Topic: My urge to go to land base casino in this lock down and how I fight it. - page 5. (Read 537 times)

Well, even without diversion I believe there wasn't much you could do besides crying out loud that casinos are closed. Never had a strong physical addiction to casinos, but I get the idea. I think it's better in the end and you should seek the positive side: if we were to have casinos still up and running right now, you'd be sitting there throwing your money away during some hard times. Maybe it was some kind of sign from the Universe for you to stop

Actually, you can do various things to make yourself busy and to avoid boredom. When you are bored you will tend to think of gambling, but making yourself busy will help you to forget about those thoughts. You can do anything you like to do except for gambling of course. It depends on what we want to do.

Personally, I prefer online gambling but I haven't think of gambling now since I need to use my money wisely during this quarantine. So what I usually do is just spend like 3/4 of my time here in the forum, binge-watching, playing online games, eat, and sleep. Although it's kinda boring to do the same thing repeatedly, I need to think practically.

Perhaps, you have the option to try online gambling if you can't really resist not gambling for 2 weeks. Or else, do what you have mentioned but not everyone has this option especially if they are really restricted to go outside and exercise, the only option is to stay at home. In this case, I responded with more productivity such as instead of going outside, I watch online courses on how to develop apps, basically programming courses, play games using my computer, and watch Netflix movies and series. In my spare time, I spend it through forums where I could learn various lessons and updates.

I know that feeling because I actually have the same urge sometimes every time I get bored. Well, even if I can go outside I know that it is not safe and there will be no operating casinos anywhere.

It is true, the ambiance is different and the experience of meeting new people to play with. It is really different to play in a real casino than playing online casino.

actually this one really helps a lot because at least now i had time to continue watching those shows that i missed the seasons when i am busy at work,i can focus or give longer time to finish them all before the work resumes next month.

and also this not while watching movies,playing online games and some house works we are doing it together as family and really made me complete.

Of course, and I know that many users here have the same experience of having this feeling,

Right now, the only thing I do was to focus on my work, I was given a chance to work at home that's why I somehow manage to at least overcome the same feeling as you. But of course, since I am now working at home, there's still a lot of free time after my work, that's why I focus myself on playing online games and watch Netflix movies sometimes.

Yes I do (speaking for myself), I'm a lover of social interaction and hardly can stay for a long period without interacting with individuals having same interests like I do. Somedays I just pick up my phone to call my friends asking if they can come over so we gamble, they leave just few blocks across the street. I have been declined on many occasions which angers me the more but I do understand their reason. Gambling online is still sometimr that I'm getting used to and in due time, I'll enjoy it like I do with physical casinos.

@Kemarit I’m glad that you didn’t have a melt down due to these emotions, as lockdown is definitely taking a toll on each and everyone’s health. While you’re doing great, yet I would like you to check these activities out as I personally feel these will help you in the long run too.

Top 3 recommend activities:

1) I would strongly recommend you to practise yoga as it has lots of health benefits, and further it’ll help you remain calm during stressful times like these.

2) Also you can try preparing some recipes and experimenting with them in the kitchen, however don’t blow up the kitchen in the process :p.

3) Lastly if you were ever keen to learn a different language, or a new skill then this is the perfect time to do it.

Helpful guides:

https://www.solutiontales.com/living-healthy-when-working-from-home/

https://www.wellnessliving.com/knowledge-sharing/why-clients-need-yoga-during-covid-19/

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-04-lockdown-affect-long-term-health.html

I think that the activities you did to ward off the desire for gambling are the most appropriate and I appreciate that you have shared your experience. Keeping your mind busy and doing something productive fills you with well-being and satisfaction.

With the lockdown I am busier than usual. I must do all the shopping to cover the basic needs of my home.
I'm helping my eleven-year-old nephew with schoolwork and I'm taking the opportunity to teach him how some crypto wallets work. I am seriously thinking of teaching him about crypto the basics.
I am already telling him that when he reaches the age of majority if he want he can dive into the crypto space.

So my desires for gambling have diminished because I have put in the balance what is priority is hard because it produces anxiety but the busy mind makes you forget a little.

I feel what you experience too because we are in the same conditions, and I am sure that many people have the same thing as you. But perhaps, we have a different way to kill the boredom as we have a different thing that we do every day. What you said to us is a good way to kill the boredom.

Perhaps, you don't need to be in your room, but you should be with another member family in the family room, talk to them or watch television together with them, or you can do something together with them. I am sure that will prevent your mind from thinking about playing gambling, and you will have busy every day doing something.

We can play online gambling, and that is what we can do right now as the casino already close because of this pandemic. But you should when the time you can play gambling, and when you should not playing gambling. I think you should calm down if you have felt hard to stay away from gambling, and perhaps, you need to talk with your family so they will help you to solve that.

Gamblers must be having a really hard time fighting the gambling urge during these lockdown days. Personally, I think it is good for them because they are somehow weaned from their vice because of it. However, just like you, OP, others are really trying hard looking for some other stuff they can get themselves busy with. But a lot of them failed. Here in my neighborhood alone, a few people are still sneaking into each other's house to play their favorite card games.

I actually found something pretty inspiring when I was browsing through my wall. If somehow, by the end of the lockdown, I wasn't able to learn any new skill that I could call my own ( even if it's at the beginner level), then that means I'm just lazy. Was pretty hit by it initially but then I remembered I was actually learning how to draw and how to repair various stuff aka breaking them apart then building it again. It was pretty fun. The lockdown is pretty much time for you to find something you want to do. Ofc, it's pretty hard. Ngl, drawing frustrates me so much sometimes cause the image won't match up with what's in my imagination but hell, that's what everyone experiences at the start I'm sure.

For a gambler, I think not necessary for them to share our experience. The reason is, those things to kill boredom will automatically be popped out on everyone's mind. We do have our own way as everyone is different.

I will not share mine because my activity this lockdown is just the same as with most of the people here or outside the forum.

But I'm amazed at you OP for deciding to stop doing gambling. I hope you can keep to your words and be an inspiration to those who also want to stop.

Right, you're not alone, I'm sure a lot of gamblers here in this community has that itch to go back into their gambling habits. You need to get your mind out of it, definitely a struggle, but if you have the will power then for sure you can do it. Learn new skills might be a good idea, and try it with your family so that it will be more healthier mentally. And once you mastered on how to overcome the struggles, you will adapt to it. Best of luck.

These kinds of feeling in times like this are starting to pop, you are not the only one, there's a lot of us. Some people there may be starting to learn gamble online because they are really eager to gamble.
We all know that this is a kinda temporary situation, but this could also help us in our gambling life, like if we can start to control our gambling this now, so if no more lockdowns and casinos are open, we learn to control ourselves.

It's really a struggle, all the things you mentioned and done are all good to make your mind and body busy so it will stop the urge to gambling, but it's hard to stop something you've been doing and getting excited for years, you have a chance to get over the urge because you are trying to replace it with new habits and besides you really can't go to physical casinos at this point in time.

There are times that you feel this urges, however, just think of the possible things that could happen if you give your self away from this. Anyways, you don't have any option since casinos are closed. Diversion is always the key to keep your mind away from something. I do something when I come to the same point, if for example I want to buy or do something that is way beyond my budget, I visualize and think how would I feel after buying or doing something, then after that I don't feel the urge anymore.

When it comes to experience and ambiance then you can really tell the difference between physical and online ones.
Im also a player of two but i do play depending on my mood but now since we are on a pandemic then we dont have any choice but here are the
thing ive been doing when that urge comes out.

1. Cleaning my Car and my motorcycle
2. Cleaning Inside and Outside of the entire house 
3. Exercising
4. After that then i do watch movies.

Yesterday, for unknown reason, suddenly I feel the urge to gamble again. When the lock down was implemented here, land based casinos are close. I'm more of a physical casino player, however, I was not affected by the closure because I thought that this will just last for a week or two.

But yesterday was a different feeling though, their was like a feeling that I need to go to casino and play. Maybe it was just the effect of the boredom during this lock down. There are some mental stimulus, like my sister-in-law inadvertently says that he doesn't have any identification with her but his casino ids. LOL. Anyways, here is what I did to fight this inner demon within me.

1. Do some exercise, good thing about this lock down is that me and my kid age, 14 are doing some calisthenics and body weight exercises. So we did some reps and sets to keep my mind busy.

2. Netflix is your friend during this lock down.  . Watch movies that interest me.

3. I visualize myself totally stopping my gambling even after the lockdown. Yes, this is very tough on me, but I spend hours in my room doing some sort of mental visualization.

4. Talk to families, anything under the sun, bond with them, it is very relaxing.

5. Youtube. Search for inspirational video on how to quit gambling.

I don't know if you felt this feeling in this lock down. But for me it is real and I have to fight it back.

Do you guys have the same experience? How did you overcome it? Share your experience so that other gamblers will know how to respond.

Of course there are a lot of crypto based online game, yes I play online as well, but the land base casino is very different at least in my case.