I Lost

I lost our home my husband and kids thanks to my 10 year pokie addiction i am now living in supported accommodation in Tasmania and attend The Bridge Program for my Recovery.

There is hope

I was addicted to pokies for about 10 years. Since their arrival in Melbourne, I don't know how much I lost. I only know that it was a lot. My parents died in that time and I know I lost a lot of the inheritance, because there was no one to say "that's their hard earned money" to me like I have the sense to say to myself now.

And it make me feel really bad now.

Now that I'm out of the haze, and clear of mind. The shame I feel is still something that feels soul destroying.

I would love to help others to get clean, now that I have. I never thought I would though. I did think that suicide was the only way out. I didn't think that I'd ever be safe again.

But there is hope.

I have now grown from the experience and can say I'm a different person because of it.

Half of my life went past in a blink of an eye

I had a pokie addiction for 14 years, half of my life went past in a blink of an eye.

I have not played for 9 months I'm now addicted to researching about pokies. P.A. meetings twice a week is where I get my strength.

The lengths people go to hide this addiction is truly amazing. A one way street to hell. Labeled as a loser with mental issues. Most that are playing are either hooked or will get hooked the more they keep playing.

Now with new & improved breeding ground for the kiddies. Criminals supplying unsafe products. Kids shouldn't be exposed what so ever until they are they 18yrs.

The shell of someone he is now

My father's local club now has the proceeds from his house sale, superannuation policy and 2 inheritances.

At 66, he has little money and a minimal relationship with his family. I try to see him as the person he was 20 years ago - not the shell of someone he is now. To see this change - brought on by his addiction to pokie machines - is devastating. My efforts to further prevent his own self destruction have been futile. I have contacted his club and Gamblers Anonymous but because I unable to prevent him - as an individual with choice - from his actions I am left with no option but to just watch.

Politicians such as Barry O'Farrell's ignorance as to how their actions further contribute to this situation is astounding.

How does allowing new types of gambling technology in NSW support their policy of "Standing up for Australian families".

How does it align with their comment on the 2010 Productivity Commission Report into Gambling that gambling has become a "significant problem for some people in our community, predominately affecting those who can least afford it"

I Feel Like A Black Cloud

I would like to say that I am not addicted to Pokies, but unfortunately in my head I know it to be true. What is fair to say is that I feel like a black cloud, and I am bad luck to all around me.

For me the issue is the more afraid I am of impeding debt - mortgage, personal loan, out of control credit cards - the more I look at Pokies to try to ease the troubles. Stupid to think really, and more stupider is that I believe that if I wasn't so much in Financial difficulty than I wouldn't play them.

I am trying hard to clear my debts, but getting down to $2 - $3 a week from a decent wage, it is depressing.

I only started playing them a couple of years ago, but now it is really bad and I am scared to death.

I would never let my children near pokies

We live near a bowling club that has gone 'pokie free'. I would never let my children near pokies as I've seen what they can do families.
After many years of seeing my husband's neices and nephews around pokies, they (at 18+) now too think nothing of sinking a few hundred when we go out for lunch at a club.
The 'pokie free' club gives the family a chance to catch up with other young families and enjoy the community. This would not be possible with pokies.

I'm A Gambling Addict

I'm a Gambling Addict , starting in Victoria on card machine's in 83 . It's not active now , tho will always be there. I no longer wake up in cold sweat's, on pay day, or, feel sick in the stomach , like when I first began to stop. They're thankfully, just like any other day now.

Though , as I wrote on the self exclusion letters to various Clubs, I will be an addict till i take my last breath . I gambled last, in January, and then few months ago .

The ten odd years of attending GA did nothing for me , that program modified from the AA 12 step, takes the last bit of hope from you , telling u to admit ur powerless. "Have some tea and bickies, (it was often the only thing I would eat on the day ), now get out there be a good little gambler and see u next week."

My son was born nearly 15 yrs ago , his arrival really through a spanner in the works , as far as my GAMBLING was concerned . I realised I had to do something that had a chance of getting me off this cracked record. I went off to TAFE to study, the Assoc Diploma of Social Sciences. I got over half way through. Did enough to find out what started, keeps it going, finally then to stop it. I was /am running on a Negative Belief and Value system.

From dysfunctional childhood, being diagnosed with Epilepsy at 18, I was, in fact, Gambling to lose. You would reckon, I would pick up on the fact that I never won. Even when I did win, I would just keep playing till I've given it all back . Had many a seizure as result of a royal flush or alike.

For more than a decade , I could nor laugh or cry , I can recall having sore muscle's on my face from laughing, from not laughing for all those years , now , can cry from watching a soppy old black and white movie, even from watching the show about Shintaro last night for example .

I've only recently discovered, emotions that as I'm sure ur aware have no "normal" place to be at, with an ADDICTION, more concerning if Fathering is thrown into the equation. Positive Affirmations kept me on the bus and to be present at the assoc dip lectures, most valuable indeed for beginning by trek down the path to recovery .

Anyway sorry for going on so much, finally just wanted to say regarding luring kids to Gambling. I also have a 10 year old daughter , and she used to play a maths game called Mathletics , she was told about it from her school , who gave her a log on number to play. The thing is I've watched her when she used to play , and when they WIN it sounds a BELL** identical to that on the CLEOPATRA SLOT MACHINE'S, when you would get the three pyramids and the 15 free spins. The kids will be in the Clubs when they're grown up, will hear the same ringing sounds that will take them back to being a child, playing mathletics , and wander in and become Addicted and Destroy their lives.