The story of Julien, 31, who sank into addiction before getting back on track
“You win once, you want to play again. You lose, you want to do it again. In the end, you lose everything.” – Julien, former online sports betting addict
The first ticket, the first thrill
Julien is 31 years old. He lives in a small town in the south of France. He loves soccer, his mates and the thrill of watching a match. But one day, he discovers something even more addictive than extra time: online sports betting.
“My first bet was on an OM-PSG match. I put down €10 in a hurry and won €30 in 90 minutes. I felt like a genius.”
The story could have ended there. But this simple gain becomes a psychological trigger. The beginning of a trap that will engulf him for almost 5 years.
A silent but destructive spiral
At first, Julien bets small. €5, €10, never more. Then he installs two betting apps, then three. Every match becomes an opportunity. Every weekend an obsession.
“I started betting on everything: Ligue 1, the Japanese championship, the Swedish U19s… Sports I didn’t even watch. I just wanted to thrill. To win. To exist.”
But the losses kept piling up. And like thousands of others, Julien enters the compensation spiral. He bets more to recoup his losses. He empties his savings. He lies to his partner. He borrows from his brother.
“I think I’ve lost at least €20,000. But the worst thing isn’t the money. It’s the shame. The isolation. The feeling of being an impostor.”
Julien starts to sink. He cancels outings. He hides from gambling. He pretends to be interested in the games, the better to bet in his corner. He stops sleeping. He’s angry. And he’s lost control.
Those around him don’t understand. Because sports betting addiction has no smell, no visible symptoms. But inside, Julien has become an automaton, a compulsive gambler. He lives for the next odds. The next miracle.
The trigger: a rejected invoice, a slap in the face
“One day, my card was refused at the supermarket. There was €4 left in my account. I had bet my girlfriend’s money without telling her. That’s when I cracked.”
It’s in this moment of emptiness that Julien becomes aware. He’s no longer in control. He needs help. He consults a shrink. He talks to the people around him. He also discovers that his case is far from isolated.
Thousands of young adults are trapped by betting platforms. Companies that use dopamine stimuli, sign-up bonuses, match notifications… to create a behavioral addiction that makes millions.
Rebuilding after addiction: the slow road… but possible
Julien began a long journey of relapses, shame and inner resistance. He cuts his accounts, deletes his apps, unsubscribes from newsletters. But the reflexes are there. Temptation returns at night. And sometimes, he cracks.
“It’s a drug without a product. But a drug nonetheless.”
He also discovers that he’s not alone. Associations, listening groups and behavioral therapies help him to understand what brought him to this point. And above all: that he can get out of it.
MyLaserTabac: an innovative solution to break with all forms of addiction
Today, Julien is better. He no longer plays. He’s rebuilding his relationship, his finances, his life. He has also discovered a natural and effective method of fighting addiction without medication: anti-addiction laser stimulation.
Thanks to MyLaserTabaccompany, present in many centers in France, hundreds of people like Julien have succeeded in freeing themselves from their addiction. Whether for :
Sugar, which acts like a soft drug on the brain
Smoking, a dreaded habit but now painless to quit
Alcohol, a slow destroyer of social relationships and health
Or cannabis, often underestimated but deeply rooted
… soft laser, combined with auricular reflexologyacts on nerve centers and reward circuits. A non-invasive, painless and natural method that calms urges, reduces cravings and helps you regain control of your life.
✨ You too can say stop
Addiction is not a weakness. It’s an imbalance. But there are humane, caring and effective solutions. Julien is the proof.
If you feel you’re losing control, or if you’ve already tried unsuccessfully to quit on your own, choose to be accompanied. MyLaserTabac is there for you.
🌿 You deserve a free life. Unashamed. Without impulses. With confidence. And it can all start today.
