Progressive in Nature

Compulsive gambling is progressive in nature and never gets better it only gets worse. For me as a compulsive gambler I tried and failed two other times to quit by myself. The first time I was in a little debt; the second time I was in a bigger debt and the third time I was in an enormous amount of debt; progressive in nature is this addiction. The only way for me to "control" my gambling is to NOT gamble. I tried the "control" method and it only got worse.

I have met many people in Gamblers Anonymous with very successful recoveries and I have met other people who struggle. What separates someone from being very successful to one who struggles? I don't know and can only look at myself. In the times I tried to quit by myself after a few years I forgot how bad my gambling had become and started to gamble again. I think this is called complacency. I became complacent about my life and complacent about my gambling. I never thought of the consequences and now I am reaping those consequences.

In Gamblers Anonymous the successful people really understand the power of the Program. It is an incredible fellowship with a very important message; "help people with a gambling problem". There is only one requirement in Gamblers Anonymous; "the desire to stop gambling". This doesn't mean you have to stop gambling but it does mean you have to want to stop gambling. I came into the program with what seemed like an insurmountable amount of problems caused by my gambling. Things that just won't "go away" if I stop gambling but I know they won't come back if I stop gambling.

The key concepts for me are honesty, powerlessness, and serenity. If I honesty look at my gambling and examine what it has done to me and my family on a daily basis and make a vow not to gamble today; life does get better. If I admit I am powerless to gambling and surrender this to my Higher Power (God) I don't have to worry about "controlling" my gambling because I won't gamble today; this is the only way for me to "control" my gambling by not doing it.

Finally, there are things in this world I cannot control and God has granted me the serenity to accept those things and God has given me the courage to change the things I can which is my behavior. I choose NOT to gamble today and embrace life today; everything in my life will work out because life is a beautiful journey which is meant to be lived one moment at a time.