[wishIwouldchange]

I can't gamble and I can't sh. It as if all my coping mechanisms, and fun and whatever else it is, have been taken away from me. I want to do something!! I so badly want to do something!!

I wanted to go in the support chat room but no one was in there. How do I start up a talk with someone? I can call a crisis line, but honestly hate doing that. Oh, this is so frustrating.

I am tired of my work, and don't know if I can find another job. I have been at the same high stress job for 5 years, and I am so burnt out. I work way too many hours and see my family very little, but have to make income. Life is so frustrating!

I know I need to be grateful, but I'm tired and I can't do what I think I want to do.

[Sannah]

Can you exercise? It can improve your mood like SI and gambling.

[Sam2]

Originally Posted by wishIwouldchange

I can't gamble and I can't sh. It as if all my coping mechanisms, and fun and whatever else it is, have been taken away from me. I want to do something!! I so badly want to do something!!

I wanted to go in the support chat room but no one was in there. How do I start up a talk with someone? I can call a crisis line, but honestly hate doing that. Oh, this is so frustrating.

I am tired of my work, and don't know if I can find another job. I have been at the same high stress job for 5 years, and I am so burnt out. I work way too many hours and see my family very little, but have to make income. Life is so frustrating!

I know I need to be grateful, but I'm tired and I can't do what I think I want to do.

There is a way to invite someone to chat, but being computer illiterate, I'm not even sure how to do it.

If you were gambling and SI for a long time, those two things probably took up a big portion of your time and thoughts. Now you have to find a new thing to fill the space that those two habbits previously took up.

One thing that keeps me busy as of late, is playing the games on luminosity. I was rather skeptical at first, but they can really be fun. Almost addicting. You can play the games for I believe a month free before you have to sign on. You might enjoy it.

Realizing that its probably been a long time since you have engaged in "normal" fun, take some time to think about what you used to enjoy before the darkness of SI and gambling took over. You may not be interested in them anymore, but you also might be. Its worth trying.

if you have been able to stop gambling and SH, you are a strong person. Remember that. Use that. Sometimes after a long period of darkness, its necessary to rebuild your life. Its not easy, but it can be done.

Sannah has a good point about the exercise. Hard exercise can release those same endorphins that you get when you gamble or self harm. Our physioloy still responds to fight or flight, and those are controlled by several chemicals including endorphins. The problem is, in our society, we can't always run away or fight back, so the stress just builds and we wind up doing something to relieve the stress. Exercise will do that. If exercise isn't your thing, yoga and biofeedback are something that can help. Both take practice to acheive good feelings from, but it is a challenge that is positive, and there is no failure.

Sam2

[wishIwouldchange]

Originally Posted by Sam2

Realizing that its probably been a long time since you have engaged in "normal" fun, take some time to think about what you used to enjoy before the darkness of SI and gambling took over. You may not be interested in them anymore, but you also might be. Its worth trying.

if you have been able to stop gambling and SH, you are a strong person. Remember that. Use that. Sometimes after a long period of darkness, its necessary to rebuild your life. Its not easy, but it can be done.

Sannah has a good point about the exercise. Hard exercise can release those same endorphins that you get when you gamble or self harm. Our physioloy still responds to fight or flight, and those are controlled by several chemicals including endorphins. The problem is, in our society, we can't always run away or fight back, so the stress just builds and we wind up doing something to relieve the stress. Exercise will do that. If exercise isn't your thing, yoga and biofeedback are something that can help. Both take practice to acheive good feelings from, but it is a challenge that is positive, and there is no failure.

Sam2

Thank you for sharing. I really have appreciated the encouragement and suggestions. It is really hard for me to think about what I use to enjoy because I can't remember ever having a time where I was able to just enjoy something (well, of course I have had some good times.) What I mean is I do not know what I enjoy doing that will keep me busy and my mind off the harmful addictions. I started shing when I was 8 years old. I was being horrifically abused and no one did anything to prevent it or to stop it. It began when I was 5 years old, but by the time I turned 8 I had learned to hate myself a lot and felt like I needed to be punished. Sometimes, even at the young age, I would do it to release feelings of pain or whatever. I began try to stop the sh about 4 years ago, and that is when my addiction to gambling began. It started out being just something fun to do, but quickly became something I had to do.

As for exercise, I will try that again, but it has never really been my thing. I am not against it, but not really sure I enjoy it. I have began couponing and that has helped some, and have been looking for time to spend with friends or beginning relationships, and that has helped some. This month is particularly hard for me because I was born this month, which was of no importance to my family and I was horribly abused. I think if I can keep breathing and posting through the hard times, that I might actually make it through them. The things that really helps with that is when people respond back with encouragement and suggestions. I truly appreciate that, and am thankful for it all, even if I can't necessarily apply the suggestion. It is encouraging just to hear them.

Thank you! I appreciate it all!

[Sannah]

You are working on these things with your therapist?

[wishIwouldchange]

Originally Posted by Sannah

You are working on these things with your therapist?

Well, I just started with a new therapist about 2 weeks ago, so we haven't started on any of the heavy info. I'm sure we will move into that. Mostly, he is trying to get my addictions under control. I wasn't liking my old therapist, but have finally found one that I think I will like.