Evening everyone (although I reckon I'm alone at this hour!),
Just to update those who were kind enough to offer advice when I first posted, things are looking a whole lot healthier - thanks to your help.
There's still a long way to go with my debts, I'm far from out of the woods, but having stopped gambling and having tightened my belt to near-non-breathing point I'm now eating in to my debts to the point where I can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel. And it feels great.
Once a gambler, always a gambler, I doubt you ever truly get it out of your system, but I've contacted four online gambling companies to ensure that they will block my credit cards in case I'm ever tempted again. Three did it no problem, the fourth took some persuading, but they finally relented when I told them I would speak to the media about them. I'm relieved, I was afraid I would have to star on Joe Duffy's show
You quickly learn never to trust yourself again, so contacting these companies and using the gambling blocker I mentioned before at least ensures that it will be damn hard to gamble again with an online company.
To the many people who sent me private messages wishing me luck and admitting to similar problems I say thank you, and I hope any advice I offered (largely of the second hand variety, ie taken off this board!) was helpful.
On the subject of private messages - it worried me that so many of these people were reluctant to post their problems on this website because of the less than helpful and depressingly judgemental comments that some contributors (one in particular) make/made when others owned up to the mess they created for themselves. All I would ask is that if you have no understanding of the addiction that is gambling or if you are not prepared to acknowledge that even admitting to the problem is a huge step then
please do not get involved in the discussion. Six months ago, or so, I would have scoffed at someone with gambling problems, I honestly would have dismissed them as wasters, but having succumbed myself I know now how miserably easy it is to do.
Please leave this board to people who are willing to offer good advice, don't use it as a platform to scoff at others less fortunate and wise just to make yourself feel better.
That's it. Thank you again to all who offered good advice, you'll never know just how invaluable it was.