When Gambling Starts as Fun but Turns Into Something You Can’t Escape

[Yamifoud]

You ever notice how most people start gambling just for fun -  small bets, a bit of thrill, nothing serious at first.
Then slowly it turns into a routine, then a habit, and before you know it, you’re chasing losses thinking the next win will fix everything.

Some say it’s just lack of discipline, others call it addiction. But honestly, it feels deeper than that, especially when you keep convincing yourself that you still have it under control.

Anyone here went through that phase? When gambling stopped being fun and started running your life?
Curious how bad it got and how you managed to get out of it.

[freedomgo]

Yeah, gambling’s fun and all, but I never really played just for fun.
From the start, i kinda believed you could actually make money from it, so i pushed myself to try different ways to win.

I was pretty dumb at first, just chasing patterns without really knowing my real chances, totally ignored the house edge part. I did get addicted before, life was rough, but I managed to pull myself out. now I still gamble sometimes, not just for fun, but with more control and discipline than before.

[lovesmayfamilis]

Those who understand how gambling addiction begins find it easier to stop early. But not everyone wants to hear the stories of those who have gone through it and sincerely warn others to be careful. Fortunately, I haven't fallen victim to gambling, and I don't have any real-life examples of such people, but I've seen many stories on our forum that are essential for those starting to gamble. If you lose the meaning of your life and all your goals and thoughts are focused on gambling, then you're trapped, and the smartest and most reliable thing to do is stop gambling altogether, at least temporarily.

[Russlenat]

Those who understand how gambling addiction begins find it easier to stop early.

I think a lot of us, when we first start gambling, don’t really see the possibility of getting addicted. we always think we’re mature enough to handle it, but in the end, we still fall into it. That’s why people say we learn from our mistakes, but honestly, it shouldn’t have to be that way. we can learn from the mistakes of others so we don’t end up in the same mess.

Some of us are lucky though, because even after getting addicted, we still managed to get out before experiencing the worst.
Not everyone gets that kind of luck.

[Akbarkoe]

You ever notice how most people start gambling just for fun -  small bets, a bit of thrill, nothing serious at first.
Then slowly it turns into a routine, then a habit, and before you know it, you’re chasing losses thinking the next win will fix everything.

Some say it’s just lack of discipline, others call it addiction. But honestly, it feels deeper than that, especially when you keep convincing yourself that you still have it under control.

Anyone here went through that phase? When gambling stopped being fun and started running your life?
Curious how bad it got and how you managed to get out of it.

The average gambler has experienced it and it is always a sure path for a gambler who really wants pleasure in gambling and is oriented towards profit and victory, and the sure thing if you want to get out of the side of excessive betting is to think critically about what you do, most people in that phase logic does not work well.

[Cgrexp]

You ever notice how most people start gambling just for fun -  small bets, a bit of thrill, nothing serious at first.
Then slowly it turns into a routine, then a habit, and before you know it, you’re chasing losses thinking the next win will fix everything.Some say it’s just lack of discipline, others call it addiction. But honestly, it feels deeper than that, especially when you keep convincing yourself that you still have it under control.Anyone here went through that phase? When gambling stopped being fun and started running your life? Curious how bad it got and how you managed to get out of it.

Gambling is a game that turns from fun or curiosity into addiction. Hiding losses, continuing to play even after the money runs out, feeling uncomfortable when you can't play are some of the common signs of gambling addiction, but those who take these signs lightly later fall into a more serious addiction. Many people think that if you have self-control, addiction does not arise, but when a person wins frequently in gambling, a feeling of joy will develop in his brain and his ability to control himself will weaken. Of course, one must be careful not to turn playing for fun into a toy.

[Justbillywitt]

This didn't happen to me directly but it happened to someone very close to me who happens to be my blood. When he started gambling it wasn't an issue because it wasn't noticeable, but as time went on we started noticing some abnormalities in his behaviour as he was spending most of his time in the gambling shop.

It didn't stop there, he started selling his stuffs to gambling, it was so bad that we moved him to a remote area where gambling shop wasn't available and he wasn't with a device that would allow him gamble online. He was registered to learn a job while he was there. Two years down the line he was rescued from gambling addiction. Today he's a better guy even though he still gamble, he now does it responsibly.

[Wapfika]

Anyone here went through that phase? When gambling stopped being fun and started running your life?
Curious how bad it got and how you managed to get out of it.

So far I don’t experience this because I have work which I prioritize over my gambling activities that’s why I never experienced being addicted on gambling since I always have a break to give way for my work as always.

I believe people that become addicted on gambling usually don’t have something to be prioritized or they gambling over their responsibilities that’s why they become addicted.

Find something that you will use as break to gambling to avoid being addicted.

[salad daging]

You ever notice how most people start gambling just for fun -  small bets, a bit of thrill, nothing serious at first.
Then slowly it turns into a routine, then a habit, and before you know it, you’re chasing losses thinking the next win will fix everything.

Yeah, pay attention to habits like this, which start out as fun but end up chasing losses and wanting to profit in this game.
Even winning the next time won't help, as you'll just repeat the same thing.

Anyone here went through that phase? When gambling stopped being fun and started running your life?
Curious how bad it got and how you managed to get out of it.

Have you ever chased losses because of the emotional impact of a big loss?
Hoping to win big, you deposit a large sum of money.
But it doesn't affect life issues, so it's still within reasonable limits.

How do you get out? Strict discipline - set your bankroll as small as possible.

[junder]

You ever notice how most people start gambling just for fun -  small bets, a bit of thrill, nothing serious at first.
Then slowly it turns into a routine, then a habit, and before you know it, you’re chasing losses thinking the next win will fix everything.

Some say it’s just lack of discipline, others call it addiction. But honestly, it feels deeper than that, especially when you keep convincing yourself that you still have it under control.

Anyone here went through that phase? When gambling stopped being fun and started running your life?
Curious how bad it got and how you managed to get out of it.

Gambling can indeed bring us pleasure, and this pleasure naturally lies in the winnings or profits achieved. Whether those who gamble for fun or profit, winning is still something that can bring us joy, but that doesn't mean everything will be fine. Initially, we gamble for fun, in other words, without thinking about the outcome, but that can change when gambling. People who gamble wisely may have different goals, such as wanting to win even bigger. This is a real experience, and I think almost all gamblers experience it.

[un_rank]

This is why it is a curse for a person new to gambling to win good money right from the start. If you lose some money quickly the natural instinct is to preserve yourself and blame the game to be rigged, but if you win you may think that is because of some skill you have. Such players end up losing everything they won and then some trying to recreate their early win. They will have some more wins along the way to keep them really hooked on it.

Gambling can be fun if you keep your wager amount low enough for it not to matter if you lose. You will still want to win but will not be as emotionally invested if you wagered more than you can afford to lose.

- Jay -

[AmoreJaz]

This didn't happen to me directly but it happened to someone very close to me who happens to be my blood. When he started gambling it wasn't an issue because it wasn't noticeable, but as time went on we started noticing some abnormalities in his behaviour as he was spending most of his time in the gambling shop.

It didn't stop there, he started selling his stuffs to gambling, it was so bad that we moved him to a remote area where gambling shop wasn't available and he wasn't with a device that would allow him gamble online. He was registered to learn a job while he was there. Two years down the line he was rescued from gambling addiction. Today he's a better guy even though he still gamble, he now does it responsibly.

I have the same experience, actually with several of my relatives. They really did go to the extent of stealing just to suffice their cravings to gamble. I believe, it is like they feel they need to gamble even if they have no more money to spend. And a lot are experiencing such feeling. If you can't fund your gambling, better pause or stop. Very simple.

[danherbias07]

I did.

It ruined a part of my financial budget, and there was a time I also took a loan just to gamble more. Luckily, I thought about my kids and their future if I continue it, so I stopped and just gamble moderately again.

It's tough being in that position, and for me, it's actually revenge that I am aiming for. I want my money back so bad, and I keep telling myself that if I get it back, I will stop. When I saw how it damaged me financially, that's when I realized it should be stopped. Not gambling addiction, but more like an emotional vengeful type.

My way of forgetting is playing console games again and watching long anime series. Thankfully, I got busy with that entertainment, and I forgot about gambling too much.

[Questat]

The main reason we got hooked on gambling is because it’s fun, and we have to admit that most of the time, we’re not really winning in the long run. even when we’re losing, we still keep playing simply because we enjoy it. for some of us, we even end up sacrificing other things, like buying stuff we want, just to set aside money for gambling.

With that to consider, I can honestly say I started gambling just for fun, but when I began winning, that’s when i got more interested and challenged myself to find a way to win consistently. In the end, it didn’t work out, i failed at that part.

Now, I still gamble, but purely for fun. no pressure anymore. If I lose, it’s fine; if I win, i just use the winnings to treat myself.  

[michellee]

If you can stick to your reason for playing gambling, you will not break your own rules. You will not chase losses and think the next win will fix everything. Discipline really needed to stick to your plan so you can stay away from wanting to play more. Many gamblers have the same things but not many of them can resist leaving gambling immediately. That is because they are curious about the winning and want to keep playing. Curiosity can bring you into a bad situation where you will not realize it. So be careful when you gamble and always stay aware.

[Fiatless]

Anyone here went through that phase? When gambling stopped being fun and started running your life?
Curious how bad it got and how you managed to get out of it.

Nobody ever planned to become an addict. It starts gradually and metamorphoses into a habit that cannot be controlled. It got to the extent that I will do everything in my power to get money for gambling. In some cases, I could use funds that were allocated for an important basic need to place bets.

I later discovered that loss chasing is a trigger of addiction. Experience taught me that it is not how consistent you bet that brings wins but how lucky you are. The stories of people whose lives turned bad due to gambling addiction also encouraged me to control my behaviour.      

[YOSHIE]

Anyone here went through that phase? When gambling stopped being fun and started running your life?
Curious how bad it got and how you managed to get out of it.

It was the scariest phase in life, I remember my friend who was caught in a phase like that and until now his life is more terrifying.
Initially my friend gambled just for fun starting from trying out sports betting, several times placing big winning sports bets, unfortunately until now he can't go out anymore, every day he has to gamble, strangely he rarely leaves the house unlike usual, his life is a mess so his parents complain and it's hard to think about it, that's one of the things I've seen in my environment.

Luckily I can still control myself in that bad phase, for now I still control gambling, gambling doesn't control me yet, However, I also hope that in the future I can still control myself like now, gambling is a game for me, not a place to make a living.

[Tungbulu]

Even if it’s hard to admit, I believe majority of the gamblers here may have experienced this in one way or the other, even those who are considered to be disciplined or responsible gamblers. Some of them became responsible as a result of having these types of experiences. Some people believe that only addicted or newbie gamblers experience this, but the truth is that one can be an experienced gambler, not addicted and still get a piece of this once in a while until they’ve truly learned their lessons.

Most of the times I lost huge amounts in gambling, it didn’t start with betting with huge amounts, it started from a small harmless bets and then transformed into something else. Was I an addict? Definitely not. I just happen to have lost complete control.

[Judith87403]

Unless a guy have not yet figured out that he's addicted to gamble if not I don't see how addicted a guy may be that he may not be able to move from it, I know of a guy he's once a gambling addict. His addiction got to the point of selling his properties like land and other valuable materials, this guy have been doing this for some couple of years and then, he never knew that he's addicted to gambling. But after few months and he call him self to order and start remembering how he started this journey and comparing it to this current time, then he obviously see that there's a lot of changes so after that he decided to take a break to make a proper checkup. So is only unreasonable gamblers that will find it hard to escape from any situation they find themselves into.

[dimonstration]

If you can stick to your reason for playing gambling, you will not break your own rules. You will not chase losses and think the next win will fix everything. Discipline really needed to stick to your plan so you can stay away from wanting to play more. Many gamblers have the same things but not many of them can resist leaving gambling immediately. That is because they are curious about the winning and want to keep playing. Curiosity can bring you into a bad situation where you will not realize it. So be careful when you gamble and always stay aware.

I think it’s not about curiosity rather greediness on aiming to win more or chase their loss. Many gamblers usually think for a 1 last game to end their gambling activities, either chasing losses or having 1 last good profit that we all know to turns badly because it’s hard to stop when you can’t meet your goal on the result of your bet.

The feeling that you will experience a good win on your next bet makes gambler imprisoned to the thought that they need to gambling more.

I don’t experience this kind of addiction even before but it sucks experiencing it due to the mind burden of having urge to gamble.