#Gambling Recovery

[tdkintegratedhealthinc]

Gambling can be an exciting pastime, but for some, it evolves into a compulsive behavior needing intervention. Recognizing the thin line between hobby and dependency is crucial for maintaining mental health in White Plains, Maryland. Effective mental health strategies for gamblers focus on understanding the triggers, seeking professional guidance, and embracing community support to foster a healthier relationship with gambling. Identifying early signs of problem gambling is vital.

[thecatsreaderslibrary]

Cat Is Now Featured on All-Author! An In-Depth Interview About Being An Author, Writer, Recovery Expert, & A Book Marketing Guru. . .

Catherine Townsend-Lyon is an influential writer known for her gripping memoir, “Addicted To Dimes,” and her contributions to the recovery compilation book “Ten The Hard Way: Real Voices of Recovery.” A dynamic speaker, she shares her story through various platforms, including radio shows, podcasts, and speaking engagements. Catherine currently resides in Glendale/Phoenix, Arizona.** Interview…

[40addiction]

Gambling Recovery: The Illusion of Fraudulent Redemption

Photo by Matheus Viana on Pexels.com In the depths of despair, many seek solace in the promise of gambling recovery programs, hoping to escape the clutches of addiction. These programs offer supposed redemption, nurturing a glimmer of hope in the hearts of the desperate. However, beneath their façade of salvation, a sinister truth hides. The gambling recovery industry exudes an aura of…

[capybaraonabicycle]

My dear friend, may I ask for a little drabble from you? Please do feel free to write about any of our favourite characters and ships! I unfortunately don't have any prompts right now, but perhaps there is something in your mind! Thank youuu <3

Here you goooo! Look at how hard I am working on my thesis 😅

Anyway, thank you so much for providing inspiration for this, in more ways than one <3 You will see.

Warning: it is rather angsty and addresses symptoms of ptsd

(Also, it's a triple drabble obviously)

[ID: gif of the motorway in Gridlock, cars driving close to each other. One dives below. end ID]

Ship: Alice/May Cassini

Rating: T

Genre: Angst

Their car looked strange, although it was difficult to pinpoint why. The walls were closer somehow, the entire space more crammed. The bed reached into the cockpit, the window was suddenly tiny.

May found herself wedged into a cupboard at the back that she had no recollection of possessing. Far away, she could see Alice, sitting in her usual seat at the wheel, softly speaking into the mic. Despite the room having shrunk in size, it seemed like an insurmountable distance to cross, especially since May had to climb over the bed with her old joints.

Huffing and puffing she reached her, resting her hand on Alice's shoulder for comfort while she caught her breath. Alice wasn't reacting, still talking into the mic. May tried looking out the window but she couldn't make out anything through the pinhead-sized glass.

"What are we doing here?" she asked. "Didn't we - leave the motorway?"

She remembered distantly, a nice little flat, a walkable city, a life with fresh air. It seemed like a fantasy, now.

"We must have reached the end somehow" she muttered.

Finally, Alice reacted. She turned the chair around and her face was oozing pity. May felt her heart go clammy as Alice took her hand, soft, wrinkly skins dancing across each other.

"Oh May" she said. "There is no end to the motorway."

-

May shot up in bed, breathing heavily. She was in her flat, in New New York. She was not in her car. Alice was by her side, sleeping. Everything was okay.

Alice stirred, awoken by her panic. She tried to pry her eyes open.

"May?" she rasped. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, my sweetest" May lay down again, readily cuddling into her wife's open arms, doing her best to calm her breathing. "Go back to sleep, love."

Thank you for reading!

[splicedskies]

@gamblingrimsley - <3'd for a starter!

"So.. people do this.. for fun?" Altra blinked, trying to understand what the whole idea of 'gambling' meant. Something adults did for fun, apparently.

"It just seems really easy to.. well.. take advantage of." His eyes were analytical, trying to understand exactly what the other was getting at entirely. Why not just battle Pokémon in that case?

At least it would come down to the trainer's skill rather than a chance at luck.

"But this seems to just favor who ever is running it." The teen couldn't help but quint at the idea of 'gambling'.

[i-still-mask-because]

I recently started masking again after getting Covid for the first time. It didn’t hit me bad but I live with someone disabled who’s had it 4 times now, and most of my friends can’t risk it either. I thought I only needed to mask if I was in a crowded public space, this helped remind me school is not a safe place virally. School and work, no matter how well you know the people there; you never know if someone is showing up sick. Ugh. Sorry for grammar/spelling I still have Covid and just woke up

😷

[transastronautistic]

Unfortunate Coping: Neurodivergence, Addiction, and Recovery

Two AuDHD mental health professionals discuss neurodivergent peoples' vulnerability to developing "unfortunate" coping mechanisms involving alcohol, gambling, etc., and what kind of recovery process actually works for us, in episode 41 of the Divergent Conversations podcast.

I found this episode very informative and figured I'd paste the highlights here; but I also recommend the whole episode! Content warning for frank discussions of addiction, including in-depth descriptions of a gambling addiction.

To include the most important thing first: the program these two recommend is SMART Recovery; please check it out if you or a loved one is struggling.

Why ND folk are particularly vulnerable to addiction / "unfortunate coping" strategies:

PATRICK CASALE: We want to talk about why it's so easy for neurodivergent people to reach for something or use something that is going to take away the pain, that feels like a coping strategy, which is really just a temporary strategy. It's not a long-term one, by any means.

...And I think it's because of all of our life experiences, our pain, our trauma, the way we move through the world, our sensory systems, our struggles, socially.

And Megan uses the word social lubricant or ligaments a lot. I think that that is exactly why so many people turn to substances, in the first place, is because they feel like they don't belong, they don't fit in. And in the meantime, in the short term, it is a temporary, and I want to highlight and emphasize temporary dopamine hit. It is a temporary way to let your guard down, and to not be so hyper-vigilant, and to not be so anxious, and to not feel so overwhelmed.

And of course, it's easy to reach for something that can just give us a glimpse into the normalcy of socializing in a neurotypical world when we feel like we just don't have a landing spot.

...

MEGAN NEFF: [Another reason we're more vulnerable to addiction:] we are more vulnerable to emotional avoidance, which I would say is a pretty big driver when it comes to addiction — just the, "I cannot tolerate this emotion, I must escape it."

... And [when drinking,] I would get a lot of reinforcement. People would be like, "You are so fun when you drink." And I'm a pretty serious person. And because my filter would come off, my silliness, my playful side would come out. So, socially, there's a lot of reinforcement for my drinking.

...

PATRICK CASALE: [Plus] culturally, we promote the hell out of it. I mean, you can't turn the television on without alcohol commercials or marketing everywhere. And it's always glamorized. Like, "Let's go to this party and drink this cocktail, and like, we're going to have this wonderful time." Or it's always about connection, and partying, and having a great time. You never see the aftermath. You don't see like, the depression that kicks in intensely, like immediately after, you don't see the sleep deprivation that comes with it. Even if it helps you sleep temporarily, you're not getting actual restorative sleep in those moments. Like, there is so much destruction, physiologically and psychologically that come with alcohol usage.

And for those of you who are trying to abstain, or maybe have some sort of minimization, or harm reduction, which I'm a huge proponent of, it's really hard to start thinking about your world where it's alcohol-free.

Recovery is possible!

PATRICK CASALE [after describing his years-long struggle with a gambling addiction]: It is such an unbelievably painful part of my life. And I want to highlight that fact that it's been 12 years without gambling. So, when I was in the throes of it, there was never a part of me that thought I would get out of it. There was never a part of me that could have thought that I would be sitting here and talking with you about some of the stuff.

So, I want to just really name that for those of you who are struggling with any sort of addiction that you can recover and recovery is possible. And it is hard. It is a long road. But it is absolutely possible.

...[The gambling addiction] started as a coping skill, and it became uncontrollable. And I think that's how most addictions start and develop:...it starts as an unfortunate coping skill to deal with pain, suffering, struggle, trauma, anxiety, depression, socializing, whatever. And then all of a sudden, fast forward 10 years, and you're like, "How the hell did I get here?"

...you lose so much of yourself in this moment that when you come out of it, you almost have a newfound perspective on how you want to live the rest of your life. ...

MEGAN NEFF: Yeah, yeah. I mean, so like, there are, obviously, critiques of [12-step models], understandably. But I think what they do well, is the vulnerability and the sharing, and the, "you're not alone in this experience." And, like, if we have one thing to think Brene Brown for it's this idea of the connection between shame and vulnerability, and that is what helps eradicate shame is when we connect over these stories. And I think it is so important.

A more effective recovery model for ND people

PATRICK CASALE: SMART Recovery is the way I would go and recommend for those of you who are looking for alternatives [to 12 Step]. ...SMART Recovery [stands for] "skills management and regulation tools." So, you're really just learning how to cope. You're just learning strategies and techniques to deal with triggers and urges.

You're not going down, like, the war story path that happens in 12 Steps so often. There's also not the mentality that if you do relapse, that you're suddenly like, ostracized from a group until you can find your way back.

So, SMART Recovery is all evidence-based, and science-based, and is a nice alternative for those of us who really want like, the concrete steps, the rationalization, the ability to like, implement and incorporate strategies and techniques. I think it's a really good alternative. And it's everywhere all over the world.

So, you can look up SMART Recovery, and you can find meetings in almost any city or any state and a lot of virtual options as well.

MEGAN NEFF: I love that. Yes, that is such a great resource. And I love that they teach the regulation skills because that is — so many of us, and like, humans, not just neurodivergent people — but so many of us go to addiction as a…form of emotional avoidance. And so I think learning that regulation piece of "how do I handle sitting in distressing feelings," and then regulating is such an important part of that recovery process.

I'm circling back to earlier in the conversation about why are we more vulnerable, when I was doing research on alexithymia, this was really interesting to me. So, alexithymia is linked with more emotional avoidance, which makes sense because we're having a hard time to identify our feelings. And that's linked with addiction. And so alexithymia and addiction are very linked.

And then I would say until we address that, many of us will fall into... cross-addiction, when you hop from addiction to addiction.

I know for me until I finally really addressed my emotional avoidance, like there'd always be some sort of addicting object in my life, to some varying degree, because I hadn't resolved the fact that I just could not tolerate to be with myself, to be with my emotional experience.

Harm Reduction / Reframing

MEGAN NEFF: The other framework that has been really helpful, so I think the binary that we've fallen into, and I think partly this comes from how the mental health world and addiction world, but either like you're an alcoholic, or you're not, either you have a problem, or you [don't]. And thankfully, we're seeing a shift away from that. But something can be a problem without your body being dependent on it. Like, earlier, you talked about dependence.

PATRICK CASALE: For sure.

MEGAN NEFF: And so, I think, giving new language for people to be able to be like, "No, when this is in my life, I don't show up in the world the way I want to be or it's not healthy." But without falling into this, "it means I'm in this bucket or that bucket." I think that's so important.

PATRICK CASALE: So important. So, so important to try to break away from that black and white thinking, which is, again, I'm not a proponent of AA and a 12 Step GA gambling anonymous because of the binary, because of the black and white. It's either you abstain or you're barred, and you can't control, and I cannot get behind that mentality.

So, I'm a big proponent of harm reduction, I'm a big proponent of moderation management, you can apply moderation management into your life. I also believe, wholeheartedly, that addiction is the opposite of connection.

...And think about, for those of you listening who are mostly neurodivergent, community and connection can be really hard. So, if it's not there, if it feels like it's not existing, if it feels like it's hard to obtain, there's some likelihood that you're going to reach for something to replace that. And to deal with the emotional impact of having that lack of connection and community.

MEGAN NEFF: Yeah...I think, in general, it's way more motivating when we're adding something in our life than when we're trying to not do something. For me and my journey, for years, for a long time, I was like, "I'm going to stop drinking." There was a shift — and I don't actually use the language of sobriety, I choose language of alcohol-free — But when I realized sobriety was not the absence of drinking, but it was a choice for something additive in my life; once I made that mental shift from try not to do something to try to do something — it's hard to explain, but it totally changed my energy towards how I thought about it.

PATRICK CASALE: I like the way you reframe that language, because, first, a lot of you may be listening and thinking like "I've been trying to be alcohol-free or sober from whatever, but I'm white-knuckling." That terminology is like: I'm not drinking, but all the same behaviors are still there, all the same emotions are still there. I'm still angry, I'm getting irritable, I'm getting frustrated with my partner, I'm reacting in a way that I don't like. And I'm thinking about alcohol or whatever the substance is all day, every day, although I'm not putting it into my body.

Nothing's really changed here, aside from the intake of substance. So, that's really where this community-based and connection-based healing has to happen. Like, I believe, wholeheartedly, to combat some of these struggles like, and to save our lives from potential addiction and destruction from it, we need therapy...We need community, we need connection, we need coping skills, we need strategies.

...We can't escape temptation, we can't escape these urges, we can't escape these triggers. They are everywhere in life. And just incorporating coping skills, and strategies, and being able to talk to someone...we can learn how to cope with these things. ...And again, trying to work through that shame, that complete and utter desire to have that control back. So, the more you can talk about it, the more vulnerable you can become, the more you can kind of take that power back from that shamefulness too.

[fic-ive-read]

Link To The Fic

This and its sequel are really good! I just finished both today and absolutely loved it. I hope @phoenixyfriend has more to add to the story some day 😁

[4ggravation]

spending money on genshin is bad and you should feel bad for doing it

[mental-health-advice]

Submission about addiction issues

I'm 27 years old. And I have addiction issues. I am having a hard time with drinking alcohol. Sometimes I go weeks without craving a drink. And other times I can't go by one day without drinking. I have gone to AA meetings about 2 years ago. But I have a hard time asking for help. Because I feel like I don't deserve it and that I'm wasting someone else's time. I usually associate when I'm having a good time in life and things are going positive I usually associate that I have to start up my addictions again. And these include drinking and gambling. I know I need help. I'm just not ready to get sober. But I wish I can limit myself. Anytime I have brought up this topic to my family they take it to the extreme and then just judge me about everything. I know I sabotage myself and my feelings whenever I'm in a good situation. I feel like I don't deserve good in my life. And I do have a hard time understanding that it's okay to feel okay. And it's okay that I'm doing good. I know that sounds silly. But sometimes I feel like I don't deserve to feel happy or to feel good. And I sometimes suck that away from myself and kind of force myself to go into self-destruction. I do care about myself and my well-being. I have gone to therapy years ago when I was able to afford it. Right now I'm just in a tough spot financially. How can I help myself especially when I'm alone? I still use my toolbox of coping skills is what my therapist used to call it. And it does help. It's just sometimes I miss the old memories of when I had a life and had friends. And I mean that as in sometimes I miss having friends that we can go do stuff. But I'm kind of a loner right now. Having to start all over again. Any advice would definitely help and I would really appreciate it. I'm sorry that this was long. Thank you again

Hey there,

With struggling with binge drinking myself I can get and understand where you are coming from. And it’s OK that you do not want to get sober right now, it’s great and a good first step in acknowledging that you do need help with your drinking but it’s so important that you drive the recovery. So for example, when you feel ready then reaching out for help and support when you feel able to. And if by chance you have a relapse or choose that you are not completely readying to stop drinking, this is more than OK too – it’s actually quite normal to take 2 steps forwards and 1 step back. This is just how the recovery journey can look like so if at some time you feel like you are going backwards/ things are getting worse, try to be kind to yourself and know that tomorrow is always a new day where you can start fresh and try again if you choose to.

It can be so difficult to give up an addiction and especially one that we have been using for such a long period of time. I know that you have gone to therapy in the past but cannot afford it at present but if you found it helpful then maybe you could consider reaching out to a counsellor from either a helpline or on web counselling when you feel the need to drink/ self-destruct and try to talk it through with someone first. Of course though, it has to be on your terms and when you feel ready and/ or able to do so.

To associate drinking and other addictions when you are feeling good as a way to consequently hinder I guess your recovery is also normal. A lot of people feel as though they are not good enough and so consequently will just be wasting other peoples time by asking for help. People may also feel really scared about the prospect of getting better as they do not know what that may look like for them and they find safety in their addictions as at least they know what to expect/ how the cycle goes. It’s OK to be afraid and scared though of recovery. This is why it’s so important that when you do choose to work on your addictions and getting well, it’s because you want to and not because of what other people want you to do. A lot of the hard work in recovery has to come from you, others can be there to guide, support and help you through but at the end of the day all of the hard work has to come from within you.

In regards to how you can help yourself right now and when you are feeling alone, try to keep using those strategies that you put into place with your therapist, your tool box, and try to reach out to a counsellor from a helpline or via web counselling if needed. Sometimes writing can be really helpful or doing something more active like going for a walk/ run or self-soothe by doing things to take care of yourself and things that you love and enjoy. Random distractions may also help at times so please feel free to check out our page here for some examples. Overall though I think you are doing a really good job in acknowledging that you need help but also mentioning that you are not yet ready to give up drinking or other addictions just yet – both are completely OK and you can get help and support even if you are not yet able to fully commit to getting better right now.

I really hope that this has helped a bit and please do let us know if we can help to support you in any other way!

I’m thinking of you and hope that you are going OK!

Take care,

Lauren

[creepy-crowleys]

skeptic? - - Fortune telling

Everyone's a Skeptic

The real ones are rare, but they do exist. There are a couple on Solomon Island. Of a sort.

Madame Rogêt was the typical cold-reading type of fortune teller for most of her career in Kingsmouth - her abilities only extended as far as being able to analyze people and tell them what they wanted to hear. After the Fog descended on the island, her exposure to it manifested as genuine precognition, nightmares and visions presumably obtained through her link to the Red Sargassum Dream. The ones she described to me were often vague and dark, and she had limited control over when they happened or what they contained.

And I imagine some of the endings she's seen are still on the table.

She still cold-reads most of the time. It's more hopeful than what she actually sees.

The other is a famous writer here, Sam Krieg. I was a big until I actually met the man, haha...! His is a similar case, as I understand it. He was infected early in his writing career by a similar type of entity that spreads through the written word as its preferred medium. It promised him stories that would sell, so long as he immortalized it in writing.

I can't say for certain if his writing is prophetic or if he's making things happen by writing them, but several of his story beats have come to pass. His magnum opus is a doozy too: About a world where every legend and conspiracy is true and secret societies battle for survival against an endless darkness. Ha.

It doesn't have an ending yet, but he's never written a happy one before.

It's... There are useful applications for future-sight, but so often the future has already been written. It just amounts to a lot of struggle for the fortune teller to be able to, essentially, see the train coming but be no more able to diverge from the tracks. Fate is like a groove worn into reality because that path has been traveled so many times simultaneously. It's technically possible to veer from it, but it's difficult to do so and easy to slip back in.

And the visions themselves - even divorced from their contents - are hell on the person experiencing them. Humans were just not designed to fully perceive time as a dimension in the way the Sleeping Ones and the Buzzing do. Reaching out for anything more than vague minute glimpses very quickly turns into permanent psychological and neurological injury.

It's just... generally an unfortunate gift for those that actually possess it.

[cruiseshipgamblinglosses]

Cruise Ship Gambling Losses

Cruise Ship Gambling Losses specializes in assisting individuals who have suffered financial losses due to gambling on cruise ships. Our legal team in Brisbane provides expert guidance to help you recover your losses and navigate the complexities of gambling loss claims. Trust us to pursue the compensation you deserve from cruise ship gambling activities.

Visit Our Website

[40addiction]

Today I stop gambling.

Photo by Mwabonje Ringa on Pexels.com Today I stop gambling. It’s a bold statement, but one that I knew needed to be made.…

[thecatsreaderslibrary]

A Special Message For Those Maintaining Recovery From Gambling Addiction. Never Underestimate Your Strength, Wisdom, and Worth. . .

YOU ARE VALUED HERE! Always Know and Build Your Worth. No Need To Count The Days If You Live A Recovery Lifestyle! Catherine Townsend LyonGambling Recovery Expert & Advocate

[godeaterazathoth]

9 / 10 gamblers quite before they win don't get it twisted GAMBLE

( 1000% a joke I have a serious gambling addiction 😳 😅 😐 😬)