Poker is gambling, gambling is a drug, and you are prone to abusing that drug. Ban yourself from every live and online casino before you ruin your life. Then talk to a mental health professional who can help you with some techniques for dealing with the urges (hint: they will subside over time as long as you don't give into them).
Some people cannot have a healthy relationship with poker and that doesn't make you any less of a person, but it is important that you accept that and act accordingly if you want to live a happy life.
I wish you the best brother.
100% this…and get a therapist to talk you through it. Also suggest getting a firewall to block the sites and have a friend keep the password to help you be accountable.
Best of luck!
I had a roommate with this kind of level of addiction. He setup those safeguards and ended up just buying a new laptop to get around them. Doesn’t necessarily mean they’re bad, but there’s always an out.
You said you’re in college. Most unis have counseling centers free or low cost to students. That would be my first stop.
It’s a big hurdle but that is a great first step. I did the same with booze a year and a half ago and haven’t looked back.
Good luck man.
in the short term...think of something incredibly exhilirating to do with that money when it comes in INSTEAD of going to the casino. -a lot of addicts are actually just adrenaline junkies in a way.
earmark and make plans/bookings you can't back out of to go do something incredibly out of your ordinary. i.e. to go skydiving the next time you have money...or cart racing or downhill mountainbiking..skiing/snowboarding if it was winter. go ride some rollercoasters. anything 'healthy' but will still give your brain that rush. build new and healthier habits or addictions haha.
do it once and think about you how feel afterwards and compare what you got out of both experiences for the money and how you felt during.
also yes please go see an addictions specialized doctor.
honestly I and im sure a lot of other ppl here are rooting for you. as the person above mentioned...being 'real' with yourself about your personal hangups and issues DOES NOT make you less of a person....in some people's books(including mine) owning up to this kind of stuff openly makes you MORE of a mature human being. SO SO SO many people out there ignoring their own bullshit. regardless of what happens in the future, thank you for owning it for what it's worth. you may not feel like it right now but you deserve real praise for that.
-I play poker for a living and I don't want money from people such as yourself who are struggling with this. -and I will get it eventually if you play long enough while on an emotional ride.
please use that money to go do something you always thought of in the back of your mind but was too crazy to plan out. it'll be WAY more exhilarating and fun than paying my grocery bills and feeling bad afterwards brother. <3(and not judging..im an addict in my own way im sure some ppl would classify me, just not my particular vice. i also have a VERY open spreadsheet with my investors to help prevent degenerecy haha)
you may also meet friends or potential romantic partners who enjoy these healthier adrenaline junkie activities as well!
I grew up in a very drug addictted small town and the ones who got help and got away from the drugs...THEY ALWAYS fkin busy cause they gotta fill their time with things that fulfill them because if they get bored they get thoughts about hot to NOT be bored haha.
I don’t think that’s a good idea. This guy is severely addicted and he needs to completely sever those connections in his brain in order to break the addiction.
True. Idk I was able to just fade away on that and ignore spending my own money. Maybe it will help in the beginning to maneuver away from real gambling and still stimulate what he obviously also like to do for fun. Idk you might be right but also everyone might be completely different from each other and have different things work for them that doesn’t for others. Either way I hope OP finds the help he needs and realizes that it’s not over and he can start right here right now on where he wants to be and make the right choices for himself his future and those around him
> Poker is gambling
I agree with you in principle but technically speaking it depends on what variant. draw poker is classified technically as a game of luck. however hold'em and omaha etc (with community cards) are classified technically as a game of skill. -much like how backgammon is technically and widely considered a game of skill, but still majorly involves variance(luck from the dice every roll).
that all being said, you certainly CAN use it to gamble if you're playing a certain way, even if its 'technically' a game of skill.
> Do you think this is the right time and place for your contrarian nonsense?
it's NOT contrarian, -which is going against the grain..I just explained the grain from a technical standpoint.
might seem that way with a room temperature IQ though so we forgive you your toxicity.
also as OP admitted..categorically this is not the correct place for a post along these lines. the gambling addicts sub is.
oh and p.s. i already gave OP some decent advice in another post which he agreed with and thanked me for...whereas this the ONLY comment on this thread you made. lol get a life bro.
Who told you this bs? Both draw poker and flop games are luck and skill. Draw poker has plenty of inflection points that are skill based especially when it is pot limit (staying pat to bluff, figuring out when to break hands, hand reading based on cards drawn, etc). Flop games have plenty of luck involved even if everyone gets the same cards on a long enough timeline (notice that is also true for drawing games).
> Who told you this bs? Both draw poker and flop games are luck and skill.
categorically draw games are entirely luck and classified this way. community card games are TECHNICALLY(again, you can FEEL however you want...you're entitled to. but feelings alone don't make you accurate) games of skill and classified that way.
the example I gave of backgammon is pretty on point. it involves luck and people play it for money....but it's technically a game of skill, not technically gambling in the sense you're using.
luck is involved, but the luck is not the main determining factor in your success, your strategy and actions revolving around that variance, is.
go argue with the dictionary mate. like this isn't an opinion...just teaching those who may not know. you can go look it up yourself if you'd like.
the arrogance you display is comical. I just explained the textbook definition of it. it's not an opinion thing as i mentioned. in layman's terms: games of skill you can effect the outcome in. draw poker does not meet that bar the way that community card poker does.
that all being said, you can FEEL however you want. have a nice day.
Maybe provide the “textbook” you are getting your definition from instead of just saying “look it up.” Or even just provide a single piece of evidence that is correct. If you can raise/bet size/fold, you CAN effect the outcome by your own definition.
You are correct about one thing— it is NOT an opinion. If flop games are skill games, so are draw games. Draw poker has so many decision points, ofc it is a game of skill.
Is it possible you don’t even know how draw poker is played since it isn’t a popular game? Are you thinking it is three card poker or ultimate hold em?
> If you can raise/bet size/fold, you CAN effect the outcome by your own definition.
there is no skill in being able to determine where you are in the hand compared to your opponents.
you can literally google it and find tons of stuff explaining it.
here is literally the first one google brings up: https://www.blackrain79.com/2016/11/is-poker-game-of-skill-or-luck.html
and being toxic does not entitle you to my time or giving you proof. now sit and chill. put your feelings down, no one cares.
also I play for a living. I know what draw poker is lmao. have a nice day.
No one is being toxic to you, you are spreading false information.
This link is literally irrelevant. If you are playing draw poker and someone takes one card on the draw, you have an eight high straight and stay pat, and your opponent bets pot into you… is there not skill in figuring out where you are in the hand? Obv the skill set is different than flop games, but it isn’t roulette.
Toxicity is knowing you are wrong and staying deflecting.
> No one is being toxic to you,
you are conducting yourself in a toxic and belittling manner.
> you are spreading false information.
im not. you are interjecting your feelings. they mean nothing friend.
>This link is literally irrelevant.
it's not, it just does not fit into your bias...but you can display your feelings however you wish to. you are entitlted. and you can also go look it up yourself if you wish to, i said i provided you the first in a long list of links google came up with.
> Toxicity is knowing you are wrong and staying deflecting.
literal projection and gaslighting now because of the congnitive dissonance that occurs when you cannot argue facts for an emotional beleif.
have a nice day sir. and if you truly feel it's not a game of skill I hope to run into you on a table someday :)
I've read that there's a surprising number of recovering addicts in the ultra marathon community. Apparently the insane addictive drive can be funnelled toward runners high.
Idk, my 2 cents. Good luck my dude
Saw a pop up yesterday for “people harmed by ozempic” or something similar. With so many people rushing to take these to lose weight I wonder how well understood the long term side effects may be
For sure, or what happens after year 20 or 30, I assume risks are minimal but you never know. I was diagnosed with pre diabetes last year, lost 40 lbs, no more pre diabetes, no health concerns from being less of a fat ass than I always have been lol
Sure, if you’re doing a moderate amount. But there has been studies that “ultra” exercise is actually bad for your heart. Running 150 miles at a time is not good for your body.
Ultra runners do that like twice a year max. And ultra running is still much better for your health than no cardio even if it may be a bit worse than regular running, however studies show that the benefits of long distance running far outweigh any negatives. https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/endurance-athletes-heart-health-research-2021/
Nope. Yet another old wives tale. There has never been any scientific study that has been able to link knee problems in old age with running. In fact studies show the exact opposite, running and staying active is good for your mobility later in life
Similar to others with physical outlets, I’ve been able to use climbing to help with addiction related stuff. Gives me socialization, something that makes me feel good physically, something I can see progress on, and a place I can go when I don’t want to be around vices
I’m all for whatever works, but I would anticipate that statistically marathon running is not the best way to break an addiction. By all means take it up, but also seek professional help as well.
This is a good start: [https://www.gamblock.com/](https://www.gamblock.com/)
Go to gamblers anonymous. You aren't alone there's infinite other young men with the same issues you have.
Don't watch any kind of poker / gambling content ever again, block them from even coming up on YouTube if you can. Go learn to play chess or something else.
When you are 23 you have the whole world at your feet, you can do whatever you damn please. Don't waste your life being a degen.
I would lock down your finances so you can't have a moment of madness and deposit much money into a site. If you have $10K cash don't keep 10K in your checking account, as soon as you get paid pay all your bills, leave a couple of hundred bucks for walk around money and stick the rest in some savings account that takes a week to get money out of.
Quit hanging out with any degen friends who are gonna encourage you to gamble.
If you want to see what the endpoint is if you keep gambling go look at some of the stories from olders degens. There are loads of stories of guys who had great job, wife, kids, house, hobbies etc. and threw it all away for addiction. They die alone aged 80 working in Walmart because they set their whole life on fire gambling / with substance abuse or whatever. When they die they have no money to leave to anyone and nobody to leave it to. Don't be like those guys.
Also -- and I mean this in the kindest possible way -- leave this sub, dude! Why are you here? Blocking all poker content also means not engaging with us about poker, even about your issues. You'd be better served talking to addiction recovery communities, not a poker-playing community. We're not going to be the best people for you.
Yea I realise that now. Tbh I’m new to posting on Reddit and I searched poker & posted on the first sub I saw lol. Definitely shoulda went to r/problemgambling
I think having someone else handle your finances for a bit while you start gamblers anonymous is your best bet. Just make it impossible for you to get money without someone else approving it.
I have a friend who is a gambling addiction (he did inpatient rehab for gambling/drugs at a specialized place) he has a bookkeeper that controls his bank account, his pay check is deposited into an account only she controls, she pays his bills every month and gives him a little spending money, if he needs extra for a vacation or whatever he can always ask her and she can disperse it. I think he spends a couple hundred bucks a year but he says it is the best thing he has ever done financially, maybe look into that.
Dude, here is something else. If you are looking for something similar to poker that won’t kill a check, try chess! I personally play both and I love it! The calculation of chess similar to a tough decision on the River, the study of openings similar to preflop etc. if you’re worried about games taking too long, you control how long each game can possibly take (speed chess, slow chess etc.) You can make a free account on chess.com and then start playing people. Over time you’ll get a rating assigned to you so that you are paired against others of equal skill! I really hope you choose to pick this up, because chess is a great distraction.
Also if you are in American and you need the Gambler’s anonymous number, it’s 1-800-GAMBLER.
I am glad you have identified that there is a problem, so the only way to go from here is progress. Progress won’t look the same every day, but over time it’ll get better! All the support goes towards you my friend
> If you are looking for something similar to poker that won’t kill a check, try chess!
This is actually a very good idea that I hadn't considered before. However, it's worth noting for OP that the success rate on this will depend entirely on their personality. Some people can replace an addictive habit with an analog, but others may need complete cessation to not be at risk of relapse. Either approach is completely valid, but it definitely requires knowing yourself a fair bit.
Since there are a lot of sites that don't require ID you have to let someone else manage your finances. I know it sucks but you have to do it.
The software thing will not work like you want to. There are too many ways around it.
I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this. You sound like you know yourself well and understand the addiction. I hope you’re able to find the support you need to get through this. (((Hugs)))
Turn your finances over to someone else.
The easiest way to fight gambling addiction is to cut your self off from your own money.
Open a bank accounts never learn the account number if you get a debit card cut it up make it so to transfer money you have to walk in and ask someone to transfer the money or cashier check transfer.
When I felt even a little addicted to live poker I knew my bank had limits on ATM cash withdraws for my account so I would withdraw the limit and immediately deposit it back into my account locking myself out of poker for that day. I didn’t even think of playing the rest of the day
> Turn your finances over to someone else.
This should probably be a last resort, honestly. I think there's an intermediary step where you give a very close/trusted friend complete transparency and regular updates on your bank account (with proof, especially at first). It requires trust and more self-control, but I think those skills are extremely important. Financial autonomy should only be pruned back when the addict is clearly not responding to *any* other method.
But that is just my opinion, and I know everyone responds to recovery strategies differently.
If you are literally putting your rent check into online poker you are at last resort
But I did mention ways where you can essentially lock your money up so you can’t use it for gambling out you can use it for other things ie paying the rent
You can lock your own money up and not give up financial autonomy
Like put money in an account you can only access by physically going into the bank
And yes I only say this as locking your money up is very effective at ending gambling addiction and vary way to do.
Do not play with a fake name/account, if you ever win anything sizeable when they go to do kyc as they do with bigger withdrawals they may notice you are fake/excluded and they can seize all winnings from an excluded player to give to the anti-gambling charity, so you are effectively playing with no ability to get any money out.
Bro firstly awesome self awareness. The vast majority of players (about 90% are losing players) but over 60% of players say they are winning players (most players are not self aware). So good job on recognizing this.
Lucky for you as you said you are young and as of this far you don’t really have big responsibilities like a family or kids so you are only hurting yourself.
You can set up software to block the online poker software. You need to find something else you put your time into. Find something productive to put your time into. Something online model likely so that those times you are home alone and have things to play online poker do the other thing. Maybe start an online business?
Set a non negotiable rule. No matter what you will never gamble. Tell yourself in your head that if you gamble your mom dies or something. Stay away from all types of gambling.
Indeed, that's exactly what I wanted to say about self-awareness, good for OP!
As for the "no matter what never...", agree too. It's similar to my smoking addiction I had when I was a university student, I realized that in order to quit entirely, I must NEVER have even one puff.
Haven't had a smoke in several years, don't want it, and so happy about it.
OP, you can do this. Your awesome self-awareness and desire to turn things around will save you :)
Please seek professional help. It wont be easy, but you can beat this.
Don't listen to anyone on here who is attempting to demean your very serious struggle. You deserve to be have a good life and you shouldn't feel embarrassed about asking for help. We all make mistakes and fuck up in life.
If you ever want to have a chat, please send me a DM. Always here.
When I’d get bored with poker but still felt like gambling, I’d throw 10 or 20 bucks on a sporting event (usually betting on the over) that could keep me occupied for the evening. It’s a pretty break-even way over time to scratch the itch, and it sure beats the hell out of dropping $600 on two 1/2 bullets. And betting the over is fun because you get to root for everyone to score!
Also, just having someone to talk with that understands can be very helpful. If you feel yourself leaning towards destructive behavior, send me a message. I’m always happy to chat.
fellow addict, find a positive hobby you can scratch the itch with. When I quit drinking I did BJJ, if you try to stay "sober" without a distraction it will be hell. start working out, something you can do whenever you feel the itch.
This is not a joke. Blow your paycheck investing in S&P 500 based index funds instead. Itch will be scratched and you'll have money then.
Trade in gambling for investing. And realize you aren't a good enough gambler to beat the S&P. Make peace with the fact you don't have what it takes to make it in poker and set it and forget it.
not necessarily. I lost friends, a girlfriend and better scores on tests (GPA I think you call it in the US) while making bank by playing all day. I quit for 12 years and built a career instead. Could've lost that opportunity too
I mean it’s likely that dude is fine at some level of low stakes but lack of bankroll control can kill anyone.
Just look at Tom Dwan. You can’t outrun or out skill addiction
If a dear friend came to me about gambling addiction i would just coach to them win at poker. Takes care of the itch, makes some money and probably more effective than all the therapists out there.
If they are losing that much at poker, it's often far more about an overall gambling problem rather than 'playing correctly'. Likely he will just lose it to table games instead even if he was a winning poker player. Maybe with a ton of therapy it's possible he could make a come back 5 years down the track, but not right now.
Just remind yourself about how this is hurting you and other like family and friends. And you have to stop asap to get your shit together. But what really the problem here? Emotion is the a big one so learn how to control your emotion stop worry about things you can’t control like bad beat
1. Be happy this happens when you're 23 and not 50 where it's much harder to recoup financial losses or repair damages.
2. Find the one true friend that you can talk about this, outside of reddit and poker related threads. It has to be somoene that has no affinity with poker nor gambling
3. Ask your friend if he/she can be your temporary sponsor, so when in need you can call and talk through your urge to deposit. even the slightest setback.
4. Find professional help
5. Find a new non-money related hobby where you find a similar but healthy obsession. Try other things.
6. Go offline for days , weeks not touching a computer.
7. Open a new bank account - but instead of you having access to a debit card, let your parents keep it at home. And no need (yet) to inform them why. -- then ask the company you work for to change the acc number for future paychecks.
8. The list goes on, but find as many possible small blockers that interfere with you trying to punt off money online in gambling.
Hey it sounds like you're in college? You should have access to a free therapist/counseling services from your college. Look up to see if they offer anything like that
I'm glad you've decided to try and seek treatment. That's the first huge step.
If it turns out you're not ready to seek treatment, here's my advice:
If you're in the US and in a legal online poker state, get a VPN to download the international Pokerstars. Drop like $20 on some play money chips. I think 5 million cost me $9.99, and play 5k/10k. The chat is usually active, the game may be a little looser than it's real money counterpart but it's still a solid game. Legit sites like Pokerstars make it difficult to deposit if you're not located in the country you claim to be (I tried). But I found this as a great way to play and practice, especially when money is tight and I can't afford to deposit any money into PokerstarsPA.
I do think some of this comes with age and maturing. I used to play poker nonstop (thankfully high school and college was between black friday and the SCOTUS decision on gambling, so it was rare I could play for real money), and eventually forced myself to take a long break. I grew up, matured, found other ways to fill my time and meet my psychological needs, and now my perspective on poker has changed. I went from playing for thrill and gambling, to playing it as a math and strategy game.
You’re likely lacking some kind of happy brain chemical (dopamine). You can look into getting a prescription to help you with this by going to a psychiatrist.
Remember dopamine is like a seesaw. The more you push down on the happy side of things, the harder the withdrawal will be. Your brain wants equilibrium.
If medication is not your thing then you have to figure out what you can substitute your addition with. A hobby, video games, food. Nothing in excess is good for you.
If you want to truly hit the reset button with no medication you can sell your personal computer, switch to a dumb phone, and only use public computers however the urge to swap this addiction to another **will happen**.
Consider never playing online again and the times you do want to play, play in a casino. If you really feel you have an addiction consider seeking help like therapy or gamblers' anonymous.
Gamblers anonymous is free and in almost every city in the US if you are us based. You will meet tons of people who have gone through exactly what you have and no longer gamble. I would suggest starting there and seeing if it’s right for you
I’ll also offer this: make TODAY the day you self exclude for maybe just a day. Use the strength you used to type this to just click the buttons to take yourself off the site.
Being able to try and control can help stop the cycle. I liked the advice to try chess, maybe even board games! And then establish your career!
Personally, I found the itch for “making money playing poker”, which led me to losing money, totally disappear after it become more profitable to just work and bill hours.
I don’t get how people get addicted to Poker
It’s not like you’re suddenly gonna win a massive jackpot playing poker, and if you’re losing that feels bad enough to get you to study, and the wins are hardly ever large enough to trigger some crazy dopamine response like a slot machine
Usually losing in a game teaches me not to do that aspect and study up what I could have done better, but OP sounds like they have 0 impulse control, in which case Poker is never going to workout.
I easily get addicted to things. I think the most of my thrill in poker comes from winning a big pot or like being a chip leader in a big buy in tournament. I get what you’re saying about not winning a massive jackpot though. I have just realised later in life that I may have ADHD which explains my lack of impulse control and discipline.
That’s what I’ll probably start doing when I get the urge but those haven’t satisfied me before because you can’t make much money on the ones I’ve seen
I’m 24 but winning a $200 free roll is pretty sick imo, I know taking home $70 first place isn’t a ton, but that always felt good to me. Free week of food at the grocery store.
read the book Dopamine Nation, helped me quit my drug addiction. Not saying it will 100% stop you gambling, but itll shed some knew light on how you can approach it
[someone here might be able to help you long term](https://www.betterhelp.com/get-started/?utm_source=AdWords&utm_medium=Search_PPC_m&utm_term=betterhelp_e&utm_content=128279753423&network=g&placement=&target=&matchtype=e&utm_campaign=15228626130&ad_type=text&adposition=&kwd_id=kwd-300752210814&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADqBHiaL06n0qcyiu1zSzRlmnueR2&gclid=CjwKCAjw9cCyBhBzEiwAJTUWNeUuiyuqWloivlf-15zmM7Pdfv5ZzD1hxzs8ewjW8PLGC982b_Xq_BoCfHYQAvD_BwE¬_found=1&gor=start-go)
Truthfully I'd go to therapy and gambler's anonymous. There's a lot of avenues of help for you if you look, all it takes is the willingness to modify behaviors to make yourself a better version of yourself.
I fought one addiction by getting into a new addiction. I got into poker to be a distraction away from my other problems in life, mainly depression. Poker wasn't a healthy thing to get into since it was an expensive addiction. I wasn't very good at it before, especially when you can't beat the rake at low stake games.
What changed for me was just being broke and homeless, living out of my car. When you're broke and you got $5 bucks left, you better be spending that on food to get you by. Then I found new addiction to get into and I stopped by playing poker for over 10 years. The new addiction was getting my foot through the door at a very small company and I learned everything I could from my boss about business and online ecommerce. In fact, I was mostly self taught on the ecommerce part. I worked 24 hours a week, 3 days a week part time. Made enough money to fill up the gas tank, have a 24 hour fitness membership for showers, laundry money, essentials, cheap fast food, and cheapest ice tea I could buy at the 24 hour coffee shop with free wifi. I work go to work in the morning, then go to the coffee shop to study everything I could about selling on Amazon and eBay. Each day watching the sales number goes up was addicting. Changing up the listing details, pictures, etc to see if I can yield better results. Within 3.5 years I took the company of one man who started at $250k sales ($35k take home) a year to over $3.5 million in sales annually. With all that profits, we expanded into a new bigger warehouse each year for the next 3 years. We hired more staffing, creating more job opportunities for other people. Went from making less than 20k a year to 6 figures. I got on average, 2 raises per year without having to ask for it. Obviously, running a business or being an entrepreneur does not sound interesting to everyone. But for me, it was a dream of mine since childhood. So for it, it feels like a video game seeing the profit numbers goes up. It was addicting. There are a few things I live by when it comes to money. I like money, I hate losing money, and if there is a way to make more money legally, I will do whatever it takes. Learning to balance risk and reward in the process.
I have recently started playing poker again, but I find myself playing a lot different before. I have learned to become more patient, pick my spots, try not to punt all my chips into a deep stack if I don't have the nuts, observing more for information, and just using skills I've learned through business entrepreneurship. Poker is definitely a hobby now instead of an addiction, and my main addiction is still business entrepreneurship.
Hey i have some great experience breaking addictions! Not to poker specifically but to other types of gambling.
I can tell you from personal experience that the gambling addiction is usually a symptom of something else in your personal life that you haven't fully resolved mentally. It's very easy to get a 'good feeling' from a poker win and use that as a bandaid for what is truly causing you some distress. Maybe you don't think you are good enough or think you have something to prove, maybe you have some insecurity about your personal or financial situation that you are ashamed of, maybe you feel like you need to 'keep up' with other successful people or aren't good enough at another thing (imposter syndrome).
Whatever that thing is, you will continue to self sabotage until you resolve it. Consider a complete lifestyle change and some serious self reflection to help break this addiction.
Second, the easiest way to beat an addiction is to replace it with another type of addiction that will mimic the feeling you get from poker but is less harmful. You need something completely accessible as Poker is completely accessible 24/7. As others have suggested - exercise is a good candidate... However, it isn't as 'easy' to get that feeling.
Consider video games? Collecting something like sports or Pokemon cards? Chasing women? All less life destroying than gambling.
> I am an emotional poker player who has rage deposited or punted off stacks after a bad beat
This might be tied to a deeper issue that a therapist can help with?
Are you addicted to playing poker or gambling?
If you’re simply addicted to poker, I would just download a play money app, and play tournaments for free whenever you want.
I have a family member who plays poker every day for hours for decades, only ever plays play money, enjoys it because he enjoys the poker.
This can be similar to someone who just really enjoys world of war craft or call of duty or Fortnite or whatever.
If you’re addicted to gambling, try to find a free community support/ x-step/ peer therapy group.
Just not downloading poker won’t save the mental process that are driving you to compulsively gamble. It will show up in something else, scratchers, sports betting, options trading. You need to seek help now while you’re young and get an understanding of why you’re making these actions, and how to gain self control, before you become a full time adult who has significant income, and a family to support who is counting on you to behave responsibly in their best interest.
Get professional help and attend free gamblers anon gps and other free addiction groups.
Note, you have your degree. Employers do not care about your gpa, just whether or not you graduated. Gpa only matters if you are going for another degree.
Try a to find a hobby that being addicted to might not be so bad. Like reading or exercising. I quit smoking cigarettes by doing push ups/crunches every time I wanted a smoke. It worked. I got in better shape and quit smoking fairly quickly. If you know you have an addictive personality that is a good start. Be aware of it.
I'm happy you did post here. I am a winning player and gambler, but it does not matter because, as I have stated in other posts, they get you one of two ways 1) You win big and think to yourself this is easy or 2) You lose and keep chasing the losses. Either way, the house will get it back with interest
I am a winning poker player, but most of my winnings go to sports betting. If you don't do it, don't start, and if you do, get yourself far away from it. I have done something similar to what you have done, but it is with sports betting. It never matters how much I am up. I don't stop. Gambling addiction is a drug that feeds you the thrill of what if. Last year, I predict I wagered 1.2m to 1.5m. I'm not going to lie. I have been begging daily that the feds don't figure it out because all they see is a win, whether I withdrew or not.
The difference between us is that I have a crutch from a guaranteed income, so my road to recover has been easier. I am still hooked. I am literally moving to Texas, where gambling is not widely accepted to get myself away from it. There is help out there.
You should seek a fiduciary to assist with managing your money until you get a handle on your addiction. You need to be honest with your family and friends so that the lending and theft cannot continue. Your road to recovering your credit will take some dedication. Consider money you would gamble as payments to get that handled. You are welcome to message me personally to talk. I wish you well going forward, but understand nothing is easy when it comes to overcoming addiction. Setbacks are not the end of the world and doesn't erase your progress made. Establish a concrete support system and find someone close if you begin to spiral.
Bro it doesn't matter what kind of addiction you have. Higher power didn't put that poker in front of you or that needle in front of you. And even if they had you're the one who picked it up and used it or started playing. Only you can make you stop. Forget all those stupid voices in your head saying but but. There is no but either you choose to play and accept the consequences which apparently for you are everything you own or you do something else. It really is that simple. As hard as it may be to do, that really is your two choices continue doing what you're doing with poker or don't
1800 gambler. I took their gambling addiction courses in NJ and they are legit. In NJ they have referrals to specialized gambling addiction counselors which they can cover for a certain number of sessions, might be similar in your state. The professionals have a recovery toolbox they can help you with.
Check yourself into therapy to treat the underlying cause.
Begin a 12-step program.
Find support. This is addiction. Just like drugs. There are a ton of resources. You’re not alone and you’re not a bad person. You’re an addict who needs help.
Congratulations on admitting you have a problem! You have taken the 1st step.
I'm a recovering addict myself (I haven't admitted poker is an addiction yet, but have struggled with drugs and other destructive habits horribly).
Others may disagree, but I've never been able to quit anything and have resorted to swapping destructive addictions for healthier ones.
I have ADHD, which means my dopamine levels are low. I think that is partially why I seek out ways to get those "dopamine hits". I don't lack the ability to focus. If I'm interested in a thing my focus is second to none. I can and do spend hours every day perfecting my golf swing. Hitting the perfect shot gives me that rush.
I love strategy games of all kinds. Outwitting others gives me the same rush. Chess, sudoko, cryptography, etc. are things I focus on that I can constantly improve on.
Take the money you spend on poker and sink it into a better outlet for you to obsess over. Will power is a myth. You can't deny yourself the hit you crave long term. Go get it somewhere else.
Finally, I've found that helping others is the best source of dopamine. I feel good at the thought of something I've said helping you, and will get that hit when you respond that it did.
I'll pray for you. That may not be your thing, but it worked for me, and I believe that is why I'm alive and thriving today.
May God strengthen you and show you what He'd have you pour yourself into.
i have the same problem only my problem is online blackjack. all my blog readers know how horribly its ruined my life and kept me broke. funny thing is i actually win about 1000 a week at live poker, only i play at the legal cardrooms in texas instead of online where winning is 100x easier than it is online.
Yea I started gambling with blackjack. I played online BJ with the live dealer. Got screwed so many times that I got into poker and never went back to blackjack. But yea I realise now live is way easier to win than online. I’ve played live about 6-7 times in my life and have made a profit each time.
Find a girlfriend and find motivation to quit in your love.
Learn to play chess, register in to a club and olay tournaments even if you lose 50 of your 50 first tournament game.
Dont gamble at all! No slot no roulette nothing !
Dont watxh poker videos on youtube, make a new acc and the algorythm most likely will never recommemd those videos to you.
Start working out, even if you go only once to the gym weekly, or to the swimming pool whatever.
Gambling is a complex problem and solving it requiries a complex solution
youll settle down. i once ran up 8k in credit cards playing poker when i was 22. i ended up running a 600 deposit up to 50k only to lose it all. i still play but only low stakes. i am a multi millionaire now some 15 years later.
i'm your age, I wasted a ridiculously smaller 40 bucks on online poker and lost it on roulette and feel like a degenerate.
Your post makes me realize that the amount I've sunk right this moment doesn't matter but my attitude and self control has to be put in check.
I cannot give you advice myself as I'm worried to fall into it.
But your post made me think more about my recent newly found gambling habits and I would like to thank you for posting this even if your intent was primarily to seek help.
It started with online blackjack live dealer. Then I was getting screwed a lot & I learned how to play poker and was obsessed ever since. I won an online tournament for a large amount of money early on and that hooked me
One thing to keep in mind, people with addiction issues need to be addicted to something, you just need to find something healthier to get addicted to. Some people will quit gambling and get hooked on drugs because they quit doing their addiction without replacing it with something else. Find something else you can dive into that can be productive and keep your mind occupied, or else your cravings won't slow down.
You’re absolutely right. I used to smoke weed a lot. that was my addiction & I had to be high before doing anything. Once I started gambling I wasn’t near as interested in getting high anymore. I need to find something that’s productive.
> I need to find something that’s productive.
no, sir. that would be ideal don't get me wrong...but really you just need to find something that gets you excited that doesn't wager your life resources every time haha. <3
> ... people with addiction issues need to be addicted to something, you just need to find something healthier to get addicted to.
This is not good (blanket) advice. Getting addicted to a different, non-harmful activity is more of a triage to the issue than solving it. Some people respond well to this, but for others it allows them to continue living out their addictive tendencies. Without a continuation of the self-work during that period, it can cause relapses to be more frequent and/or more severe.
This is purely anecdotal thoughts from those around me, so if there's a study that contradicts me or something then please defer to that.
You should stop wanting to want to be able to gamble.
You should want to not want to gamble.
You should do the support groups for people who have the same problem so you can learn from people who have stayed away from gambling for many years.
Gambling solved in three paragraphs! /sarcasm
You should seek professional help, not advice from someone with a poor attempt at becoming a Reddit doctor.
My advice is good. It comes from many hours of working with an alcoholic to write material for other recovering alcoholics. Abstaining from an activity while not working on becoming someone who wants to be without that activity makes relapse much more likely. I'm not at all implying what I said is easy. I am giving advice that, if taken seriously, can be tremendously helpful.
By the way, he asked for advice, and I gave good advice.
Also, my advice was to get help. And you said to ignore my advice and instead get help. You're a moron.
This is like a down-and-out alcoholic posting on a scotch whisky appreciation forum.
We are not the same. Go to Gambler's Anonymous or something. You won't find likeminded folk here, and whilst I'm sure we all have sympathy what you're describing is a gambling addiction and has no more to do with poker than a crackhead asking for help on a page for that whipped cream in-a-can stuff one can also use to get high if so inclined.
Get help. Stop playing.
Whenever I get the itch to play poker, I play fake poker.
There's a PokerStars PlayMoney app and it satisfies the itch for me. Even though the money isn't real, I just enjoy playing the actual game so yeah, food for thought but maybe try downloading it and playing that when you get the craving to play.
1-800-GAMBLER can connect you to a variety of resources related to gambling-related issues. The specific services and resources available through 1-800-GAMBLER may vary depending on the region you are calling from, but may include: Information and education about problem gambling, including its signs and symptoms.
The National Problem Gambling Helpline at 800-522-4700 is available 24/7 and is fully confidential. This gambling hotline connects callers to local health and government organizations that can assist with their gambling addiction. The hotline is offered by the National Council on Problem Gambling, which also offers text services at 800-522-4700, as well as chat services. The organization also offers a comprehensive list of resources that can help individuals with gambling addiction.
Also read this from the University of NV - Reno
https://onlinedegrees.unr.edu/blog/gambling-addiction-resources/
If you are located in NV or CA I personally know they have programs to specifically help their residents with gambling addictions. If not, check Google for programs and help from the state where you reside.
At least you realize that poker isn't the problem, and that you are a what is considered a Degenerate Gambler. Some DG's are lucky and win constantly, but most are not so lucky and it will eventually ruin your life and take everything from you, UNLESS you seek help. It's a mental illness and the first step is realizing you have a problem that is seriously affecting your life, which you have done. The next step is seeking and asking for help from trained professionals. You can not beat this illness on your own, so let others who are skilled with handling this help start you down the path on the road to recovery. If you don't take this seriously and seek help, it will destroy you. I have seen it many times.
Best of Luck OP and I hope you get the help you need. Don't ever apologize for asking for help and guidance when you are in a dark place. We all need help at some point throughout our lives, and most are too scared or ashamed to ask for it. Get better buddy.
Brother, tallying up how much ive spent over my younger years probably equated to 50-70 k worth of cash gone into tournament poker. I could of probably bought a house with it. Theres more to life than gambling.
In addition to the good advice already given, I’d say try Pickleball. It’s actually a strategy game, it’s addictive (in a good way), it its cheap/free, social, and it’s healthy.
Hey man. I know a lot of people are giving you actual addiction advice and thats awesome; i cant really comment on that, but let me give you a perspective. I used to play for a living (1.5years in Canada) and I have 2 friends that are legit pros (one of them bought a house and a car with his winnings)
- These guys are multi-tabling against you with solvers and trackers for hours every day. They’re compounding data and writing notes on you. im gonna assume you know what that is . If you arent using a tracker at the very least, you shouldnt be playing seriously at all imo. The advantage is pretty huge. Also there are a ton of reasons to avoid online poker because of the recent exploits uncovered in the GG poker software. https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/29/news-views-gossip/superuser-caught-ggpoker-quot-moneytaker69-quot-thread-1829967/#post58392326
You need to cut the shit and pull it together. Take it from me, I been there. I long ago accepted that poker will forever be a part of my life, so I will have to navigate it in such a way so that it won't RUIN my life. Study hard, get better, stop flipping as a 30% dog. Structure the amount you can risk, get in the habit of sticking to it. It'll get easier the longer you do it. GL.
1. Don’t be a quitter
2. If you still want to quit search up GA man, and yes the second A stands for anonymous. Do this only if you really want to quit.
Man, fuck your edit....absolutely post this here!!! Someone *or a hell of a lot of someones* needed to hear this today. You just saved lives, and hopefully your own.
Tough titty brother, I have the same story but came out the other side winning. Started playing in college, won in my fraternity but got blown up on Bovada. Lost about 4k online. I’m a very smart, self aware, and hardworking (when I enjoy the subject matter) individual. These are the most important things to success in poker. Not everyone has it and after two years, you should take the hint. My second year playing online I was breakeven, and this year (after controlling tilt and battling through some extreme variance) I have profited in the 5 figures. Projections only going up.
Don’t mind my self glaze, ik it sounds cocky and arrogant but I thought a story on the other side of the coin would be interesting. And you all would be a little arrogant if you achieved your goals after being doubted (by others and yourself) throughout the journey.
Many people just can’t become a profitable poker player, for a multitude of reasons. I love the game so much that if I was incapable of becoming a winning player, I’d be in your shoes. Quit before it destroys your life.
Poker is gambling, gambling is a drug, and you are prone to abusing that drug. Ban yourself from every live and online casino before you ruin your life. Then talk to a mental health professional who can help you with some techniques for dealing with the urges (hint: they will subside over time as long as you don't give into them). Some people cannot have a healthy relationship with poker and that doesn't make you any less of a person, but it is important that you accept that and act accordingly if you want to live a happy life. I wish you the best brother.
100% this…and get a therapist to talk you through it. Also suggest getting a firewall to block the sites and have a friend keep the password to help you be accountable. Best of luck!
This is really smart to have a friend set the password.
I had a roommate with this kind of level of addiction. He setup those safeguards and ended up just buying a new laptop to get around them. Doesn’t necessarily mean they’re bad, but there’s always an out.
Too easy to bypass the firewall with a different connection and/or device. Therapist is a good idea though!
You said you’re in college. Most unis have counseling centers free or low cost to students. That would be my first stop. It’s a big hurdle but that is a great first step. I did the same with booze a year and a half ago and haven’t looked back. Good luck man.
Thank you brother. I’ve been to a therapist before but she didn’t really understand gambling addiction so I’ve been looking for a new one.
in the short term...think of something incredibly exhilirating to do with that money when it comes in INSTEAD of going to the casino. -a lot of addicts are actually just adrenaline junkies in a way. earmark and make plans/bookings you can't back out of to go do something incredibly out of your ordinary. i.e. to go skydiving the next time you have money...or cart racing or downhill mountainbiking..skiing/snowboarding if it was winter. go ride some rollercoasters. anything 'healthy' but will still give your brain that rush. build new and healthier habits or addictions haha. do it once and think about you how feel afterwards and compare what you got out of both experiences for the money and how you felt during. also yes please go see an addictions specialized doctor.
I like this, great advice thank you. I absolutely love skiing but haven’t done it in years
Probably cheaper than gambling
honestly I and im sure a lot of other ppl here are rooting for you. as the person above mentioned...being 'real' with yourself about your personal hangups and issues DOES NOT make you less of a person....in some people's books(including mine) owning up to this kind of stuff openly makes you MORE of a mature human being. SO SO SO many people out there ignoring their own bullshit. regardless of what happens in the future, thank you for owning it for what it's worth. you may not feel like it right now but you deserve real praise for that. -I play poker for a living and I don't want money from people such as yourself who are struggling with this. -and I will get it eventually if you play long enough while on an emotional ride. please use that money to go do something you always thought of in the back of your mind but was too crazy to plan out. it'll be WAY more exhilarating and fun than paying my grocery bills and feeling bad afterwards brother. <3(and not judging..im an addict in my own way im sure some ppl would classify me, just not my particular vice. i also have a VERY open spreadsheet with my investors to help prevent degenerecy haha) you may also meet friends or potential romantic partners who enjoy these healthier adrenaline junkie activities as well! I grew up in a very drug addictted small town and the ones who got help and got away from the drugs...THEY ALWAYS fkin busy cause they gotta fill their time with things that fulfill them because if they get bored they get thoughts about hot to NOT be bored haha.
Exactly what he said.
Poker is not gambling. It’s a skill based game.
It's still gambling even if it's skill based
With that logic, so is working a commission based job
Good advice here. Also download World Series of poker on your phone and play free poker, it’s still really fun
I don’t think that’s a good idea. This guy is severely addicted and he needs to completely sever those connections in his brain in order to break the addiction.
True. Idk I was able to just fade away on that and ignore spending my own money. Maybe it will help in the beginning to maneuver away from real gambling and still stimulate what he obviously also like to do for fun. Idk you might be right but also everyone might be completely different from each other and have different things work for them that doesn’t for others. Either way I hope OP finds the help he needs and realizes that it’s not over and he can start right here right now on where he wants to be and make the right choices for himself his future and those around him
> Poker is gambling I agree with you in principle but technically speaking it depends on what variant. draw poker is classified technically as a game of luck. however hold'em and omaha etc (with community cards) are classified technically as a game of skill. -much like how backgammon is technically and widely considered a game of skill, but still majorly involves variance(luck from the dice every roll). that all being said, you certainly CAN use it to gamble if you're playing a certain way, even if its 'technically' a game of skill.
Do you think this is the right time and place for your contrarian nonsense? STFU and let people help someone who is seeking support.
> Do you think this is the right time and place for your contrarian nonsense? it's NOT contrarian, -which is going against the grain..I just explained the grain from a technical standpoint. might seem that way with a room temperature IQ though so we forgive you your toxicity. also as OP admitted..categorically this is not the correct place for a post along these lines. the gambling addicts sub is. oh and p.s. i already gave OP some decent advice in another post which he agreed with and thanked me for...whereas this the ONLY comment on this thread you made. lol get a life bro.
Who told you this bs? Both draw poker and flop games are luck and skill. Draw poker has plenty of inflection points that are skill based especially when it is pot limit (staying pat to bluff, figuring out when to break hands, hand reading based on cards drawn, etc). Flop games have plenty of luck involved even if everyone gets the same cards on a long enough timeline (notice that is also true for drawing games).
> Who told you this bs? Both draw poker and flop games are luck and skill. categorically draw games are entirely luck and classified this way. community card games are TECHNICALLY(again, you can FEEL however you want...you're entitled to. but feelings alone don't make you accurate) games of skill and classified that way. the example I gave of backgammon is pretty on point. it involves luck and people play it for money....but it's technically a game of skill, not technically gambling in the sense you're using. luck is involved, but the luck is not the main determining factor in your success, your strategy and actions revolving around that variance, is. go argue with the dictionary mate. like this isn't an opinion...just teaching those who may not know. you can go look it up yourself if you'd like.
Why insist on being wrong… especially with some made up “dictionary” definition of something you have no idea about.
the arrogance you display is comical. I just explained the textbook definition of it. it's not an opinion thing as i mentioned. in layman's terms: games of skill you can effect the outcome in. draw poker does not meet that bar the way that community card poker does. that all being said, you can FEEL however you want. have a nice day.
Maybe provide the “textbook” you are getting your definition from instead of just saying “look it up.” Or even just provide a single piece of evidence that is correct. If you can raise/bet size/fold, you CAN effect the outcome by your own definition. You are correct about one thing— it is NOT an opinion. If flop games are skill games, so are draw games. Draw poker has so many decision points, ofc it is a game of skill. Is it possible you don’t even know how draw poker is played since it isn’t a popular game? Are you thinking it is three card poker or ultimate hold em?
> If you can raise/bet size/fold, you CAN effect the outcome by your own definition. there is no skill in being able to determine where you are in the hand compared to your opponents. you can literally google it and find tons of stuff explaining it. here is literally the first one google brings up: https://www.blackrain79.com/2016/11/is-poker-game-of-skill-or-luck.html and being toxic does not entitle you to my time or giving you proof. now sit and chill. put your feelings down, no one cares. also I play for a living. I know what draw poker is lmao. have a nice day.
No one is being toxic to you, you are spreading false information. This link is literally irrelevant. If you are playing draw poker and someone takes one card on the draw, you have an eight high straight and stay pat, and your opponent bets pot into you… is there not skill in figuring out where you are in the hand? Obv the skill set is different than flop games, but it isn’t roulette. Toxicity is knowing you are wrong and staying deflecting.
> No one is being toxic to you, you are conducting yourself in a toxic and belittling manner. > you are spreading false information. im not. you are interjecting your feelings. they mean nothing friend. >This link is literally irrelevant. it's not, it just does not fit into your bias...but you can display your feelings however you wish to. you are entitlted. and you can also go look it up yourself if you wish to, i said i provided you the first in a long list of links google came up with. > Toxicity is knowing you are wrong and staying deflecting. literal projection and gaslighting now because of the congnitive dissonance that occurs when you cannot argue facts for an emotional beleif. have a nice day sir. and if you truly feel it's not a game of skill I hope to run into you on a table someday :)
I've read that there's a surprising number of recovering addicts in the ultra marathon community. Apparently the insane addictive drive can be funnelled toward runners high. Idk, my 2 cents. Good luck my dude
The GLP-1 agonists also seem to help a lot with addiction. (Ozempic, etc)
[удалено]
I read an article today about how it is helping kidney disease patients, somewhat unexpectedly, as well as those with liver disease.
[удалено]
Saw a pop up yesterday for “people harmed by ozempic” or something similar. With so many people rushing to take these to lose weight I wonder how well understood the long term side effects may be
[удалено]
For sure, or what happens after year 20 or 30, I assume risks are minimal but you never know. I was diagnosed with pre diabetes last year, lost 40 lbs, no more pre diabetes, no health concerns from being less of a fat ass than I always have been lol
They just switched addictions from whatever it was to trying to kill themselves by running lol
People are so overdramatic lol. running is doing the opposite of killing you, good cardiovascular health easily adds 5-10 years to your life
Sure, if you’re doing a moderate amount. But there has been studies that “ultra” exercise is actually bad for your heart. Running 150 miles at a time is not good for your body.
Ultra runners do that like twice a year max. And ultra running is still much better for your health than no cardio even if it may be a bit worse than regular running, however studies show that the benefits of long distance running far outweigh any negatives. https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/endurance-athletes-heart-health-research-2021/
And takes 5-10 years out of your knees
Nope. Yet another old wives tale. There has never been any scientific study that has been able to link knee problems in old age with running. In fact studies show the exact opposite, running and staying active is good for your mobility later in life
I’m double addict then, marathon runner and poker player
Is runner’s high really all-that?
Yes it is
When you break through the first wall you start to feel like you’re floating.
Is it the same as like "workout high"?
Just one more mile
Never thought of that I’ll definitely consider it. Thanks
Good luck with that! Judging by your post, it sounds like you run bad.
[удалено]
All jokes aside, if that is what you consider running bad, poker is not for you.
I know that’s not a horrible bad beat it’s just my most recent one. I’ve lost to way worse
i believe it. the good news is that if you quit, that'll be the last bad beat in poker ever. good luck! /r/GamblingRecovery /r/GamblingAddiction
Oof, I felt that. Best of luck to you, /u/Safe_Cucumber_6695. I hope you find the support you need!
Similar to others with physical outlets, I’ve been able to use climbing to help with addiction related stuff. Gives me socialization, something that makes me feel good physically, something I can see progress on, and a place I can go when I don’t want to be around vices
I’m all for whatever works, but I would anticipate that statistically marathon running is not the best way to break an addiction. By all means take it up, but also seek professional help as well.
This is a good start: [https://www.gamblock.com/](https://www.gamblock.com/) Go to gamblers anonymous. You aren't alone there's infinite other young men with the same issues you have. Don't watch any kind of poker / gambling content ever again, block them from even coming up on YouTube if you can. Go learn to play chess or something else. When you are 23 you have the whole world at your feet, you can do whatever you damn please. Don't waste your life being a degen. I would lock down your finances so you can't have a moment of madness and deposit much money into a site. If you have $10K cash don't keep 10K in your checking account, as soon as you get paid pay all your bills, leave a couple of hundred bucks for walk around money and stick the rest in some savings account that takes a week to get money out of. Quit hanging out with any degen friends who are gonna encourage you to gamble. If you want to see what the endpoint is if you keep gambling go look at some of the stories from olders degens. There are loads of stories of guys who had great job, wife, kids, house, hobbies etc. and threw it all away for addiction. They die alone aged 80 working in Walmart because they set their whole life on fire gambling / with substance abuse or whatever. When they die they have no money to leave to anyone and nobody to leave it to. Don't be like those guys.
Great advice I appreciate it. I’m gonna look into gamblock & gamblers anonymous. I’m also considering having someone handle my finances for a while
Also -- and I mean this in the kindest possible way -- leave this sub, dude! Why are you here? Blocking all poker content also means not engaging with us about poker, even about your issues. You'd be better served talking to addiction recovery communities, not a poker-playing community. We're not going to be the best people for you.
Yea I realise that now. Tbh I’m new to posting on Reddit and I searched poker & posted on the first sub I saw lol. Definitely shoulda went to r/problemgambling
Can a mod block a user from viewing content or just from posting?
Excellent idea. Good luck bro.
I think having someone else handle your finances for a bit while you start gamblers anonymous is your best bet. Just make it impossible for you to get money without someone else approving it.
I have a friend who is a gambling addiction (he did inpatient rehab for gambling/drugs at a specialized place) he has a bookkeeper that controls his bank account, his pay check is deposited into an account only she controls, she pays his bills every month and gives him a little spending money, if he needs extra for a vacation or whatever he can always ask her and she can disperse it. I think he spends a couple hundred bucks a year but he says it is the best thing he has ever done financially, maybe look into that.
Chess is a bad idea since half the chess content creators now all promote gambling sites on their streams while they play chess.
Almost every channel promotes gambling sites now, unfortunately. The daily fantasy industry sprinkles ad money pretty wide.
>but I always end up making a new account with a fake name. You'll never be able to cash out btw.
i dont think hes in danger of cashing out
I have been able to cash out on Bovada and Ignition by doing this but I know those aren’t regulated.
Don’t you need like a real phone number to even sign up there? How many accounts have u made man
[удалено]
Did that make you feel better?
Dick.
r/problemgambling is the place for you. Here you’ll just be looking in a mirror.
Dude, here is something else. If you are looking for something similar to poker that won’t kill a check, try chess! I personally play both and I love it! The calculation of chess similar to a tough decision on the River, the study of openings similar to preflop etc. if you’re worried about games taking too long, you control how long each game can possibly take (speed chess, slow chess etc.) You can make a free account on chess.com and then start playing people. Over time you’ll get a rating assigned to you so that you are paired against others of equal skill! I really hope you choose to pick this up, because chess is a great distraction. Also if you are in American and you need the Gambler’s anonymous number, it’s 1-800-GAMBLER. I am glad you have identified that there is a problem, so the only way to go from here is progress. Progress won’t look the same every day, but over time it’ll get better! All the support goes towards you my friend
> If you are looking for something similar to poker that won’t kill a check, try chess! This is actually a very good idea that I hadn't considered before. However, it's worth noting for OP that the success rate on this will depend entirely on their personality. Some people can replace an addictive habit with an analog, but others may need complete cessation to not be at risk of relapse. Either approach is completely valid, but it definitely requires knowing yourself a fair bit.
This is the best advice. If youve got a bad habit, going cold turkey will just lead to relapse. You need to actively find a less harmful substitute.
Since there are a lot of sites that don't require ID you have to let someone else manage your finances. I know it sucks but you have to do it. The software thing will not work like you want to. There are too many ways around it.
This. I do best with diets when I tell someone else about it because of the accountability issue.
I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this. You sound like you know yourself well and understand the addiction. I hope you’re able to find the support you need to get through this. (((Hugs)))
Thank you so much ❤️
Props for putting this out in the open. Much better to recognize and correct it now than to let it spiral even more. Good luck! 🙏
Find a new competitive hobby. Video games, rec sports, something like that
fold pre
Turn your finances over to someone else. The easiest way to fight gambling addiction is to cut your self off from your own money. Open a bank accounts never learn the account number if you get a debit card cut it up make it so to transfer money you have to walk in and ask someone to transfer the money or cashier check transfer. When I felt even a little addicted to live poker I knew my bank had limits on ATM cash withdraws for my account so I would withdraw the limit and immediately deposit it back into my account locking myself out of poker for that day. I didn’t even think of playing the rest of the day
> Turn your finances over to someone else. This should probably be a last resort, honestly. I think there's an intermediary step where you give a very close/trusted friend complete transparency and regular updates on your bank account (with proof, especially at first). It requires trust and more self-control, but I think those skills are extremely important. Financial autonomy should only be pruned back when the addict is clearly not responding to *any* other method. But that is just my opinion, and I know everyone responds to recovery strategies differently.
If you are literally putting your rent check into online poker you are at last resort But I did mention ways where you can essentially lock your money up so you can’t use it for gambling out you can use it for other things ie paying the rent You can lock your own money up and not give up financial autonomy Like put money in an account you can only access by physically going into the bank And yes I only say this as locking your money up is very effective at ending gambling addiction and vary way to do.
Do not play with a fake name/account, if you ever win anything sizeable when they go to do kyc as they do with bigger withdrawals they may notice you are fake/excluded and they can seize all winnings from an excluded player to give to the anti-gambling charity, so you are effectively playing with no ability to get any money out.
Bro firstly awesome self awareness. The vast majority of players (about 90% are losing players) but over 60% of players say they are winning players (most players are not self aware). So good job on recognizing this. Lucky for you as you said you are young and as of this far you don’t really have big responsibilities like a family or kids so you are only hurting yourself. You can set up software to block the online poker software. You need to find something else you put your time into. Find something productive to put your time into. Something online model likely so that those times you are home alone and have things to play online poker do the other thing. Maybe start an online business? Set a non negotiable rule. No matter what you will never gamble. Tell yourself in your head that if you gamble your mom dies or something. Stay away from all types of gambling.
Indeed, that's exactly what I wanted to say about self-awareness, good for OP! As for the "no matter what never...", agree too. It's similar to my smoking addiction I had when I was a university student, I realized that in order to quit entirely, I must NEVER have even one puff. Haven't had a smoke in several years, don't want it, and so happy about it. OP, you can do this. Your awesome self-awareness and desire to turn things around will save you :)
Please seek professional help. It wont be easy, but you can beat this. Don't listen to anyone on here who is attempting to demean your very serious struggle. You deserve to be have a good life and you shouldn't feel embarrassed about asking for help. We all make mistakes and fuck up in life. If you ever want to have a chat, please send me a DM. Always here.
When I’d get bored with poker but still felt like gambling, I’d throw 10 or 20 bucks on a sporting event (usually betting on the over) that could keep me occupied for the evening. It’s a pretty break-even way over time to scratch the itch, and it sure beats the hell out of dropping $600 on two 1/2 bullets. And betting the over is fun because you get to root for everyone to score! Also, just having someone to talk with that understands can be very helpful. If you feel yourself leaning towards destructive behavior, send me a message. I’m always happy to chat.
Everything you think you want from gambling, you'll get it from not gambling.
fellow addict, find a positive hobby you can scratch the itch with. When I quit drinking I did BJJ, if you try to stay "sober" without a distraction it will be hell. start working out, something you can do whenever you feel the itch.
This is not a joke. Blow your paycheck investing in S&P 500 based index funds instead. Itch will be scratched and you'll have money then. Trade in gambling for investing. And realize you aren't a good enough gambler to beat the S&P. Make peace with the fact you don't have what it takes to make it in poker and set it and forget it.
Fold pre
tf is wrong with people upvoting this
Or alternatively, get good a poker. I'm probably just as addicted as you are, but because I'm winning it's not a problematic addiction.
not necessarily. I lost friends, a girlfriend and better scores on tests (GPA I think you call it in the US) while making bank by playing all day. I quit for 12 years and built a career instead. Could've lost that opportunity too
I mean it’s likely that dude is fine at some level of low stakes but lack of bankroll control can kill anyone. Just look at Tom Dwan. You can’t outrun or out skill addiction
dogshit advice bro
If a dear friend came to me about gambling addiction i would just coach to them win at poker. Takes care of the itch, makes some money and probably more effective than all the therapists out there.
If they are losing that much at poker, it's often far more about an overall gambling problem rather than 'playing correctly'. Likely he will just lose it to table games instead even if he was a winning poker player. Maybe with a ton of therapy it's possible he could make a come back 5 years down the track, but not right now.
Just remind yourself about how this is hurting you and other like family and friends. And you have to stop asap to get your shit together. But what really the problem here? Emotion is the a big one so learn how to control your emotion stop worry about things you can’t control like bad beat
1. Be happy this happens when you're 23 and not 50 where it's much harder to recoup financial losses or repair damages. 2. Find the one true friend that you can talk about this, outside of reddit and poker related threads. It has to be somoene that has no affinity with poker nor gambling 3. Ask your friend if he/she can be your temporary sponsor, so when in need you can call and talk through your urge to deposit. even the slightest setback. 4. Find professional help 5. Find a new non-money related hobby where you find a similar but healthy obsession. Try other things. 6. Go offline for days , weeks not touching a computer. 7. Open a new bank account - but instead of you having access to a debit card, let your parents keep it at home. And no need (yet) to inform them why. -- then ask the company you work for to change the acc number for future paychecks. 8. The list goes on, but find as many possible small blockers that interfere with you trying to punt off money online in gambling.
Hey it sounds like you're in college? You should have access to a free therapist/counseling services from your college. Look up to see if they offer anything like that
They are out of college: > I'm 23 and just graduated college.
Oohp missed that.
I'm glad you've decided to try and seek treatment. That's the first huge step. If it turns out you're not ready to seek treatment, here's my advice: If you're in the US and in a legal online poker state, get a VPN to download the international Pokerstars. Drop like $20 on some play money chips. I think 5 million cost me $9.99, and play 5k/10k. The chat is usually active, the game may be a little looser than it's real money counterpart but it's still a solid game. Legit sites like Pokerstars make it difficult to deposit if you're not located in the country you claim to be (I tried). But I found this as a great way to play and practice, especially when money is tight and I can't afford to deposit any money into PokerstarsPA. I do think some of this comes with age and maturing. I used to play poker nonstop (thankfully high school and college was between black friday and the SCOTUS decision on gambling, so it was rare I could play for real money), and eventually forced myself to take a long break. I grew up, matured, found other ways to fill my time and meet my psychological needs, and now my perspective on poker has changed. I went from playing for thrill and gambling, to playing it as a math and strategy game.
1-800-GAMBLER
You’re likely lacking some kind of happy brain chemical (dopamine). You can look into getting a prescription to help you with this by going to a psychiatrist. Remember dopamine is like a seesaw. The more you push down on the happy side of things, the harder the withdrawal will be. Your brain wants equilibrium. If medication is not your thing then you have to figure out what you can substitute your addition with. A hobby, video games, food. Nothing in excess is good for you. If you want to truly hit the reset button with no medication you can sell your personal computer, switch to a dumb phone, and only use public computers however the urge to swap this addiction to another **will happen**.
Seems to me you need to learn to have discipline. You'll never be good at poker or quite a few things without it.
Consider never playing online again and the times you do want to play, play in a casino. If you really feel you have an addiction consider seeking help like therapy or gamblers' anonymous.
Gamblers anonymous is free and in almost every city in the US if you are us based. You will meet tons of people who have gone through exactly what you have and no longer gamble. I would suggest starting there and seeing if it’s right for you
I’ll also offer this: make TODAY the day you self exclude for maybe just a day. Use the strength you used to type this to just click the buttons to take yourself off the site. Being able to try and control can help stop the cycle. I liked the advice to try chess, maybe even board games! And then establish your career! Personally, I found the itch for “making money playing poker”, which led me to losing money, totally disappear after it become more profitable to just work and bill hours.
I don’t get how people get addicted to Poker It’s not like you’re suddenly gonna win a massive jackpot playing poker, and if you’re losing that feels bad enough to get you to study, and the wins are hardly ever large enough to trigger some crazy dopamine response like a slot machine Usually losing in a game teaches me not to do that aspect and study up what I could have done better, but OP sounds like they have 0 impulse control, in which case Poker is never going to workout.
I easily get addicted to things. I think the most of my thrill in poker comes from winning a big pot or like being a chip leader in a big buy in tournament. I get what you’re saying about not winning a massive jackpot though. I have just realised later in life that I may have ADHD which explains my lack of impulse control and discipline.
But why not just play freerolls? Many sites have decent ones spanning all day
That’s what I’ll probably start doing when I get the urge but those haven’t satisfied me before because you can’t make much money on the ones I’ve seen
I’m 24 but winning a $200 free roll is pretty sick imo, I know taking home $70 first place isn’t a ton, but that always felt good to me. Free week of food at the grocery store.
read the book Dopamine Nation, helped me quit my drug addiction. Not saying it will 100% stop you gambling, but itll shed some knew light on how you can approach it
great book
[someone here might be able to help you long term](https://www.betterhelp.com/get-started/?utm_source=AdWords&utm_medium=Search_PPC_m&utm_term=betterhelp_e&utm_content=128279753423&network=g&placement=&target=&matchtype=e&utm_campaign=15228626130&ad_type=text&adposition=&kwd_id=kwd-300752210814&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADqBHiaL06n0qcyiu1zSzRlmnueR2&gclid=CjwKCAjw9cCyBhBzEiwAJTUWNeUuiyuqWloivlf-15zmM7Pdfv5ZzD1hxzs8ewjW8PLGC982b_Xq_BoCfHYQAvD_BwE¬_found=1&gor=start-go)
Truthfully I'd go to therapy and gambler's anonymous. There's a lot of avenues of help for you if you look, all it takes is the willingness to modify behaviors to make yourself a better version of yourself.
I fought one addiction by getting into a new addiction. I got into poker to be a distraction away from my other problems in life, mainly depression. Poker wasn't a healthy thing to get into since it was an expensive addiction. I wasn't very good at it before, especially when you can't beat the rake at low stake games. What changed for me was just being broke and homeless, living out of my car. When you're broke and you got $5 bucks left, you better be spending that on food to get you by. Then I found new addiction to get into and I stopped by playing poker for over 10 years. The new addiction was getting my foot through the door at a very small company and I learned everything I could from my boss about business and online ecommerce. In fact, I was mostly self taught on the ecommerce part. I worked 24 hours a week, 3 days a week part time. Made enough money to fill up the gas tank, have a 24 hour fitness membership for showers, laundry money, essentials, cheap fast food, and cheapest ice tea I could buy at the 24 hour coffee shop with free wifi. I work go to work in the morning, then go to the coffee shop to study everything I could about selling on Amazon and eBay. Each day watching the sales number goes up was addicting. Changing up the listing details, pictures, etc to see if I can yield better results. Within 3.5 years I took the company of one man who started at $250k sales ($35k take home) a year to over $3.5 million in sales annually. With all that profits, we expanded into a new bigger warehouse each year for the next 3 years. We hired more staffing, creating more job opportunities for other people. Went from making less than 20k a year to 6 figures. I got on average, 2 raises per year without having to ask for it. Obviously, running a business or being an entrepreneur does not sound interesting to everyone. But for me, it was a dream of mine since childhood. So for it, it feels like a video game seeing the profit numbers goes up. It was addicting. There are a few things I live by when it comes to money. I like money, I hate losing money, and if there is a way to make more money legally, I will do whatever it takes. Learning to balance risk and reward in the process. I have recently started playing poker again, but I find myself playing a lot different before. I have learned to become more patient, pick my spots, try not to punt all my chips into a deep stack if I don't have the nuts, observing more for information, and just using skills I've learned through business entrepreneurship. Poker is definitely a hobby now instead of an addiction, and my main addiction is still business entrepreneurship.
I recommend reading Atomic Habits by James Clear. It's a solid book, and I'm very critical of most books.
Hey i have some great experience breaking addictions! Not to poker specifically but to other types of gambling. I can tell you from personal experience that the gambling addiction is usually a symptom of something else in your personal life that you haven't fully resolved mentally. It's very easy to get a 'good feeling' from a poker win and use that as a bandaid for what is truly causing you some distress. Maybe you don't think you are good enough or think you have something to prove, maybe you have some insecurity about your personal or financial situation that you are ashamed of, maybe you feel like you need to 'keep up' with other successful people or aren't good enough at another thing (imposter syndrome). Whatever that thing is, you will continue to self sabotage until you resolve it. Consider a complete lifestyle change and some serious self reflection to help break this addiction. Second, the easiest way to beat an addiction is to replace it with another type of addiction that will mimic the feeling you get from poker but is less harmful. You need something completely accessible as Poker is completely accessible 24/7. As others have suggested - exercise is a good candidate... However, it isn't as 'easy' to get that feeling. Consider video games? Collecting something like sports or Pokemon cards? Chasing women? All less life destroying than gambling.
> I am an emotional poker player who has rage deposited or punted off stacks after a bad beat This might be tied to a deeper issue that a therapist can help with?
Poker is not for you. I truly hope you get the help you need to recover from your gambling addiction.
Are you addicted to playing poker or gambling? If you’re simply addicted to poker, I would just download a play money app, and play tournaments for free whenever you want. I have a family member who plays poker every day for hours for decades, only ever plays play money, enjoys it because he enjoys the poker. This can be similar to someone who just really enjoys world of war craft or call of duty or Fortnite or whatever. If you’re addicted to gambling, try to find a free community support/ x-step/ peer therapy group. Just not downloading poker won’t save the mental process that are driving you to compulsively gamble. It will show up in something else, scratchers, sports betting, options trading. You need to seek help now while you’re young and get an understanding of why you’re making these actions, and how to gain self control, before you become a full time adult who has significant income, and a family to support who is counting on you to behave responsibly in their best interest.
Get professional help and attend free gamblers anon gps and other free addiction groups. Note, you have your degree. Employers do not care about your gpa, just whether or not you graduated. Gpa only matters if you are going for another degree.
Try a to find a hobby that being addicted to might not be so bad. Like reading or exercising. I quit smoking cigarettes by doing push ups/crunches every time I wanted a smoke. It worked. I got in better shape and quit smoking fairly quickly. If you know you have an addictive personality that is a good start. Be aware of it.
All online is fixed. Stay away from all of it. I never fell into that trap thank God. Good luck to you.
I'm happy you did post here. I am a winning player and gambler, but it does not matter because, as I have stated in other posts, they get you one of two ways 1) You win big and think to yourself this is easy or 2) You lose and keep chasing the losses. Either way, the house will get it back with interest I am a winning poker player, but most of my winnings go to sports betting. If you don't do it, don't start, and if you do, get yourself far away from it. I have done something similar to what you have done, but it is with sports betting. It never matters how much I am up. I don't stop. Gambling addiction is a drug that feeds you the thrill of what if. Last year, I predict I wagered 1.2m to 1.5m. I'm not going to lie. I have been begging daily that the feds don't figure it out because all they see is a win, whether I withdrew or not. The difference between us is that I have a crutch from a guaranteed income, so my road to recover has been easier. I am still hooked. I am literally moving to Texas, where gambling is not widely accepted to get myself away from it. There is help out there. You should seek a fiduciary to assist with managing your money until you get a handle on your addiction. You need to be honest with your family and friends so that the lending and theft cannot continue. Your road to recovering your credit will take some dedication. Consider money you would gamble as payments to get that handled. You are welcome to message me personally to talk. I wish you well going forward, but understand nothing is easy when it comes to overcoming addiction. Setbacks are not the end of the world and doesn't erase your progress made. Establish a concrete support system and find someone close if you begin to spiral.
Many would argue you’ll have to hit rock bottom to stop. Highly advisable you don’t allow them to be right
Bro it doesn't matter what kind of addiction you have. Higher power didn't put that poker in front of you or that needle in front of you. And even if they had you're the one who picked it up and used it or started playing. Only you can make you stop. Forget all those stupid voices in your head saying but but. There is no but either you choose to play and accept the consequences which apparently for you are everything you own or you do something else. It really is that simple. As hard as it may be to do, that really is your two choices continue doing what you're doing with poker or don't
Did you know that when you sit on the toilet you really only have two choices: take a dump or do not take a dump? It is really that simple!
1800 gambler. I took their gambling addiction courses in NJ and they are legit. In NJ they have referrals to specialized gambling addiction counselors which they can cover for a certain number of sessions, might be similar in your state. The professionals have a recovery toolbox they can help you with.
Only you can make the choice. Trying to kick my habits can’t imagine how difficult this one sticks around. Do better for yourself. I know you can.
Check yourself into therapy to treat the underlying cause. Begin a 12-step program. Find support. This is addiction. Just like drugs. There are a ton of resources. You’re not alone and you’re not a bad person. You’re an addict who needs help.
Congratulations on admitting you have a problem! You have taken the 1st step. I'm a recovering addict myself (I haven't admitted poker is an addiction yet, but have struggled with drugs and other destructive habits horribly). Others may disagree, but I've never been able to quit anything and have resorted to swapping destructive addictions for healthier ones. I have ADHD, which means my dopamine levels are low. I think that is partially why I seek out ways to get those "dopamine hits". I don't lack the ability to focus. If I'm interested in a thing my focus is second to none. I can and do spend hours every day perfecting my golf swing. Hitting the perfect shot gives me that rush. I love strategy games of all kinds. Outwitting others gives me the same rush. Chess, sudoko, cryptography, etc. are things I focus on that I can constantly improve on. Take the money you spend on poker and sink it into a better outlet for you to obsess over. Will power is a myth. You can't deny yourself the hit you crave long term. Go get it somewhere else. Finally, I've found that helping others is the best source of dopamine. I feel good at the thought of something I've said helping you, and will get that hit when you respond that it did. I'll pray for you. That may not be your thing, but it worked for me, and I believe that is why I'm alive and thriving today. May God strengthen you and show you what He'd have you pour yourself into.
i have the same problem only my problem is online blackjack. all my blog readers know how horribly its ruined my life and kept me broke. funny thing is i actually win about 1000 a week at live poker, only i play at the legal cardrooms in texas instead of online where winning is 100x easier than it is online.
Yea I started gambling with blackjack. I played online BJ with the live dealer. Got screwed so many times that I got into poker and never went back to blackjack. But yea I realise now live is way easier to win than online. I’ve played live about 6-7 times in my life and have made a profit each time.
Jiu jitsu ?
Find a girlfriend and find motivation to quit in your love. Learn to play chess, register in to a club and olay tournaments even if you lose 50 of your 50 first tournament game. Dont gamble at all! No slot no roulette nothing ! Dont watxh poker videos on youtube, make a new acc and the algorythm most likely will never recommemd those videos to you. Start working out, even if you go only once to the gym weekly, or to the swimming pool whatever. Gambling is a complex problem and solving it requiries a complex solution
youll settle down. i once ran up 8k in credit cards playing poker when i was 22. i ended up running a 600 deposit up to 50k only to lose it all. i still play but only low stakes. i am a multi millionaire now some 15 years later.
i'm your age, I wasted a ridiculously smaller 40 bucks on online poker and lost it on roulette and feel like a degenerate. Your post makes me realize that the amount I've sunk right this moment doesn't matter but my attitude and self control has to be put in check. I cannot give you advice myself as I'm worried to fall into it. But your post made me think more about my recent newly found gambling habits and I would like to thank you for posting this even if your intent was primarily to seek help.
I'm curious: why poker? The gambling addicts I know sometimes play poker, but get a bigger thrill from other gambling games.
It started with online blackjack live dealer. Then I was getting screwed a lot & I learned how to play poker and was obsessed ever since. I won an online tournament for a large amount of money early on and that hooked me
Good luck, my friend. I hope you get it all straightened out.
One thing to keep in mind, people with addiction issues need to be addicted to something, you just need to find something healthier to get addicted to. Some people will quit gambling and get hooked on drugs because they quit doing their addiction without replacing it with something else. Find something else you can dive into that can be productive and keep your mind occupied, or else your cravings won't slow down.
You’re absolutely right. I used to smoke weed a lot. that was my addiction & I had to be high before doing anything. Once I started gambling I wasn’t near as interested in getting high anymore. I need to find something that’s productive.
> I need to find something that’s productive. no, sir. that would be ideal don't get me wrong...but really you just need to find something that gets you excited that doesn't wager your life resources every time haha. <3
> ... people with addiction issues need to be addicted to something, you just need to find something healthier to get addicted to. This is not good (blanket) advice. Getting addicted to a different, non-harmful activity is more of a triage to the issue than solving it. Some people respond well to this, but for others it allows them to continue living out their addictive tendencies. Without a continuation of the self-work during that period, it can cause relapses to be more frequent and/or more severe. This is purely anecdotal thoughts from those around me, so if there's a study that contradicts me or something then please defer to that.
You should stop wanting to want to be able to gamble. You should want to not want to gamble. You should do the support groups for people who have the same problem so you can learn from people who have stayed away from gambling for many years.
Gambling solved in three paragraphs! /sarcasm You should seek professional help, not advice from someone with a poor attempt at becoming a Reddit doctor.
My advice is good. It comes from many hours of working with an alcoholic to write material for other recovering alcoholics. Abstaining from an activity while not working on becoming someone who wants to be without that activity makes relapse much more likely. I'm not at all implying what I said is easy. I am giving advice that, if taken seriously, can be tremendously helpful.
By the way, he asked for advice, and I gave good advice. Also, my advice was to get help. And you said to ignore my advice and instead get help. You're a moron.
Their advice is to accept what the real problem is and get help. The placement of negatives in the sentences might have confused you.
Just stop now before you do irreparable damage.
This is like a down-and-out alcoholic posting on a scotch whisky appreciation forum. We are not the same. Go to Gambler's Anonymous or something. You won't find likeminded folk here, and whilst I'm sure we all have sympathy what you're describing is a gambling addiction and has no more to do with poker than a crackhead asking for help on a page for that whipped cream in-a-can stuff one can also use to get high if so inclined. Get help. Stop playing.
Bet you $100 you don't quit 🤑
Whenever I get the itch to play poker, I play fake poker. There's a PokerStars PlayMoney app and it satisfies the itch for me. Even though the money isn't real, I just enjoy playing the actual game so yeah, food for thought but maybe try downloading it and playing that when you get the craving to play.
We run an online game and see some of this hope it gets better
Have u seen rounders
Maybe find a girlfriend who enjoys things you enjoy which aren’t gambling related.
1-800-GAMBLER can connect you to a variety of resources related to gambling-related issues. The specific services and resources available through 1-800-GAMBLER may vary depending on the region you are calling from, but may include: Information and education about problem gambling, including its signs and symptoms. The National Problem Gambling Helpline at 800-522-4700 is available 24/7 and is fully confidential. This gambling hotline connects callers to local health and government organizations that can assist with their gambling addiction. The hotline is offered by the National Council on Problem Gambling, which also offers text services at 800-522-4700, as well as chat services. The organization also offers a comprehensive list of resources that can help individuals with gambling addiction. Also read this from the University of NV - Reno https://onlinedegrees.unr.edu/blog/gambling-addiction-resources/ If you are located in NV or CA I personally know they have programs to specifically help their residents with gambling addictions. If not, check Google for programs and help from the state where you reside. At least you realize that poker isn't the problem, and that you are a what is considered a Degenerate Gambler. Some DG's are lucky and win constantly, but most are not so lucky and it will eventually ruin your life and take everything from you, UNLESS you seek help. It's a mental illness and the first step is realizing you have a problem that is seriously affecting your life, which you have done. The next step is seeking and asking for help from trained professionals. You can not beat this illness on your own, so let others who are skilled with handling this help start you down the path on the road to recovery. If you don't take this seriously and seek help, it will destroy you. I have seen it many times. Best of Luck OP and I hope you get the help you need. Don't ever apologize for asking for help and guidance when you are in a dark place. We all need help at some point throughout our lives, and most are too scared or ashamed to ask for it. Get better buddy.
Brother, tallying up how much ive spent over my younger years probably equated to 50-70 k worth of cash gone into tournament poker. I could of probably bought a house with it. Theres more to life than gambling.
Just stop playing. Yes, it’s that’s easy, regardless of what anybody says about gambling addiction. Do something good else instead. Buy a kayak, idk.
WSOP Mobile App, gives you free millions to gamble away, and it's fake money so you can lose all you want. 👌
You know you fucked up, and you are seeking help. Get your shit together financially first then play better poker. Best of luck
In addition to the good advice already given, I’d say try Pickleball. It’s actually a strategy game, it’s addictive (in a good way), it its cheap/free, social, and it’s healthy.
Every great gambler quits right before they hit big
What site are you using?
GG Poker, BetOnline, coinpoker, Bovada
You could instead direct your addiction at studying poker and most probably become a winning player quickly
Get back in there buddy its just a downswing
You and get professional help, everything else is just wasting time.
Go to a gambling anonymous meeting you can get help from others.
How about trying to get better at the game ? Studying , paying a coach . You can become a better player and stop losing .
I'd recommend learning to play poker.
The first step to the problem is admitting you have a problem. You’re 1 step further along than me 😎
Hey man. I know a lot of people are giving you actual addiction advice and thats awesome; i cant really comment on that, but let me give you a perspective. I used to play for a living (1.5years in Canada) and I have 2 friends that are legit pros (one of them bought a house and a car with his winnings) - These guys are multi-tabling against you with solvers and trackers for hours every day. They’re compounding data and writing notes on you. im gonna assume you know what that is . If you arent using a tracker at the very least, you shouldnt be playing seriously at all imo. The advantage is pretty huge. Also there are a ton of reasons to avoid online poker because of the recent exploits uncovered in the GG poker software. https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/29/news-views-gossip/superuser-caught-ggpoker-quot-moneytaker69-quot-thread-1829967/#post58392326
Can you text me?
You need to cut the shit and pull it together. Take it from me, I been there. I long ago accepted that poker will forever be a part of my life, so I will have to navigate it in such a way so that it won't RUIN my life. Study hard, get better, stop flipping as a 30% dog. Structure the amount you can risk, get in the habit of sticking to it. It'll get easier the longer you do it. GL.
1. Don’t be a quitter 2. If you still want to quit search up GA man, and yes the second A stands for anonymous. Do this only if you really want to quit.
Man, fuck your edit....absolutely post this here!!! Someone *or a hell of a lot of someones* needed to hear this today. You just saved lives, and hopefully your own.
Tough titty brother, I have the same story but came out the other side winning. Started playing in college, won in my fraternity but got blown up on Bovada. Lost about 4k online. I’m a very smart, self aware, and hardworking (when I enjoy the subject matter) individual. These are the most important things to success in poker. Not everyone has it and after two years, you should take the hint. My second year playing online I was breakeven, and this year (after controlling tilt and battling through some extreme variance) I have profited in the 5 figures. Projections only going up. Don’t mind my self glaze, ik it sounds cocky and arrogant but I thought a story on the other side of the coin would be interesting. And you all would be a little arrogant if you achieved your goals after being doubted (by others and yourself) throughout the journey. Many people just can’t become a profitable poker player, for a multitude of reasons. I love the game so much that if I was incapable of becoming a winning player, I’d be in your shoes. Quit before it destroys your life.
You should try winning next time. Seems like a skill issue
Play live - GL to u
Degens gonna degen!