u/HappySadResident

Recently moved to San Juan and I’ve met so many people and discovered so many places here. Just wondering, do you know any businesses in San Juan, particularly around Urbiztondo, that are owned by locals? Like born and raised in La Union.

I’ve noticed that a lot of businesses are owned by foreigners, investors, or people from outside the province, so I’d love to intentionally support more locally owned spots. Restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops, small businesses, anything really. Would love your recos! Thanks much!

I’m from the Philippines, and I honestly don’t know where else to say this, so I’m posting here hoping someone who has been through the same thing can help me.

I started gambling back in two thousand twenty-four. At first, it was harmless in my head. I would only bet tiny amounts. I’d win, then lose, then win again, then lose again. It didn’t feel like a big deal.

I think everything changed when I won a huge amount from a relatively small bet. That win completely changed the way I looked at gambling. I became addicted to chasing that feeling again, the rush of turning a small amount into something huge. And the worst part is, I actually experienced those big wins several more times after that, all the way until May this year.
There was even a time when I won around half a million pesos in one month. At that point, I already had a significant amount of debt, and I thought I could finally pay everything off and get myself out of this situation.

But then June and July happened.
I lost everything I had won.
Now I’m sitting here with around 700k in debt.

I earn around ₱100k a month, so technically, I know this is something I can work my way out of if I stop gambling completely. But I’m terrified that I’ll just gamble again and make everything worse.

I’ve tried so many times to stop. I’ve deleted my bank apps. I’ve told myself I’m done. I’ve promised myself that I won’t do it again.

Then I redownload the apps.

And I gamble again.

It feels like I’m watching myself make decisions that I already know will hurt me, but I still do it anyway. I’m scared because I know I can potentially recover financially if I stop now, but I don’t trust myself to actually stop.

For anyone who has gone through gambling addiction, what actually helped you quit? Not just “have more discipline” or “just stop,” because I’ve tried that over and over.

I need to know what you actually did when the urge came back. What systems, boundaries, support, or practical steps helped you stay away from gambling? I’m willing to do whatever I need to do. I just don’t know where to start.

I’d really appreciate any advice from people who have genuinely been through this. Please be honest with me. I really need help.

I’m from the Philippines, and I honestly don’t know where else to say this, so I’m posting here hoping someone who has been through the same thing can help me.

I started gambling back in 2024. At first, it was harmless in my head. I would only bet ₱5–₱10. I’d win, then lose, then win again, then lose again. It didn’t feel like a big deal.

I think everything changed when I won ₱250,000 from just ₱1,500. That win completely changed the way I looked at gambling. I think that’s when I became addicted to chasing that feeling again. The rush of turning a small amount into something huge. And the worst part is, I actually experienced those big wins several more times after that, all the way until May 2026.
There was even a time when I won around ₱500,000 in one month. At that point, I had around ₱300,000 in debt, and I thought I could finally pay it all off and get myself out of this situation.

But then June and July happened. I lost everything I had won. Now I’m sitting here with around ₱700,000 in debt.

I earn approximately ₱100,000 a month from my job, so technically I know this is something I can work my way out of. But I’m terrified that I’ll just gamble again and make everything worse.
I’ve tried so many times to stop. I’ve deleted my bank apps. I’ve told myself I’m done. I’ve promised myself that I won’t do it again.
Then I redownload the apps.

And I gamble again.

It feels like I’m watching myself make decisions that I already know will hurt me, but I still do it anyway. I’m scared because I know I can potentially recover financially if I stop now, but I don’t trust myself to actually stop.

For anyone who has gone through gambling addiction, what actually helped you quit? Not just “have more discipline” or “just stop,” because I’ve tried that over and over. I need to know what I can actually do when the urge comes back. What helped you guys?

I’m willing to do whatever I need to do. I just don’t know where to start. I’d really appreciate any advice…