Hello there,

I am Big B, and I am a gambling addict. I am using this medium to hold myself accountable and hope my story inspires someone out there.

So, how did I get here?

I have been gambling for the last seven years and have managed to rack up debts along the way. Before now, I always found a way to get around these debts, and I think this somehow made me feel invincible and that I could keep increasing my stakes without any repercussions.

Honestly, I think of how much I have lost and debts I have had to repay, and it is just sad what I could have done with all that money, but now isn't a time for regret.

Last year was when my gambling addiction first really caught up with me, as I ended up biting more than I could chew. I was in debt of around 3 million Naira and had just lost my job around that period. It was crazy to say the least, it felt like my whole world had come crumbling down. For those into gambling, you know how you only begin to weigh your life decisions only after the deed has been done? That is precisely what happened to me.

You know, the funny thing is that I have always had moments like that whenever I lost huge amounts, but this time was more extreme because I became suicidal. Suddenly, I lost my peace of mind, and the only thing I could think of was how to get out of the mess I had put myself in.

Looking back at it now, I would have sworn on anything that I wasn't going to go back to gambling after that experience, but nah, that is not how addiction works. See, it's very easy to say you won't go back to something when you are between a rock and a hard place, but somehow, you see yourself returning to that thing when the situation eases out. That is why you have to make that conscious decision from now on even before you get rekt.

Sure, there are those who had to face such difficult situations for them to truly battle their addiction, but they aren't the majority. In my case, I am hoping to be among this set of people because, guys, once again, I am between a rock and a hard place. And now, I feel like this is my last chance to get it right. I need to get it right because this addiction has stolen a lot from me, and I can't take it anymore.

Over the next 30 days, I will be sharing my thoughts here and just detailing what it is like as I abstain from gambling during this period. I am hoping this kickstarts my journey of a long road to recovery and being clean from this vice that has eaten me up for the last seven years. Like I said earlier, I also hope my story inspires someone out there because I know how much of a negative impact gambling addiction has in this country and worldwide.

See you tomorrow!