Uncle Daryl Smith, photo: James Henry
- Give Up Gambling For Good Luck
- Give Up Gambling For Good Housekeeping
- Give Up Gambling For Good Money
- Give Up Gambling For Good People
Men and women committed to giving up gambling soon discover the real issues they face are not about money after all — but rather about their relationship with God. True change is about turning our lives and our circumstances over to the Lord so we can use the practical tools of recovery meetings and counseling in a God-directed way. Giving up when you've spent hours each week gambling can make you feel tense and irritable. You may feel even worse when you go into the places where you gambled, or if you pass a TAB or the casino on your way to work. If you pay taxes on your gambling winnings then you are being a good citizen. But there is another form of gambling that contributes to government revenues: government-run lotteries. Lottery games like Powerball and Mega Millions, not to mention thousands of scratch off games, generate billions of dollars in revenues for states every year. The urge to gamble As with quitting smoking, people who stop gambling experience urges to gamble. Urges are an inevitable part of stopping gambling and a natural part of the process of regaining control. Every time you overcome an urge, you are gaining more and more control.
I'm a youth outreach worker with the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service. I do a bit of everything. Sometimes, when you've been through hard times, you can pass on a bit of knowledge to other people. If I can help keep kids out of trouble – including with gambling – I'm happy.
The first time I tried pokies in the local pub, I won – pretty big, a couple of hundred bucks. I thought, ‘This is mine! How easy is this?' After that night, I couldn't wait to get back and play them.
You think you know your limits, but there's something about gambling that just grabs hold of you. The lights, the music, the colours – they're hypnotising. And the next button you press is going to be the big one. The only time you leave is when you've got no money left.
The pressure builds
It's like graduating: you start off in the local pubs, then you go to the bigger pubs, and then you go to the big one: the casino. You're thinking, ‘Gee, if I win big, I can give my family some money. They can buy clothes, buy this and that. Maybe a car.' But that never happens. It's degrading, walking out of a venue with no money.
Give Up Gambling For Good Luck
I felt worthless, not even good enough to talk to people. And gambling itself makes you antisocial. I remember one time playing the pokies, I was so into it, one of my mates sat next to me and I didn't even talk to him. You just want to be alone.
The next button you press is going to be the big one. The only time you leave is when you've got no money left.
I had a good job with The Age newspaper. My responsibility was getting the newspapers bundled and out to the truck drivers going to the newsagents. This included shift work. I'd call into a couple of venues on the way home, at five or six in the morning. You're wide awake and you want to do something. At work on Mondays, I'd tell them how much I'd lost at the pokies. And then it got to the point where I didn't tell them. ‘Hey Daz, how much did you lose on the weekend?' I wouldn't say.
It felt like there was no way out, but that if I didn't do something, I'd lose everything. Lose my house. My kids wouldn't want to know me.
I tell my story and feel instant relief
Years ago, I went to Alcoholics Anonymous, so when someone told me about Gamblers Anonymous, I rang them up. As soon as I walked into my first meeting, I felt relief. We sat around talking and when I got up and told my story, a load lifted from my chest. Gee, it felt good.
Gamblers Anonymous gave me confidence to speak up and let family and friends know what was going on with me. Everyone was supportive.
I also learnt tips at Gamblers Anonymous, including: if you drive past a venue on the way home from work, take another route, even up side streets. Don't go past venues or pubs with pokies: ‘Come in for a free meal!' Don't even look at them.
When you're giving up gambling, the important thing is to hang in there.
After going to Gamblers Anonymous for a couple of months, I thought I'd kicked the habit. But I hadn't. I'd go to a hotel and, if I got bored, I'd just go into the gaming room to have a look, not to play. But then I'd only play five bucks. Then $10, then $20, then $100. With Alcoholics Anonymous, the worst drink to have is the first drink. With gambling, the worst bet to have is the first bet.
There's no quick fix with giving up gambling.
Give Up Gambling For Good Housekeeping
Getting better and better
Someone said to me, ‘If you put that money into a Christmas Club account, just imagine how much you'd have at the end of the year.' And I thought, ‘100 bucks a week – that's five grand!'
I started taking up different interests. I became a soldier in the Salvation Army, I did ballroom dancing, including a bit of competition, I joined the CFA (Country Fire Authority). I enjoyed it all, and still do. I go to the gym and try to look after myself and keep active. I always make sure I'm available for my grandkids.
Give Up Gambling For Good Money
When you're giving up gambling, the important thing is to hang in there. It's never too late to give up. If you stop for a while, and then gamble again, have another go at giving up. Keep doing it. You'll get better and better.
How to get support
Gambler's Help services are free and private. Call 1800 858 858 any day, any time. Aluminium profiles catalog.
The pressure builds
It's like graduating: you start off in the local pubs, then you go to the bigger pubs, and then you go to the big one: the casino. You're thinking, ‘Gee, if I win big, I can give my family some money. They can buy clothes, buy this and that. Maybe a car.' But that never happens. It's degrading, walking out of a venue with no money.
Give Up Gambling For Good Luck
I felt worthless, not even good enough to talk to people. And gambling itself makes you antisocial. I remember one time playing the pokies, I was so into it, one of my mates sat next to me and I didn't even talk to him. You just want to be alone.
The next button you press is going to be the big one. The only time you leave is when you've got no money left.
I had a good job with The Age newspaper. My responsibility was getting the newspapers bundled and out to the truck drivers going to the newsagents. This included shift work. I'd call into a couple of venues on the way home, at five or six in the morning. You're wide awake and you want to do something. At work on Mondays, I'd tell them how much I'd lost at the pokies. And then it got to the point where I didn't tell them. ‘Hey Daz, how much did you lose on the weekend?' I wouldn't say.
It felt like there was no way out, but that if I didn't do something, I'd lose everything. Lose my house. My kids wouldn't want to know me.
I tell my story and feel instant relief
Years ago, I went to Alcoholics Anonymous, so when someone told me about Gamblers Anonymous, I rang them up. As soon as I walked into my first meeting, I felt relief. We sat around talking and when I got up and told my story, a load lifted from my chest. Gee, it felt good.
Gamblers Anonymous gave me confidence to speak up and let family and friends know what was going on with me. Everyone was supportive.
I also learnt tips at Gamblers Anonymous, including: if you drive past a venue on the way home from work, take another route, even up side streets. Don't go past venues or pubs with pokies: ‘Come in for a free meal!' Don't even look at them.
When you're giving up gambling, the important thing is to hang in there.
After going to Gamblers Anonymous for a couple of months, I thought I'd kicked the habit. But I hadn't. I'd go to a hotel and, if I got bored, I'd just go into the gaming room to have a look, not to play. But then I'd only play five bucks. Then $10, then $20, then $100. With Alcoholics Anonymous, the worst drink to have is the first drink. With gambling, the worst bet to have is the first bet.
There's no quick fix with giving up gambling.
Give Up Gambling For Good Housekeeping
Getting better and better
Someone said to me, ‘If you put that money into a Christmas Club account, just imagine how much you'd have at the end of the year.' And I thought, ‘100 bucks a week – that's five grand!'
I started taking up different interests. I became a soldier in the Salvation Army, I did ballroom dancing, including a bit of competition, I joined the CFA (Country Fire Authority). I enjoyed it all, and still do. I go to the gym and try to look after myself and keep active. I always make sure I'm available for my grandkids.
Give Up Gambling For Good Money
When you're giving up gambling, the important thing is to hang in there. It's never too late to give up. If you stop for a while, and then gamble again, have another go at giving up. Keep doing it. You'll get better and better.
How to get support
Gambler's Help services are free and private. Call 1800 858 858 any day, any time. Aluminium profiles catalog.
Give Up Gambling For Good People
There are also gambling workers you can have a yarn with in four Aboriginal co-ops:
- Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative: phone (03) 5820 0000
- Gippsland and East Gippsland Aboriginal Co-operative: phone (03) 5150 0700
- Victorian Aboriginal Health Service: phone (03) 9419 300
- Mallee District Aboriginal Services: phone (03) 5018 4100
