Ep. 29 - Christina’s Story
Often what we most need when struggling with gambling is to hear from someone else who has been there and understands … to know we are not alone.
In episode 29 of our podcast, Fold em: Help for Gambling Problems, listen to my conversation with Christina who knows all about the power of connecting with others. While in the early days of pulling back from gambling, she reached out through social media to find others on the same path. She then took it a step farther and created a Facebook group and a podcast - both called The Broke Girl Society. Recently she started co-hosting a YouTube channel called The Bet Free Life.
Tune in to hear Christina’s reflections on her first nine months of recovery. Learn how she moved through a tidal wave of emotions in the first 90-days and faced cravings. Hear about keeping life in balance and recovery in the forefront. Together, we share ideas about how to fill the gap left when gambling stops and to keep moving towards greater peace in your life.
If you prefer to tune in directly from Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts, click on the red “Listen and Subscribe” button below.
What I needed in my early days was to hear from other women who would understand
The Broke Girl Society podcast and Facebook group was created so that others dealing with compulsive gambling - especially women - don’t feel so alone
Lessons Learned: The First Ninety Days After Stopping Gambling
In this episode of Fold em, Christina starts off the interview by telling us how she felt while gambling compulsively. She says that it was like she was two people. Her public self seemed OK to everyone else. The private self - that only she knew about - was “drowning” in stress, isolation and worry.
Christina says she knew that gambling was a problem, but didn’t associate it with addiction. Only after watching a show on food addiction did she recognize the similarities with her gambling. Having made this connection, she tried to stop. This stuck for 55-days but then she gambled again and lost big. In the aftermath of this, with thoughts of ending her life, Christina came to see that she didn’t want to end her life, she wanted to end the addiction. She committed to fighting for her life.
It’s a process of coming to terms with a gambling problem and then being ready and able to break free.
Here’s what helped Christina in the early days of her recovery:
opening up to someone she could trust (Mom)
learning about resources available to help (self exclusion, Gamblers Anonymous, podcasts)
connecting with others who have been there and understand (through social media, podcasts, meetings)
putting up barriers to keep away from gambling (self exclusion, don’t drive near casinos when dealing with cravings)
keeping busy and her mind on something else
watching out for replacing gambling with other ways of getting a similar dopamine high
talking through the tidal wave of emotions (including anger)
staying flexible and persistent - if something doesn’t work, try something else
Lessons Learned At Nine Months: Filling The Gaps and Keeping Momentum Going
Christina tells us that she is now nine months away from her last bet (congratulations!) She acknowledges that some days are hard, especially when dealing with urges. She decided to channel her energy into creating more spaces for people dealing with gambling problems to connect.
In our conversation, Christina shares her reflections on challenges she faced over the past nine months and the benefits that have emerged with a gambling free life.
Tune in to hear our conversation about:
Filling the gaps : Building in activities that are important/interesting/meaningful for you will not only help prevent a relapse but also help you to feel better. Maybe you start with an activity you used to enjoy or something you are curious about. Or maybe channel your energy into simple acts of kindness, e.g. sharing a smile with someone on the street.
Keeping your recovery and self care a priority: Christina says after connecting with so many other people in recovery, she learned that she had to set boundaries with being there for others. She needed to keep her life in balance and her recovery the priority.
The importance of getting feedback from people you trust: Christina shares that both her sponsor and therapist questioned whether she was getting too involved with helping others through all the social media spaces she had created. While hard to hear, this feedback helped her to step back and set boundaries for herself.
Tune in to episode 29 of Fold em to learn more from Christina about her path of recovery and how she’s feeling better than she has in years.
Listen now by clicking on the green play buttons at the top of this blog. Or, tune in directly from Apple or Google podcasts by clicking on the red button below.
Check out other episodes of Fold em and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out when new ones are released.
How to Connect with Christina, the Broke Girl Society and The Bet Free Life
You can listen to the Broke Girl Society podcast on any podcast app, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on YouTube.
Check out the Facebook Page and join the Broke Girl Society Facebook group. Follow on Instagram or Twitter @thebrokegirlsociety
If you want to see the YouTube show she has created with Brian Hatch (The Addicted Gamblers Podcast) subscribe to The Bet Free Life with Brian and Christina.
Support and Counselling in British Columbia
If you live in British Columbia and would like to learn more about free, confidential support and counselling services from Gambling Support BC, click on the red “Connect with Support in BC” button below. Or, go to the Gambling Support BC website. You can also access our services through the Gambling Support Line. It is available 24/7 at 1-888-795-6111.
Gambling Support BC services are available to residents of British Columbia who are concerned about their own or a loved one’s gambling.
Fold em is a podcast hosted by Adrienne Cossom and her colleagues at Gambling Support BC. Whether you are looking at stopping or scaling back your own gambling or supporting a family member with a problem, this podcast will help you take back control. Hear from gamblers who have been through it and get tips from counsellors. Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.
To learn more about gambling concerns and how to access resources and support, go to the home page of this website, click on the red “Learn More” button below, or connect with us through Facebook.