A recovering gambling addict from Co Down is completing a series of 30 cold water dips before she turns 30 to raise awareness about addiction. Sarah Boyd turned to online gambling to make extra money but soon became addicted. Now in recovery, she hopes that sharing her story will help others in similar situations.
A recovering gambling addict from Co Down is hoping to help others in her situation by completing a series of 30 cold water dips before she turns 30. Sarah Boyd from Carryduff had been struggling financially after university and turned to online gambling in order to make a bit of extra cash.
"I was hooked as soon as I started. It was a bit of a thrill when you had a win, but it was also not knowing what was coming next. Eventually over a few years my problem escalated, I think particularly during Covid when every day life just shut down and my mental health took a bit of a hit with increased anxiety and depression. Just after that, I had started to work all month then gamble my whole pay in few hours, which I kept a secret.
"Online slots had me though and I became so addicted that I lost all appreciation for money and the people around me. The money just became numbers on a screen to me that meant nothing. I could win and feel nothing at all." "I would win a five figure sum one day playing £300 per spin and be back spinning 30ps the next, whilst making the dinner and doing everyday normal things in between.""When I ran out of credit on one I’d just go to another site and open a new one. I would gamble for hours and hours everyday, pressing the same button on my phone until my bank account was empty. This was nothing new to me. It had become a theme but the amounts were different.
"I started one day at a time, at the start - one hour at a time actually, saying ‘for this hour I will not gamble’. I had amazing support with counselling from Dunlewey Addiction Services and for the first time, I actually found a counsellor and people who understood me.
Gambling Addiction Recovery Cold Water Dips Awareness Online Gambling
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