Admit Powerless Over My Gambling Addiction

Many ask me this question ,
"Bennie, what is the first step into recovery ? "

In recovery, new comers or old timers, this is the first step, first thing we do on a daily basis ...

“We admitted that we were powerless over our gambling addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable.”

This is our first step, Step One in our recovery journey. Some of us, like me,  may take months or years to overcome this first step. Why ? Because of my false belief system which was in built in me over the years of gambling and always trying to convince me that I still have what it takes to beat the bookmaker, to beat the system and to start winning again .....

This First Step begins with “WE” and there’s a reason for that. For those of us who has been doing this step on a daily basis, we realise that there is great strength in making a verbal admission of our powerlessness. And when I go to recovery meetings every Tuesday and make this admission, I gained more than personal strength.

Together, we become members, part of a collective “We” that allows us, together, to recover from our gambling addiction. Within the room, a multi-million dollars club is formed. We earned our rights to be in the room. Collectively, we lost multi-millions to buy this special membership in the recovery room, which comes a wealth of experience: the experience of other gambling addicts who have found a way to arrest their destructive gambling and who have learn how to live life again.

Today, I no longer must try to solve the puzzle of my gambling addiction, my life on my own. When I honestly admit my powerlessness over my addiction, I begin the search for a better way to live. I am not alone — I am in good company, company of a "multi-millon dollar" in assets. hahahaha

Everyday, I will start the day with an admission of my powerlessness over addiction. I will remind myself that the First Step starts with “We” and know that I never have to be alone with my disease again.