The "Hidden Cost" of Gambling: It’s not the Money, it’s the Time and Memories lo

[CryptoYar]

It was family dinner and I was there few months ago. It was great celebration, everybody was laughing and telling jokes. But I was not really "there." Almost all time my phone was under table and I was continually refreshing live score that I had placed parlay bet on. In 80th minute when team conceded a goal my mood had totally crashed. Rest of night I remained quiet, annoyed and distant. My younger brother inquired me about what had gone wrong and I just screamed at him.

Then later that night, I found that I could not remember even single word of any of the conversations I overheard that dinner. I had exchanged beautiful family memory with pressure of $100 bet. I will be able to earn it back but I will never enjoy such dinner with my family.

It seems to me that greatest illusion about gambling is that gambling makes you poor, but it makes you go absent in your own life.

Have you ever lost some important life event and ruined special day being too concentrated on some live bet?

[Charles-Tim]

I am very different from you, but I am gambling not frequently. If I bet on matches and I am out with people like what you explained, I will not even bother to be tracking the live scores of the matches. If something will distract me, that can not be gambling at all. But there are sometimes notifications from Bitcointalk might distract me, but I can off my data network because of it. That is the only thing that I think can be a distraction for me at the time.

[Moreno233]

It was family dinner and I was there few months ago. It was great celebration, everybody was laughing and telling jokes. But I was not really "there." Almost all time my phone was under table and I was continually refreshing live score that I had placed parlay bet on. In 80th minute when team conceded a goal my mood had totally crashed. Rest of night I remained quiet, annoyed and distant. My younger brother inquired me about what had gone wrong and I just screamed at him.

I underatand what you are saying perfectly we because I have been there before but luckily for me, I have grown past this stage in my gambling. What is wrong here is that you gambled with what you cannot afford to lose, you may not believe it but that is the truth. If you had gambled with amount that yiu can conveniently let go, there is no way your emotions will be so attached that such bets will come in between your personal life and side hustle. Next time reduce your bet size and don't plan with your potential winning, any money you have placed a bet with, just assume it is lost so that it doesn't distract you from other important events.

[giammangiato]

Have you ever lost some important life event and ruined special day being too concentrated on some live bet?

I understand your state of mind happened to me, fortunately not with gambling. In the sense that during a pleasant evening I was present with my body, but absent absorbed in my negative thoughts, in the problems to be solved.
Very true what you say, but the "hidden cost" as you define it is in everything that wastes your time and could ruin your mood, not just gambling.
Let's remember that our lives are 95% of what happens to us and 5% of how we decide to react to things.

[TopTort777]

It was family dinner and I was there few months ago. It was great celebration, everybody was laughing and telling jokes. But I was not really "there." Almost all time my phone was under table and I was continually refreshing live score that I had placed parlay bet on. In 80th minute when team conceded a goal my mood had totally crashed. Rest of night I remained quiet, annoyed and distant. My younger brother inquired me about what had gone wrong and I just screamed at him.

Then later that night, I found that I could not remember even single word of any of the conversations I overheard that dinner. I had exchanged beautiful family memory with pressure of $100 bet. I will be able to earn it back but I will never enjoy such dinner with my family.

It seems to me that greatest illusion about gambling is that gambling makes you poor, but it makes you go absent in your own life.

Have you ever lost some important life event and ruined special day being too concentrated on some live bet?

What outcome have expected, if you focus on gambling (put anything else here, result wont change) and distanced yourself from world around you ? It is not a miracle that you cant remember anything, because you were not even listening and following conversation and mood behind the table. I have numerous examples when I was doing something parallel, plunged into the process head-on, and was like not even present in the room. Most funny case when I was playing snake game on my Nokia at school. I was so deeply in game, that I first havent even heard multiple times teacher called me, then havent even noticed teacher came to me, stood and watched how I play...

[AmaGold70]

Well, for those of us who gamble regularly, we have faced frustration at one point or the other. Gambling is not a reliable way of making money because is always changing your mood, and keep you in isolation when you think about the frustration it has brought you.
Several times, I have been in a situation where I feel like staying alone, and not communicating with anyone as I think about my lost bet. However, we should understand what gambling is, and never allow losses to have any negative impact on us, to do this, we should ensure responsible gambling, and gamble with very small percentage of our income.

[Ruttoshi]

I think it happened that way because you don't care about your family dinner since you're so stuck with your parlay bet and you made it your priority. You realized yourself after the loss that you have missed a good memory with your family.

I don't put gambling first in whatever, I'm doing which is the main reason why I gamble during my leisure time so that, I don't distract myself from anything important. It seems that you staked with the amount of money that you couldn't afford to lose or you thought, you will hit it big with that parlay. Don't allow gambling control you and your emotion.

[Sticky Bomb]

I treasure family moments and don't gamble within that timing. To have a better family time, it is best to turn off your internet connection when present. Gambling made me come late to my friend's birthday party yesterday but while I was there, I didn't gamble anymore because I would always have time for gambling, but those moments with loved ones rarely come handy. I agree that gambling can cost you valuable relationships when you are attached to the results, so it is best you don't engage in anything that might mess with your emotions when you're in such a gathering and just feel the moment.

I think it happened that way because you don't care about your family dinner since you're so stuck with your parlay bet and you made it your priority. You realized yourself after the loss that you have missed a good memory with your family.

He cared, else he would not be there present, he only ended up not setting his priorities right, he was emotionally attached to gambling at a time he should be available and enjoy family moments.

[cryptoaddictchie]

It seems to me that greatest illusion about gambling is that gambling makes you poor, but it makes you go absent in your own life.

Have you ever lost some important life event and ruined special day being too concentrated on some live bet?

Honestly Im active on gambling but never it came to my mind to miss any of my real life events especially a family gathering for it. For me its better to do gambling only on your spare and free time. But as far as I remembered theres no time that even it got mixed up with my affair irl and even ruined it.

Yes gambling experience like yours might be experienced with other users but honestly we shouldnt be like that as much as possible. Our time is precious to fully occupied by gambling in all time. So always be discipline enough.

[Finestream]

I guess the lesson here, aside from not gambling what you can't afford to lose, is to never mix your family occasion with gambling, because once you lose your bet, it will definitely leave a negative impact on you, which will ruined your mood and will no longer manage to enjoy the family occasion.

You don't just lose your money, but you also lose a precious time with your family which you can't be sure if it will happen again with the complete circle, or maybe it will happen again but this time your family is no longer complete.

I have experienced like this before, but its not about gambling, but a work that will almost due, and since I have not finished it earlier, my attention was divided. In the end, I regret why I did not finish my work before the scheduled family occasion, I would have enjoyed the celebration probably.

[Questat]

Just let it go. Everyone makes mistakes, but what’s important is that you were able to realize yours. There’s still time to correct it. I’m not saying you have to stop gambling completely, but you do need to fix your behavior and make sure next time you don’t ruin an important moment again. And always acknowledge that the mistake was on you, not on gambling itself. You’ll be fine, OP.

[leea-1334]

Sounds like one of those fake stories but let us say it is true, then hey man, this is not about gambling, this is about your addiction to gambling. Trading in this industry is also very close, whether you see it as gambling or addiction or just timeburner,,, I always am thinking about how much I wasted my time and days imagining that I was doing it for my future but lying to myself.

Just important to see gambling as a hobby and entertainment,,, same as everything else you can do for fun.

Once it consumes you,,, time to ditch it. Need help? Tell a professional about your problem ok?

[TopTort777]

Sounds like one of those fake stories but let us say it is true, then hey man, this is not about gambling, this is about your addiction to gambling. Trading in this industry is also very close, whether you see it as gambling or addiction or just timeburner,,, I always am thinking about how much I wasted my time and days imagining that I was doing it for my future but lying to myself.

Just important to see gambling as a hobby and entertainment,,, same as everything else you can do for fun.

Once it consumes you,,, time to ditch it. Need help? Tell a professional about your problem ok?

This story is not fake, but it give an example of obvious thing. You can do two actions parallel and be successful in both of them. Not hard to come up with such stories like "hidden cost of working" - its time you can sleep and dreams. One day I had to get up early to go work, so I stopped dream I was watching and did not wake up well rested. End of story

In fact, I can understand that dude and why he was gambling at the table. I notice, that sometimes when whole family meets, same stories are told, same things are being discussed. There are stories and jokes that I have heard hundred times already. When I was a kid, it was a tradition for whole family to meet behind table on Bdays. Since there were not many kids (and they were not my age) at the table, and I was not able to leave table, I either had to listen adults talk or I remember I once read a book while all were talking. Same as OP, I dont remember anything what was happening during that meeting.

[Don Pedro Dinero]

Have you ever lost some important life event and ruined special day being too concentrated on some live bet?

No, and the fact that you get so worked up over a $100 bet suggests it’s more money than you should be betting. I could afford to place bets like that, but I usually keep them lower, because I like to stay well below the amount that might affect me psychologically.

[julerz12]

~Snip~
Have you ever lost some important life event and ruined special day being too concentrated on some live bet?

You sound like someone with a gambling addiction, or at least going in that direction. There's a reason a phrase like "Go touch some grass" is often said to people who are addicted to anything online related - gaming, doom-scrolling social media, and even gambling; it's to prevent them from being too addicted to whatever it is that keeps them ultra-busy online. If you're too glued to your gambling and can't even hear or remember what's happening around you, that's a cause for concern. You should take a break and go touch some grass.

[nimogsm]

Have you ever lost some important life event and ruined special day being too concentrated on some live bet?

Of course, there were similar situations, but at a younger age, when I still had trouble prioritizing, which I regret. Today, if I have a meeting with family or loved ones planned, I will never plan to play on that day or the next. After all, family should always come first, and I should find a time for games when no one else is around.There will be many more games, but there will be no evenings like this with family.

[TopT3ns]

Have you ever lost some important life event and ruined special day being too concentrated on some live bet?

No, and the fact that you get so worked up over a $100 bet suggests it’s more money than you should be betting. I could afford to place bets like that, but I usually keep them lower, because I like to stay well below the amount that might affect me psychologically.

The most important thing when it come to making sure that it does not destroy the most treasured moment of our lives that we share with those people who have become the closest people in our lives in the real world. When a number begins to aroused an overreaching psychological response, its an obvious indication that you have unhealthy surpassed your own personal risk limits. Admittedly, putting money on the lottery when you know you are far below the poverty level, will help you relax and focus on the number of special moments in life that are worth remembering.

[STT]

You can place the bet and not look at it or feel you have to check on it just commit and come back when done to find the result at leisure.  If you feel you have to not only spend money but spend your time that is not spare then I totally agree the cost has become too much and its time to change something.
  This doesnt have to be a moral decision especially because spending too much time, being too reliant on the result of just one game is going to lead to a bad bet and possibly series of gambling losses.   You will fall less hard when you stay loose and able to handle any negative outcome on just one particular game.

 Be positive because you recognized your mistake and can now correct it, the worst mistakes we ignore and repeat till they take a serious effect that is harder to correct.  You are doing good, some losses you gain from learning and I think this is the process for you so well done.

[YellowSwap]

Every gamblers should learn one or two from you.

You used $100 that you can't afford to lose on gambling, that says alot about what type of gambler you are, I hope that anyone who is just starting to gamble wouldn't want to be like you.

When risking a certain amount of money and it's affecting your mood it means you are risking alot, this is not how to invest, this is also not how to gamble, the most painful choice I have made in my life is going all in on investment.

I choose to risked it all, if I had only risk some money and not everything I had, financially today would be much better, either in gambling or investment risks are present, always risk what you are comfortable to lose.

[KTChampions]

It was family dinner and I was there few months ago. It was great celebration, everybody was laughing and telling jokes. But I was not really "there." Almost all time my phone was under table and I was continually refreshing live score that I had placed parlay bet on. In 80th minute when team conceded a goal my mood had totally crashed. Rest of night I remained quiet, annoyed and distant. My younger brother inquired me about what had gone wrong and I just screamed at him.

Then later that night, I found that I could not remember even single word of any of the conversations I overheard that dinner. I had exchanged beautiful family memory with pressure of $100 bet. I will be able to earn it back but I will never enjoy such dinner with my family.

It seems to me that greatest illusion about gambling is that gambling makes you poor, but it makes you go absent in your own life.

Have you ever lost some important life event and ruined special day being too concentrated on some live bet?

What does gambling have to do with it? Many people experience the same negative emotions when their team loses. Or they're similarly disconnected from "normal" life because they're looking forward to playing with friends online. That's the price of engagement: when you're passionate about something, other things fade into the background. This even applies to scientists, athletes, and creative professionals who sacrifice everything for achievements in a narrow field.
By the way, why are you ignoring positive examples? When people won big and it lifted their spirits or even changed their lives?