months.. I was up 155K before it happened though....
Thank you, mate! Thank you! Delighted you have been able to work through this, and help others. You're a great guy! X
This is the most honest retelling of a gambling addiction that I have ever seen
Really brave and courageous. Love the fact he's using his experience now to support others.
If that clown had over 50 grand on mite bite to win the gold cup then i had a million on it.
Patrick your making a real contribution by being so honest and taking responsibility. I wish you all the very best in managing your life from this point on.
I felt sick when I put £30 on red and it lost. Can’t imagine the feeling putting £58,000 and seeing the horse lose. Poor man. Hope he’s doing better
Best thing that can happen to you is losing enough that you don’t get hooked and stop. If you win big your finished
But 30£ is a fun amount. But you have bad luck so had you played more you could have lost those60. Too
just win then dumb ahhhh
Not to be a dick.. But what were you, twelve years old and that was your allowance for the month?
@@ketgremlin8776that’s exactly it, win big and it’s the worst thing that will ever happen to you
You have my total respect for speaking about your weaknesses so openly. I hope it helps you as much as others struggling with the same/similar issues.
It's easy to speak of weaknesses when you've made it all up
I'm 10 weeks without a bet. Please God continue to give me strength.
Edit:
It's been 30 weeks! I can honestly tell you I haven't felt so good in life. If you are struggling with Gambling, please seek help, there's a much better and beautiful life out there! And thank you for your support! ❤
You got this, bro. Day by day.
Stay strong
Just one small one can’t hurt.
God bless you
I bet you'll be alright.
This is more than a gambling addiction story, this shows that humans can forgive and you can still change. Don’t give up on yourself.
Massive credit to Patrick for his sheer honesty, sparing no detail. Recounting his story must never get easy and requires immense mental strength. Helping others to avoid his mistakes will hopefully provide him with inner peace and he can find forgiveness for himself, like those close to him have done. Extraordinary tale and one that underlines the need for stricter gambling adverts and access.
Thank you SO much for this!!! I felt every single word! I’m currently living in my parents basement at 35 with two kids after losing everything to gambling abd drug addiction but even when I was sober from drugs I still gambled. You always think if you use the little bit you have you can win more and make everything better but it very rarely happens
Stay strong 👍
i feel you, also 30+ not able to leave the house because i cant keep a job (what's the point if u lose all the money), low esteem, loneliness, and basically just like binge eating ,you binge gamble to suppress the negative feelings
Patrick’s story is a powerful reminder of addiction’s impact-sharing this can help so many. 🙏
What a great interview. Very honest. He really knows where he went wrong and confronted his demons first hand with no excuses. We’ve all met the devil in someway in our lives, this guy has got through it.
So i guess my devil is my good friend lol. Bcs i am feel like i am addicted wanna keep playing with him in Overwatch 2 as Mercy and pocket him bcs he protect/save me as damage dealers
I know this guy from 10 years ago from when I was at school. He was often helping in the evenings in the house at the boarding school I was at. Lovely dude, I was only 12-13 so, of course, had no idea what he was going through. Remember we were both buzzing the morning after the Miracle at Medinah in the Ryder Cup. Looking back he'd probably just made a few quid off it hence why he was so happy. Crazy story, though, and good to see he seems to have a turned a corner.
Lies again? Horse Face Gamble Bet
Thanks mate for sharing your story, i've been doing gambling recently and now realize that i have to stop totally and try to solve all problems it caused one by one.
What a brave and honest interview. Hats off to you Patrick, glad you’re on the road to recovery!
Glad you believed the story
My dad was a gambling addict. It cost our family the family business of 3 generations back in 1985. It cost my dad his marriage. He lost the respect of his family and friends. It was tough to watch as a teen. This made me a conservative person financially and I don’t gamble. I’ve seen the catastrophic consequences.
It is devastating thank God u didn't gamble also
Yep…Gambling is Stupid.
Are you a millionaire next door
Very sorry for your father's and your troubles. I have two young sons and I'm literally crying while i type this because I had the money for a new car and I lost it last night. I was way up... did I walk away though? No because no one crossed my mind that I'd affect. It's honestly embarrassing and I feel like I'm in a trance when it's going on. My friends tell me cash out come on man you're up... but I couldn't stop. At least that's how it felt. It's not physical pain, but it feels like it because how strong the urge is and it's legal which makes it accessible. I'm sincerely sorry for your father and I'm sorry myself to my own sons. I pray you can forgive him and he gets better. My dad died a few months ago and I think that is what got me back into it. Depression and just having no family to talk to. Sigh* God I want to never gamble again. I hope I never do.. I'm really going to try to be disgusted with it especially after watching this and reading your comment. Thank you for your candor
I literally had suicidal thoughts over it. Then I just looked in the mirror and I said... if you think losing that money is bad, the decision your contemplating is literally the most selfish and permanent act I could ever commit. So I'm here trying to get the strength of mind to stop.
Thank you for sharing such intimate details regarding a very unglamorous topic. There are so many young people traveling this pathway and one very dear to me. It's never too late to take control. Addiction breaks people and families. This young man's family were there to listen and support. Prayers for the ones who have no one to turn to, or assist with intervention.
I'm a gambler. I hate it and love it at the same time. The huge highs and ridiculous lows. I've lied and hurt, recovered and relapsed. I was 17 when I went into a bookies and won £500 on one spin and the rest is history. It will consume you.
Never ever start. For the people around you but also for yourself and sanity. It will eat you from the inside.
Really respect this guys openness. Anyone out there struggling. Tell someone. One step at a time.
Everything this man says resonates with me and 35 years it took me to break free from this addiction. In that time I was managing multiple debt lines, a job, a life full of deceit and lies and periods of homelessness. Lost my parents who never got to see me clean and whose lives I also destroyed. Whilst I no longer gamble this never leaves me and so much I could write about the consequences of gambling addiction.
One thing i know! Your parents would be proud you quit gambling! Bless you!
@@SosoLobi777 Yes thank you Soso. One of the reasons I comment on these videos is that I think its very important that whether a person is an addict or a friend or family member of an addict, they are not alone. Far too many people go through these experiences, and I believe it's important that we share our stories.
im in the same problem, hurting my parents and ppl who care about me, Im aware of everything but this desire of adrenalin hit is bigger then life it seems. Aware of everything but cannot get away of it.
Did you ever go voluntarily bankrupt in order to help clear the debt?
@@lawrencetrent3898 No, for years I had about 10-15 lines of debt I had to juggle every month. Half of which were payday loans. I personally think I almost became addicted to survival as well as gambling - which i know sounds a bit weird but my life was really just about surviving to gamble.
thanks for sharing im a recovering gambling addict
its truly evil how these companies prey on peoples weaknesses
People have to be stronger
Thank you Patrick for sharing your story. I have my own to tell. 45 years of it, and who knows how much money. Now just over 4 years clean. And 33 years free of alcohol.
Proud of you ❤
Nice to hear, John.❤ please trust in me, i am in dirtiest cesspool you can imagine
@@booshank2327knob
@@Tripl0se Karma has a way of dealing with his type.
I have watched many gambling addiction TH-cam video's. but this is the one without any bells and whistles and he is totally honest. I really really really want to wish him the best . Same time, watching his video, I am beyond confident that he can come out from this and live wonderful life again. There is no doubt.
I can relate Patrick! I broke a lot of bridges, lost huge amounts of money and did unthinkable things to get for my 'next spin'!!! Outside one of the bookies, a guy used to sleep outside when it closed and when back in when it opened. I asked him if he is ok? He said I sleep here because all my money, my house and everything went in to those machines! Lockdown forced me to stop and I have never gone back since! No one in the shops will stop or educate you! More needs to be done to stop more people destroying their lives!
I got hooked on fruit machines. No longer live in the UK, and where I am, they don't exist (as far as I am aware). When I have been back in the UK, there have been times when I have been in a pub and had a go on them. Wasted my best mate's stag do playing half the night on them. Thankfully I ended the night about even. But needed a last-minute double jackpot to prevent me having almost no cash for the evening! And still I carried on in one of the next pubs we went to. And a few years prior to that, I basically messed my life up on these things.
Thankfully, apart from these occasional lapses, I have largely been off them for several years. I buy the odd lotto ticket or scratch card, and sometimes put a bet on here and there, but largely no longer gamble. But in general I could control that type of gambling. But the fruit machines were so addictive for me. And the crazy thing is you couldn't win any life changing amounts of money. The best you can really do is change your day or week! But can easily throw your life away on them!
there is a book about him called Might Bite where he explains everything from his debut in cricket to where he ended, being once a gambling addict, I read it and really helped me!
Fun fact might bite is the name of the horse he bet on in the gold cup that lost
I'll look up the book. Thanks
@@Greylobster that's very smart. Here in the Seattle area Washington State, there is a casino roughly every 15-20 miles. Currently I banned myself from the closest Five. I've never missed a bill in my entire life but I hate being so close to them where I can just go in for an hour or less and then lose control and walk out a loser. Now if I drive 60 miles to the closest one and get myself in trouble I was asking for it.
Kudos it takes serious strength to share your mistakes so openly with the world. I hope that his message reaches at least one individual.
This hits me right to my core. As a recovering addict of gambling and having my life turned upside down due to my actions I relate so much. I don’t knock people having a small gamble here and there but for some like myself you begin to chase that buzz of the wins, whilst gambling away I didn’t realise how much I was hurting the people that I loved. Family, friends and even my girlfriend.
I’ve recently started getting help talking to professionals via phone calls, live chats on sites or even talking with other former addicts. It was very hard for me to commit to making that first step just out of pure embarrassment but I came to realise that people are there to help, they’re strangers and 9 times out of 10 have been in the same position.
Addiction to whatever it may be is hard to try and resolve don’t get me wrong. I’m still trying to change and hope to fully reform and get my life back on track. It takes time and a lot of trial and error.
I was always told this saying by multiple people and always shrugged it off, it goes “the only one that ends up winning is the bookies” and that I came to realise the hard was very true.
Don’t be ashamed to be addicted, it’s a mental condition. I can’t stress enough for people to get help, doesn’t have to be professional it can be talking to mates or whoever you want. Don’t bottle it up and hold it to yourself.
Gambling is the devils work. You never win in the end, you lose a lot more than just money, I lost my girlfriend and it hurts me that I let her down everyday.
If anyone would want to talk with me about their struggles don’t hesitate, I will try my best to help you any way I can. ❤️
This is an excellent comment,should be near the top. You're right there's no shame in seeking help I don't know why people have a stigma about this. If you feel you have a problem then talk to someone, anyone doesn't even have to be a professional.
Sign up to gamstop mate, and speak to your GP about CBT and addiction therapy. Get some hobbies, I started painting art... I had a 18hr a day casino habit... clean for about 8 years with 3 or 4 relapses
Excellent comment Jesus TR. glad to hear you’re doing good now 👍
🧢
Massive respect to you mate! It’s definitely a silent killer! Problem gamblers often always keep it silent and bottle up all the emotions! It’s a crippling addiction and like you say it’s not always just the affects it has in the gambler themselves…it can ruin friendships, relationships, all sorts! If you’re somebody reading that comment or mine! Honestly trust me when I say that talking to people truly does help! the world may feel like it’s caving in on you sometimes but a problem shared is a problem halved!😁 Also people really do care and want to help 99% of the time! The pain and suffering from it doesn’t last forever and you can change your lives by acting out !👊🏻❤️
What an incredibly honest guy, this was amazing to watch.
pmsl
mate.... good on this man for telling his story, never an easy thing to lay out to the world and hopefully it helps someone in the future
Can relate to everything he said.
So sad that something you enjoy turns into a nightmare.
I’m in the process of recovering from gambling and it’s not easy. 🙏🏻
You can do it!!!! Sending positive vibes to you!
hang in there brother, it's tough, but i promise it's worth it
What a story! Brave man for telling his troubles, all forms of addiction are hell.
I'm 19 and have lost over 5k gambling, I know it seems so little compared to this man but its genuinely effecting me, I can easily stop drinking and smoking but gambling is just different. I'm trying to get myself back together and I hope I can come back to this comment in a year knowing I have fixed this problem.
You are young still, and with a enitre life in front of you, i am in the same situation but i 22 years old, and I lost almost 2000, the best way to stop gammbling its sawing videos like this, and understand that always its someone in worst situation that us, and putting in your head that that money is lost, period, and dont try to recovered in gambling. I inicially lost like 1000, and I always was thinking that i can recovered in the same way, gambling, but now I lost 1000 more trying to recovered the initial ones. I so sad, but I know that if try again I only gonna lost more. Its so sad, really. Hay una frase en español que dice: "la mejor apuesta es la que no se hace".
Regards from Mexico
@@leonardocavazos5189 ❤
That's it, don't make it to a bigger loss.
@@osedyqe2009 u said u were 17 and lost less money though?
@@osedyqe2009 are you serious ?
When he said "500 pounds became 34k" I thought to myself that I would have retired from gambling right then and there
Truly one of the most destructive addictions you can have.
A lot of people get lucky in beginning and gets hooked.
That's how it it for lots of folks I've seen. Some lost millions and some professionals lost billions.
The saying "don't gamble what you can't afford to lose"...never really stick until it's too late :(
@@BDAILY365 I'm glad I had someone to instill that in me, honestly. I enjoy poker and blackjack, and when my dad saw that he told me I'll be okay as long as I never expect to walk away with any money I walked in with.
To this day I go to the low-stakes tables about once a month, and that's it.
@@staidenofanarchy yep, Even professional poker players all eventually ventured out to other businesses because they all lose in the end. Lots of them do drugs and drink and that also eventually break down.
Now we got stocks and cryptos and that is also making lots of people bankrupt. It's just one thing or another. just got to learn to stay away from anything that starts to get addictive!
No you wouldn't have stopped. Because that exact moment when 500 turns into 34'000 is when your brain is flooded with such a rush that it creates a memory you'll chase forever. Winning this big is literally the worst thing that could happen to a person prone to gambling addiction. It's like shooting up heroin. Once you feel that rush.. you'll never forget. That's the problem.. you can't get the high and then stop. It's too late by then. You already know. And the brain doesn't forget experiences that intense.
The episode of South Park when they gamble at the Native American casino is a perfect illustration of the gambler's mind.
As someone who was brought up by a parent who gambled (casino), I can totally connect with your account. It is very tough on the gambler. But the wrecking of the lives of those around the gambler is also tremendous, particularly to chidlren. Myself and my siblings suffered tremendously. As I always say, the worse part of living with a gambler is not the money, but the character destruction that comes with it, where the gambler creates his/her own fantasy world which is very tough to understand and deal with. I've had to work hard to heal from the emotional trauma caused by being brought up by an addict. But gamblers and those around them can heal with will and the right support. Well done for having the strength to mend your way and also for telling your story so candidly and educating others about the terrible life gambling brings.
I understand the pain Patrick went through.. it is horrible. I started gambling and I now had myself banned from Casinos and online gambling.. which helped me and i no longer gamble.
In my experience, a gambling 'win' is the psychological equivalent to 'being the Chosen One'. That is, you feel (in the winning moment) that life has selected YOU - specially and specifically; that you are valued and validated; that you are worthy, and you are seen. Little wonder then, that the pursuit of said experiences is addictive - because we all want so deeply to be loved, acknowledged and valued.
Very nice said bro
So true and well explained TW
Excellent analysis.
If people didn't have a need to be loved, acknowledged, and valued by others they wouldn't do these things.
The question then becomes, how can we love, acknowledge, and value ourselves?
Very true. I had a couple insane sports gambling runs betting $2000 a game that nobody believes how good I did at the time even when I show them receipts. I was accused of photoshopping the images.... So I guess I really was, the ''chosen one'''
This. wtf. This. Omg.
I delt with a bad gambling addiction for around twenty years, I once put my last amount of money on two $1500 bets on two bookies races, figuring they would bust and I had returned to being broke. Both bets came in and I won $34000. The next day I lost the entire amount in an hour, some would question why or how someone could do something so reckless, but for me over time gambling just became a form of self sabotage, it can psychologically wear you down, over time, the constant pain of financial losses and misery become an addiction in itself, it becomes self torment. I believe gamblers with ptsd suffer the worst as it becomes a form of self sabotage similar to people with bad drug addictions. People with really bad addictions are often broken people with issues they never resolved. I'm currently totally committed to resolving my gambling addiction, as I have a distaine for the harm it's caused me and the impact it has on the community which I believe is not a positive one.
Cheering for your recovery, mate!
Yes, I also was sterile to the negativity over time, it would always be hurtful though one becomes void of emotion, I currently have opted to move on from the habit, I am non-bias to those who chose the lifestyle, though it had proved a negative experience for me due to my addictive personality and my ptsd causing me to approach it poorly and without a rational approach. It was an interesting segment you had presented here. Cheers.
Just wanted to share my story as well because it might feel someone feel better. I’ve been an on and off gambler for years but last couple weeks I got my hands on the online casino and have lost over 7000 every time thinking I will recover the money and when I get close I go on a losing streak. Worst part is I can’t stop myself. I really needed that money to pay for bills and school and I’ve cried a few times 😢 my advice don’t ever gamble it is the start of something very dark you will lose your entire life
hope you dont go there gain
I kow what you mean bro. I lost a cool 5k really needed that money. I just remind myself the house always win. I will never gamble again…time and money wasted.
thank you for sharing your story. i wish you can recover from it
This is exactly my current situation, I have tried as much as I can to stop, but the more I try the more I get into it, it's ruining my life and my mental health
Stop backing losers and that will change your mental health
Patrick is an amazing speaker, he's so brutally transparent and eloquent.
I had lost 1.6k and stopped for a year.
Two days ago I played for two days and got 1680 and was like I'm done playing , I got my money back, next day I lost 1.180
So I just got left with 500.
Plain stupid ain't I?
Never gamble guys, I feel so disgusted about myself and this feeling I've got right now is awful.
( I know the amount ain't big like other ones but it's still money lost)
I wish I never played in the first place.
That's the problem with gambling addiction. You will never win. Any winnings get lost again. And the more you win, the more you have to lose
Good that he is willing to use his experience to help others. Thats inspiring.
Well done for speaking out - cannot be easy. Wish you the best of luck in the future
I'm so sorry to hear this story. Hopefully you will recover soon and being in a better situation than before. The great thing about you is that you aren't afraid to criticize yourself.
For anyone that is struggling with a gambling addiction:
The addiction is usually a symptom from a deeper problem inside you. May it be loneliness, bad self image or lack of self love which it all ties down to.
We often times feel we cant be happy or love ourselves until we have sorted this problem but that is actually one of the reasons holding you back. We must be more compassionate to ourselves, in this moment. A future you who does not gamble does not exist. There is only this moment and you must be present in it to understand that this moment is all there ever will be.
Peace and love to all of you!
What crap. The addiction is a compulsive disorder. Everyone has something wrong, look at all the fat people. It takes real work, not just accepting that "there's only this moment".
@Winifred You missed my point my friend. I was an addict for some 4 years with major depression, shame and negative self image. All I could think about was getting rid of the addiction so I was constantly fixated on a imagined future reality where I am free from gambling. Only after achieving that reality could life truly begin. Only then could I love and accept myself. This disconnection with the compssion for myself was keeping me locked in a cycle of fighting urges for a while and then having a massive relapse. I managed to stay clear for a couple months but nothing really changed. I was still feeling depressed. Then I relapsed again and only then did I change how I went about dealing with this addiction. For the first time I accepted myself how I was in that moment, wanting to change nothing. This ultimately led me to learn compassion for myself and the love inside me has grown so strong I naturally dont want to gamble anymore. I dont have to do anything anymore because letting go of the addiction comes naturally without effort.
Hope this clarifies something and hope you had the patience to read it :)
You nailed it bro !
Well he isnt loanly, the guy has a gf, and women dont date loanly men, they can smell lonliness a mile off and it puts them off big time.
Very true. Thank you for understanding.
Great interview. Thank you for sharing your story with us Patrick 💜
I've worked in the Casino industry for about 6 years now. I've seen people like Patrick every single day. It's sad to hear their stories and how gambling took a toll in their life. I've seen people lose families, lose their house, businesses, assets, etc. I will try to convince them to seek help and that there is a helpline if they feel they can't control themselves. But ultimately it's up to the individual to make the first move. Being in the casino industry myself, I can see why people can get additive. It is like a drug. And the industry will exploit that. In the end of the day, its profit over people. Casinos will never go out of business as there will always be someone willing to make a bet.
Yep…but normal people don’t even desire to go the the casino…PLEASE BELIEVE ME.
You wanna bet that a casino won’t go out of business??
Do you guys use magnet 🧲 on the rruollet
Gambling fucked up my life. All started from a 33-1 win at Cheltenham festival one year ,and never bet before either.
It turned me into a zombie in my own apocalypse, turned down so many opportunities to go out ,go places because the money I had was for gambling. It consumed my whole life, racked up so much debt,which i still deal with.
My advice to someone who has never placed a bet just don't do it. You may be able to control it,but you may also not control it. Winning is a drug, something released in the brain that can totally change who you are.
I totally get this! It is like a rush ! Always looking for the next big money rush. I got into scratch cards and got really addicted. I felt stupid and felt my addiction wasn't valid. I've now been 5 years clean from scratch cards. They are a form of gambling. It's dangerous!
Your stories are truly life-changing. I've played roulette for years, but I've never considered it from your perspective-being spontaneous and playing based on a feeling of luck. In my experience, you have to grind all day to make any money, and playing on the spur of the moment never seemed like a good idea. Its like working a 9 to 5 job
I'm also a problem gambler I've lost more than 300.000 dollar. I want to stop but it's hard. The online casinos never contacted me once to ask if I have a problem. Responsible Gambling they say? They don't care at all.
I won 50k and didn't even buy something nice for myself and deposited it all back losing it all in a few hours. It was all about the thrills. I didn't do sports betting but roulette. It's a damn sickness.
I won more than $100k and lost most of it before my fiancée caught on and threatened to call off the wedding. It was extremely hard to overcome but then I started reading more into the industry, how it functions and the psychology behind it. Understanding that the "thrill" is essentially a drug called dopamine, where it doesn't matter if you lose $30k before winning back another $20k in your mind you have won $20k and that's all that matters, doesn't matter if the true numbers you are -$10k because you just won $20k.
Once I understood all of that it's like a switch in my brain flicked the right way and I had zero interest in gambling. Sure, in theory if you are betting on sports you can have odds that exceed the probability but that's not guaranteed and unless you have unlimited money then you will probably destroy your mental health in the process. I know very few people can do it but It's not for me.
I know gambling laws vary from country to country but where I live you have to have responsible gambling ads and they say "only gamble what you can afford to lose" but that is very vague, an addict could interpret that as spending 50% of their wage on living expenses and the other 50% on gambling. I wish that laws were required to talk about things like risk of ruin, the feeling of dopamine when you win a bet and the probability of the odds with the bookmaker overround (for example if team A and B are both paying $1.90 to win, the bookmaker is saying each team has a 50% chance of winning but for you to make money in the long run you would need to win 52.64% of the time)
Education is key, if people knew all of this and didn't find out the hard way then there probably wouldn't be such a big issue with addicts and those people would be able to bet responsibly (if they even wanted to)
And with that all said I did feel great shame at the time but after learning about everything I no longer felt ashamed because it's the way our brains are wired to work. If you know someone that's addicted do not try to shame them or make them feel guilty please try to help them understand this is why they are feeling like this and then hopefully they can re-wire their brain to overcome their addiction.
And I married that woman and have 3 children with her
You have to just stop. Play the demo if you need it. You need to stop.
I was kinda in the same boat took me a while to stop but you gotta do it sooner than later try take up boxing / kick boxing something to take ur mind away from it each day it’ll get Easier
The worst part is bookmakers and casinos ban "winning" gamblers, And then run the whole Responsible Gambling but continue targeting and preying on the problem gambler to bleed them dry and ruin their lives. Terrible industry, But nothing will ever be done as they all pay big taxes to the government who look the other way.
Not accepting responsibility is also part of the reason why you have a gambling issue. It's not the Casinos fault for not checking in on you, it's up to you to determine when enough is enough. The fact that you won 50k after many losses, only to lose it all within the same day says it all. Also, your choice of game is poor. Roulette, keno, dice, slot machines, horse betting, etc. are all games that you should NOT even bother playing. If you want to actually make money stick to card games like Poker and Blackjack. OR just do yourself a favor and not play at all.
If other recovering addicts didn't share their stories I wouldn't still be alive. ODAAT.
Same here.
Glad you find comfort in these videos, talking about your problems can only help
SJ
I was addicted and when I quit gambling my life changed for the better. I have so much more money now than I did back then because I used to gambled it all away. It was such a stressful time of my life.
My best friends brother is a gambling addict.. it’s so sad to see how much it affects my friend and her family. Before meeting her I never realised how gambling can be a real addiction just like alcohol and drugs.
Even worse
I've unfortunately had drug addiction and gambling addiction and I can honestly say the gambling is the absolute devil. You can gamstop block yourself from different establishments but I can tell you you find a way unless someone looks after your money for you which is so downgrading. Its horrible
I had my then boyfriend (now husband) holding all of my money and even now ten years on from my addiction he doesn't fully trust me with money.
@@lesleycronin832 do you still gamble?
@@jimskeuh Very rarely.
Respect to this bloke for not making excuses or blaming anyone. Just owned it and was raw about his past.
You are one of the lucky ones, congratulations on getting to this point! I gambled aswell for years, wrecked my life it did
I have also gambled to near extinction. I had to change my life,county I lived in, and Environment. I didn’t get rock bottom due to my forward actions. This is a addictive act no different from drugs or alcohol ect. I applaud this gentleman for his openness.
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I’m gambling for almost 12 years non stop everyday almost. I’m working so I can gamble and believe that I can settle all my debt problems. I have lost almost 100 thousand dollar and I’m just 32 my girlfriend left me I have no friend at all 😅. So after this video I hope everyone over here can pray for me . I promise I will stop gamble guys . Thanks for the video
Same story brother
Same story..
Hey man you dont need to promise us anything, promise yourself for a better life you can defenetly get your life back and real friends a few people in every community have so you dont need to feel alone. I wish you the best and remember promises is always for yourself and one day at time cause no matter what we never know if tommorows comming.
Stay strong keep fighting
Goodluck brother
Gambling ruined my life in best period (18-25), meantime i had 2 promising breaks but they ended on playing even worse. Now i'm finally clean for 1,5 year and learning to actually live.
Feel like I could have written this.
My experience was the opposite.. Started gambling at 20 and was able to buy a house in full at 24 with no mortgage from gambling winnings on poker and sports... I realize my experience might literally b 0.1% of the people wo do gamble though.. I do think people mostly lose long term because they are dumb AF if i'm being honest.
To anyone who thinks they can't get over it, you can. I gambled for about 12 years, tormented every day by it, crying to myself to try and make myself stop. The worst moment was I sold my house and had about £10,000. Told my gf at the time it was money to get married. I gambled some of it and got it upto £15,000 - thinking I was invincible I carried on. I've never been through anything so hard in my life than having to tell the mother of my newborn child that I gambled it all away and had nothing left.
I promised her I would never do that to her again, 6 years later and I have never gambled behind her back since. Sometimes we have a flutter somewhere together (maybe once every 6 months) and saying this nearly brings me to happy tears but I'm finally at a point where I don't think about gambling anymore. I have my life back.
Whoever needs to hear it. Do this, you got it.
@@MC-nf3xs Save your judgements for someone else, they mean nothing to me.
@@MC-nf3xs I never said in my post that I did fully abstain. Do you or have you ever had a gambling addiction? If so then you'd know how difficuilt it is going from spending everything you have on a daily basis to spending £10 on bingo once every 6 months.
So weird that you're even commenting. What sort of low person takes any oppurtunity to shit on someone when they're trying to help others?
Need to take a look at yourself fella
It just takes one successful bet to get your life back
@@markxv2267 Not as an addict. It's like saying that a heroin addict just needs a really good hit to get over it.
No matter how much I won I would still want to increase my bets and win more. The more you win the less buzz you get from winning at that level so it makes you want to increase bets.
I was spinning £10 spins in the end, which when I think about that now is insane. every 2-3 seconds losing £10
🙋🏽♀️
This is a genuine story… I have a mate who is a gambler and at our social club they had two machines that would give decent payouts. One night I had too much to drink and put a fiver in and then we both put a tenner in etc. In the few hours playing I lost £50 then eventually won £50 back. I left the machine ‘even’, knowing that I’d put myself through the worst stress I’d felt in a long time. It was then I decided my gambling career was over in that first night. Never again
What an eye opener as I have also seen how devastating gambling addition can be to people.
As a gambler i always say one of the worst things that can possibly happen is the first time someone gambles they win especially if they win pretty big
Happened to me these past 18 months. I won 250k in the stock makert and keyp chasing more for the high. Ended up losing everything and now I'm negative. It absolutely destroyed my mental health, finances and friendships. It's terrible
This happened to me. I won $7800 in my first 4 days NfL betting. Lost $30k+ in 1.5 years and definitely racked up a fuck ton of taxes that’ll make me wanna kill myself once I realize what deep shit im in. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
@@__-of3btsame I won 2 times on horse racing nice amount and thought to myself this is it then years later still chasing that high my wife left me 3 months ago and I'm in big debt with only my clothes on my back
Yep... I am up over 1 million in gambling lifetime, but I don't know if anybody could have even pulled off what I did back in the day.. I look at sports gambling forums today and nobody has a record close to what I had. I might have been number 1 in the world during 2014-2015. That's how much I was hitting
Powerful. Thank you for sharing, and for what you do to help others.
For people who are online gambling addicts out there, I would honestly say most of you would be surprised at how easy it becomes to avoid it once you place an online ban on yourself. I was obsessed - placing bets on South American games that were happening whilst I was asleep, bets on sports I knew nothing about…Thankfully I was young and didn’t have life savings etc, but once you get over the initial hump, it’s insane how free you feel. The hardest part is accepting that you lost - I was in the red by a big margin against the bookies and you always feel that urge for revenge but seriously, even if it takes you years to recover financially and it hits your pride, just accept that you won’t beat them. Even your mates who brag about their big wins are likely using those wins to fund their habit and flushing it down the drain, just take it as a life lesson and cut it at the source. Losing thousands in cash is better than losing friends and family, and one day you’ll recover
you can actually beat the bookies if you know how, but yeh straight up gambling is just suicide
@@bobsmith3378 yeah I can imagine, but there’s so many scammers out there that 99% of people will just lose more money by falling for it. I know one person who’s made a significant profit, and that’s it, when the majority of my friends gamble
Did you manage to block yourself from all sites or 1 at a time? I've blocked myself from some and I move to the next down the road. Unfortunately found one where there is no blocking yourself. And it's the worst one. A cpl others I put temporary blocks and restrictions but then I still go back to them.
@@ianscreamsvideo in my country there is an option to exclude yourself from every casino both online and physical, and sportsbookies also both online and offline. becaue bookies are only allowed with a licence in here, it automatically blocks you for every belgian bookie that you can use.
@@jimskeuh can still go online and gamble on sites who dont care if ur self excluded..mostly based in malta
Gambling is like throwing money in a garbage can and walking up to the next garbage can to see if there's any money in it.
Thank you for your story, I’m happy you have moved on in a positive way x
That couldn’t of been easy for u that interview,, I can relate to a lot of what u were saying, maybe not the level,, the only thing u didn’t mention was the self hate ,,, worthlessnesses,,thanks for sharing your story👍
Couldn't have*
he's used to talking about it, hes come in to my school to give a talk about it and another commenter said the same so he clearly talks about it a lot, great story, inspiring
As a dormant Gambling addict I can tell you, This disease is horrendous, the worst thing that can happen to you when you first gamble is to win big... Or even worse be exposed to it as a kid. Both things happened to me, lost well over 1m dollars and also filed for bankruptcy... It's a terrible addiction... The silver lining for me is that it helped create a great work ethic to achieve higher access to funds... Life is better now, still gamble occasionally but not like the old days.. I will never forget the multiple times I hit rock bottom over the decades..
An addict is always an addict even if you stop for good, the problem is not the money, it's the self-control you can loos it anytime, it's like you are playing with the fire and saying it won't burn me or I have plenty of water around to deep my hand into,
Did you file for Bankruptcy for tax purposes bc I am likely going to have to do the same thing
Gambling is a choice, no one chooses to get cancer, or leukemia, or other diseases.
@@patrickmanway290 yes everything is a choice, you sound like you have lived a very sheltered life
@aureliusxbt it didn't ruin my life actually... And I don't appreciate your nonsense comment..get a life !
It takes a brave person to come out publicly like that, it says a lot about a person
This story hits home, hard. I’m in my late 20’s and having gambled since I was able to, it was always just a bit of fun, UNTIL YOU WIN BIG. I would always put footy bets on the weekend and the odd mid week until early 2021 I tried some roulette each time I was paid and had a strict budget which I actually stuck to. £100 each payday, once it was gone it was gone. One month, over the course of three days I turned that £100 into £26k at some points placing 4/5k a spin which looking back disgusts me. I withdrew the lot and within 36 hours I’d already deposited 9k back in… sure I enjoyed the money and cleared mine and my partners debts but because of that win I now had it in my head that I could do it again, each month the deposits got bigger and because of that my partner was left to cover bills that I should of paid which racked the debts back up.
One payday on my way home from work after loosing my rent money I drove my motorbike at 90mph through a red light cross roads purposely in the hopes that someone would hit me, they didn’t thank god and I’m still here. After that I pulled over at the side of the road and cried to myself at the thought of leaving my partner and my daughter with no father. I went home and came clean to my mrs about everything, the full extent. My daughter and my mrs are the reason I am still alive today. I’m 8 months clean now.
This man’s story really sunk in and I hope it helps someone somewhere either speak up or quit gambling.
You are something to someone, don’t let the fear of talking to someone take that away…
what a loser, wanted to end your life because of your fault and leave everyone behind, selfish af and if someone did hit you, you'd end up killing them too.
Respect brother
respect and deep thanks for writing this. Wishing you and your family all the best.
im in the same problem and dont know what to do anymore to get rid of this satan
@@kristijan465 please reach out to someone about this
My brother is gambling addict ( poker) it actually ruined his life and we haven't spoken in ten years:(
Reach out!!! Simple text/ hearing your voice means a lot to him
Definitely reach out to him, it's your brother man. 10 years Is too long not to talk to him
You sure hes not just a pro and you a Karen? Poker after all is skill bssed and you improve as you play
That's shocking that he hasn't rang you for a sub
Started betting recently, had a big win of about £140 from a tenner and I rlly felt it. I had to stop myself and remove myself completely from the situation and the apps because that feeling is so dangerous.
Good job mate
I'm somebody that doesn't have a gambling addiction, but I LOVE casinos and will infrequently visit, primarily as a profitable poker player, sometimes as a blackjack/baccarat player. I have limits and I think I'm careful, but I'm always extremely weary because it is tempting and it can be fun, in moderation. Hearing stories like this helps keep me on track.
I appreciate anybody who shares these stories. I imagine it isn't easy at all.
I'd also recommend keeping data and never lying, so talk to a friend/family member/partner, and be honest about it. It's OK to go out and spend similar gambling to what you would have spent in a club or over a dinner, assuming you have the money, obviously. Sometimes you even win, and that's great, but you'll be losing against the house long term, so keep an eye on it.
Great to witness such an honest, frank admission of gambling addiction. I had a colleague at a previous job who had a terrible gambling habit, and borrowed off everyone. Eventually I got so annoyed that I said "I bet you a tenner you can't stop for ten minutes without thinking about gambling." He replied, "I bet I can!." I ordered him to hand over the tenner right then and there, which he did. I explained that even without the money involved his mind was brainwashed to gamble, and he needed help. He suddenly saw what I was talking about, and did change his ways eventually. And, yes, I kept the tenner to reaffirm what I'd just explained to him!
I used to have a combination of cocaine and gambling, it was such a intense buzz it ruined 2 years of my life I would lose 4 grand in one day then I would get out of debt and start the cycle when ever I drink and do coke, now I'm back on track I don't even drink do drugs or gambling I'm so much happier
A very powerful video , unfortunately a lot of people don't understand that gambling is an addiction, I've been gambling for the last 40 years and would love to be able to recoup the money I've lost over the years , always chasing the big win to change my life knowing that deep inside I'll just up my stakes for a bigger win , to many adverts on tv that need to be STOPPED !!!!!