This is my story (long, boring)

[ggbman]

I am very sorry to read this, posting on 2+2 generally exposes me to people who do not have these kinds of problem, or at least the scale is generally much different. As many have pointed out, you clearly have a gambling problem. You need to immiadiatley cease playing any sort of pit game, sports betting... all stuff of that nature. It's degenerate stuff, and it has destroyed people who have amassed much more wealth than you have.

Now, i have no idea how good you are at poker, what your track record is, etc... If you have a solid long term record, you can make this money back in a year or two playing 2-4 to 5-10 limit, where you do not need a big bankroll, and you don't need to move up past there. Here is what you need to think about...

It sounds like you are fortunate to have a good support network of family... given the way you have handled yourself, you should realize how lucky you are to still have their support. As a man, it's your responsibility to take care of your family, not pursue your own interests at their expense. That has to stop now. If poker can be a vehicle to help in that process, that go about it the right way, grind out, play LOW STAKES, and let your talent assist in this recovery process. Your problem is the one that i see with most people who gamble compusivley... you seem opposed to hard work and you want to make a quick score. People with this mentality either get themselves into a hole early, or get lucky and get themselves into a hole later.

You need to focus on your family and your career. Mend your relationships, perform well at your job, and if you make make an extra $30/hour playing poker, then make sure you put in 10-15 hours a week in the evenings and on the weekends, and you will be out of debt in a year or two. So much of this is psychology and getting yourself into the right mindset to become sucessful here, you have the right variables at your disposal, you just need to stop abusing them and get your act together. Do me a favor, turn this all around and give us an update in a year a two, linking this old post to your new one.

Best of luck to you,

Gabe