I’m currently on my 4th day sober from gambling. This is only the second time in the last 4 years that I’ve gone more than a day without gambling. The last time I tried to quit it was the boredom that got me. I had just cracked under boredom and in a couple hours blew everything in my checking account.
Right now I have no desire to gamble anymore but I’m sitting in my house restless, irritable, eyes twitching and no idea what to even do with my time now. What do you do to fill the void when your brain is used to years of gambling 5+ hours a day? And when do these withdrawal symptoms stop?
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The last time I quit was almost a year ago now. At the start, I did “wim hof breathing” and took cold showers every single day to help increase baseline dopamine and “hit the reset” button on my nervous system. I believe it was extremely helpful at the time and I still do the breathwork almost every day.
You might be Bipolar…. I am. It makes it harder. You neee to get up and move immediately when these cravings start. Shower, masturbating, work out etc etc Thinking about it won’t help. It’s rumination and you get dopamine hits from it.
Your dopamine will take around 3 months to get better and it can take a year or 2 to go back to what it was pre-gambling.
Fill your time with productive things – working out, reading, meditating, walking, spending time with loved ones/friends, get a new hobby…
You got this!
ETA. First, congratulations and well done. Everyday is another day further away from your last bet. One day at a time, sometimes one hour at a time, sometimes 10 minutes at a time is what it takes.
[Coping With Urges](https://gamblersanonymous.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Suggestions_for_Coping_with_Urges_to_Gamble_Watermarked.pdf)
https://gamblersanonymous.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Suggestions_for_Coping_with_Urges_to_Gamble_Watermarked.pdf
The other day a fellow compulsive gambler was looking for advice of what to do when the URGE strikes. I listed a few things that jumped to mind in my reply (walk, volunteer, GA meeting) but I would like to update my answer and point everyone to the pamphlet called “Suggestions for Coping with Urges to Gamble”
It is a short, but powerful read, with practical applications and helpful suggestions.
Follow this link [GA Books ](https://gamblersanonymous.org/gamblers-anonymous-literature-digital/)
You can also go the main site at [Gamblers Anonymous](https://gamblersanonymous.org), use the RESOURCES dropdown, and continue to Gamblers Anonymous Literature (Digital), and the pamphlet is on the top row, on the right. There are other very helpful resources posted as well.
Please share with the group those items that you found most helpful.
My bonafides. I am a compulsive gambler not gambling. I placed my last bet on 12/27/1999.