148 days clean 🙏 goodluck to all out there who struggle with this compulsive disease

chasing losses is my problem. i must stop this insanity. the only way is to stop. the money you lost is dead money. let it go and get your life back. Good luck to all .jim buco

One time I won $800 at the casino. I knew I should go home. However I told myself " hey let me play just $100 of this. Who knows, maybe I'll turn a good night into a great night. If I lose, who cares, I can then leave with a really good $700. However after losing the $100, now I say to myself " ehhh I couldddd try just $100 more. If I lose that I'll leave with that remaining $600. Still a heckuva day right? " Well next thing I know I'm down to $300 and my thought process changes to " omg I can't leave with a measley $300 when I had a really nice $800 three hours ago!!! I absolutely HAVE to get that $500 back!!! Then I'll be back to $800 and THIS TIME I'll leave ( supposedly ) " Down to $200, down to $100, down to $20. Need gas but say screw it, down to $0. Now I want to puke and/or kick myself in the nuts. Mentally exhausted, stressed out, sickening feeling as I have a walk of shame to my car 😢😭😡🤬🤮

Please pray for me. I am trying my best to stop gambling. Lost 30k in less than 2 years. I have a son I need to take care of

no.. please.. there is no healthy gambling.. or fun gambling.. its evil .. and eats your money always giving you nothing in return

Folks, even this is a 6 year old clip, but it's a timeless interview and great conclusion of what gambling has been done to our life.

Such a horrible feeling to blow your paycheck within 2 - 3 hours of getting it. Driving home with tears in your eyes and wondering how in the hell am I gonna pay for gas/groceries the next 13 days? Loans? Credit cards? Pawn shop? All terrible choices 😢

When I was a child, my dad ( gambling addict ) took me and my brothers to casinos, bingo halls, etc. We had to stand outside of the rope, where the gambling machines were. At bingo, he even let me dob the cards as a 10 - 11 year old. It was a different time back then and I think he knew the owner. So they let me do that. Anyway, putting a naive, impressionable, easily manipulated child in that environment is hideous. Two of us three brothers became massive gambling addicts, as soon as we were of age. Not a coincidence obviously. I have a ton of debt right now and it makes me sick. Wish he had waited for mom to come home from work, then go gamble by himself. Leave us kids out of it. What a horrible addiction. Absolutely financial obliterating, stressful, depressing, life destroying illness 😭

Michael Mooney's story is real deal, chasing losses is how the casino traps you, it is a nasty addiction.

13 days clean - 27 more to go for lent

I hate my gambling addiction! I literally feel sick to my stomach and yet I hide it from those I love. Lord help me

I remember being 20 years old and walking into GA for the first time. Sat down told my story after losing $1100 that football season, and one of the members said, don't be like us......you don't want to be here at 40-45 years of age wishing you had stopped. Stop for that wife you will have in the future. WISH I had listened better and taken them more seriously. 45, divorced and $300,000 later still fighting this nonsense. It's insanity yet I inevitably keep going back for more......why why why!? I just don't want my son to EVER go through what I have gone through these past 25+ years.

On may 5th, I woke up at 5 am. I had been dreaming of the number 5 all night. I had the 5 dollar special at the diner for breakfast. I filled my car up with gas, it topped off at exactly 5 dollars. I said I have to go to the race track, it was 5 miles away. I got there at 5pm, just in time for the 5th race. I bet 5 thousand on the #5 horse. Sure enough, she came in 5th.

Losing is the worst feeling in the world

This is very true. "It easy to get money through gambling but the problem is leaving with the money.

Great job Mike! Thank you for bringing this to light. Gambling Disorder is a serious addiction. This is great education and awareness.

Self awareness and proffessionsional help and of course desire to stop gambling is the utmost key to recovery.

I really enjoyed listening to this man speak

"It's legal, socially acceptable, and widely available" ... Yep! So true. I live in Las Vegas, NV a job brought me here. At first, I was a conservative gambler. When I got paid, I will spend no more than $100. Last year in September, I went to the casino to see a movie. I played slots for a little before the movie and broke even. After the movie, as I was walking out I said let me play this slot one more time. Lo and behold, I got a bonus round and won almost $800. That is when my gambling problem begin. I've been chasing that exhilaration ever since, and it has cost me a lot financially. I am trying to get out of Las Vegas and return to a "normal city". Word of caution: if you have an addictive personality like myself, DO NOT MOVE TO LAS VEGAS or cities that have casinos. Edit. I live in Dallas Fort Worth metroplex since July 2017. The nearest casinos are between 1hour and 3 hours away. I have more self control now. My finances has improved drastically with job advancement and reduced gambling. The nearby casinos are tribal and the slot machines just don't payout like Vegas. I think they are rigged and the casino can't be monitored externally because the tribes are sovereign. I am at a point where its exhausting to drive that far away and not even break even most of time. I have hit two jackpots since I been here but other than my play is lackluster. I have reduced the amount of money and time I invest in those casinos. I rather drive 3 hours east to Shreveport to get a true gambling experience

People with true addictive personalities commonly drop one addiction by replacing it with a new one.

I need to meet Mr. Mooney! His explanation of a gambling addict is too spot on! The Gorilla analogy was spot on because that’s what’s going on in my head. This is quite inspirational…

I keep watching this videos. My brother has almost 4-5 years that plays and is addicted to sport betting. He has lost a lot of money and now is about to lose his family. We have offered him support, that he can tell us everything, if he sees that he can’t let it go he can tell us that. But I dont know anymore what to do, i feel hopeless. My mom and dad are devastated

Thanks. Informative. My sister's boyfriend can't seem to control himself with gambling. He has stolen money from her and he lies about where he's going and ends up at the slot machines. I'm trying to understand the uncontrollable urge that grips someone to do this. It can turn a person into someone that they don't morally want to be.

I need this. Thanks

Seek for deliverance! It's behind spirit! I went through the same.

So true what this man is saying.

thank you

I keep relapsing, I need help.

Michael you are awesome .

He isn't lying! Slots are every where now! There is a slot at a gas station right near my house. Detroit has THREE casinos.

God bless you sir stay strong I am going to gamblers anonymous on Monday I hope for the same results as you 🙏

my gambling addiction starts when i win or i lose it creates chaos in my life if i win i increase bets to get more if i lose i try to win it back what i have learned is i cannot make the 1st bet and i will be ok it is hard though the temptation of it is extreme as i am constantly thinking about what if today is my day and so on my loses will never come back in GA one bloke said to me stop chasing good money for bad money its 100% true we never win back our loses.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER 🗣DO NOT SIGN A SELF EXCLUSION. YOU ARE SIGNING YOUR RIGHTS AWAY! YOU WILL GO BACK THEY WILL ALLOW YOU THEN CATCH YOU AND JAIL IT IS!! FIND A SAFER SOLUTION. GOD BE WITH YOU❤❤❤❤

11:30 its true, the more you win the more it sticks to your brain that you will gamble more,even after living the casino.there is no Good coming out of this ! you end up losing your money the next day you come to place bets! TODAY IS THE DAY I QUIT GAMBLING

I absolutely enjoyed listening to Michael , I think his name is . And the main reason I enjoyed it is because he told almost my same story . I have been sober in.AA 1 year longer than he's been abstinent from gambling . I went places my drinking never even took me . And of course , I was doing that while sober . Ironically , I got the same recovery date in both 12 step programs , just different years . August 21st 1990 and 2016 . I would like to know how to volunteer for an interview . Both , AA recovery , and GA recovery .

I want to stop gambling for ever I have lost $100,000

Thank you so much for sharing Sir! i have a gambling addiction i lost 260.00 today 😢

wow thank you u

My ex has been addicted since high school and still has never sought help. His mommy pays for his life so he can gamble his wages.

It took me 32 plus years to finally get Total & permanently freedom 🌮🌮🌮

Been there done that !

walking away from addiction means i have to throw some people away, i wont be nice about quitting! im going to be mean as hell if i have to be!

Thank you.

bellissimooo

I’m at the point now if I don’t stop tomorrow will be late. I need help but not sure what to do at this moment. Desperately need help now. Anyone out there with some good ideas???? ❤️❤️❤️

I am struggling with gambling am in debt because of it how will I get out of it.

I’ve been playing poker for over 4 years spending about $20 per session. It’s my hobby and a social function. Just like playing bridge or bingo. I have no desire to up the stakes. Self control is key. I play to win, not for the winnings/payout which is very small.

I did the same thing pitching pennies than quarters and dice gambling house lost whole paycheck i went cold turkey.

I'm scare of relapsing

I've been addicted to online roulette gambling for 13 years * 16 hours a day I destroyed my life 😢😢😢

Casinos: loosing a thousand takes half an hour, winning two thousand takes a miracle. Casinos need to be banned for false advertising.

SO DO U THINK *(** GAMBLING ADDICTION **) IS OR COULD ALSO HAVE A GENETIC LINK. ..LIKE ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOLISM??? OR COCAINE & COCAINE....

I'm addicted to work and save a lot of money babyyyy...lol...😅🤣😂...!

Not hard to win?? Seriously? I think the casinos would beg to differ with that … house always wins in the end