First Step to Recovery is Acceptance... Not Suppression...

The first step to recovery is acceptance. This is what I have learnt.

Why? Because from experience, usually after a heavy lost, I vowed not to gamble again. And each day I was in abstinence there was always this fear breeding inside me, the fear that one day I would relapse again... and almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy, I did.

I learnt that each time I tried to suppress the thought of gambling, it will somehow make the urge to gamble stronger. It's almost like asking someone not to think of pink elephant and they inevitably will.

Noticing this, I stopped suppressing the thoughts of gambling and along the fears that I would relapse. Instead I allow my thoughts to come naturally to me knowing that they will eventually pass. I choose to face my fears. I accept as they come and choose not to react to them.

As a result, I notice a strong reduction in urge to gamble.

Therefore I never count the days I am gambling free, I spent my energies and time working on doing "mind gym" and building a stronger mind to prepare myself if one day I am vulnerable again, my mind will be strong enough to find a way out.

I know for some of you, calculating the days you're gambling free helps and encourages you, just keep doing whatever that helps you.

Bottom line is... recovery starts with acceptance, accept that you have a gambling problem, you're a compulsive gambler, having an addiction problem and face your fears, it's a good start.