Is Trading Addictive?

Only the weak get addicted to anything, whether that be trading, smoking, alcohol or drugs. Is trading addictive? NO, but it can be enthralling, not that we've had much to enthrall over lately with the equity charts flatlining.
 
Quote from Joovenile Jatt:

Only the weak get addicted to anything, whether that be trading, smoking, alcohol or drugs. Is trading addictive? NO, but it can be enthralling, not that we've had much to enthrall over lately with the equity charts flatlining.
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That is not a very knowledgeable understanding of addiction, its causes, what makes some people more suseptable and its treatment.

__________________
Author - "These Seven Trading (Investing) Secrets Will Explode Your Account: All I Know About Trading (Investing) I Learned in Flight School"
 
Quote from Joe Ross:

Do you think trading is an addiction? Can a person actually become addicted to trading?
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No. Yes.

Quote from Joe Ross:

...he has now lost $1 million, and continues to lose even more. He trades like a wild man...
= over trading = revenge trading =/= addiction

Quote from Joe Ross:

Would you feel anxious if you couldn't see the market for a couple of trading days? If so, you may be a borderline trading addict.
BS. After a certain point you are always invested in the market, even if you don't personally follow it. Sure, if you have no equity and live on a salary and you have no trading/investing income. Beyond that certain point though (when you have a sizable account, ie. savings), even a 100% USD cash account is at risk these days. You never know when a madman does something smart or a smartman does sg. mad... If the market is open, business is going on regardless of your daydreaming... And you're invested whether you do it or let others do it for you. So if you're not anxious, you're simply kidding yourself. And anxiety is healthy, ie. professional risk management.

Quote from Joe Ross:

If you are sitting and staring at a screen all day long, what happened to your life?
You mean if you're working in an office you're wasting your life? I agree, but that's true for most of the outdoor jobs too. Why is trading wasting one's life more so than working as a highway construction crew laying asphalt all day long (or other outdoorsy jobs), for the duration of your active life? LOL. In fact, I challenge anyone here to name a better job than daytrading. Something that would give you the freedom and stability... (And don't even start with statistics and failure rate: show me a trade where for every millionaire there ain't a million failures.)

Quote from Joe Ross:

...come back for a third time once they have put together sufficient funds to try again. If that is not a sign of addiction, what is?
Not necessarily. Every craft requires one to fail several times. It takes devotion to make it to the top. Most won't even try it a second time. They give up, take the easy way out. Who's wasting his life now? In fact, show me those very successful in trading, hell, in any industry, that hadn't failed (hit rock bottom), at least once, picked themselves up from pieces and started over again. Truth is, you have to have passion to what you do; no half assed attempt has ever succeeded. That's why this whole 'addiction' diatribe is pure regurgitated BS.

Quote from Joe Ross:

If trading is the most important thing in your life, then you haven't lived.
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Now this is the only sentence that's true, but it is unrelated to the rest of the post.
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Trading is not addictive. But Gambling is.

A trader (normally an unsuccessful trader) can turn trading into gambling at anytime they wish. Go on full tilt any second of the day etc.

Regarding excess screen time, this may be more a symptom of internet/web addiction.
 
Quote from Joe Ross:


If trading is the most important thing in your life, then you haven't lived.
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If being a trading educator/book seller/ seminar dude/ is the most important thing in YOUR life, they YOU haven't lived. LOL
 
Quote from Businessman:

Trading is not addictive. But Gambling is.

A trader (normally an unsuccessful trader) can turn trading into gambling at anytime they wish. Go on full tilt any second of the day etc.

Regarding excess screen time, this may be more a symptom of internet/web addiction.
More...

Anything can be an addiction, just a definition of continual doing something you enjoy love or hate. I have an addiction to breathing, does that make me bad? Addiction is whatever society can label to be out of the norm for the average folk. Successful Trading is and has been the most incredible activity I have ever overcame, I can do something that most can't.

Was it an addiction when I constantly lost? You bet'cha, it wasn't just the money though that I lost, it was the inability to conquer, to do right, be right, tell all those that constantly asked "you making any money at that yet?" and then hear them laugh quietly, boy that alone made me even more addicted to persevering.

Trading for many is an illusion to great wealth and then soak up the sun on a beach by ten. They are partially right, most though of "trying to get it," you might be done by ten but it is night and soak up the moon. If you are one that craves and have a passion for overcoming the most insanity's of life, then yes, trading is an addiction. But that can be said for many inventors like Edison and Morse (telegraph), or folks that just plain love to do a hobby like bird watching.

I am in my fifties, I love what I do, I don't see many in my age that love what they do. So if it is an addiction, so be it.
I was a professional gambler long ago, blackjack, football, baseball, basketball, and I made money, it was a business to me, a way to make a living, but like in anything, if you have not prepared to work incredibly hard, to persevere, to overcome, you will lose, plain and simple.
 
Personally I view trading as labor intensive

And as I am prepared to do whatever work is necessary – I do devote a lot of time to it


So am I addicted or committed - Ahhh a rose by any other name… :)


Now admittedly I am only a simple minded dumbass – so who knows...
Although I do enjoy the downtime trading affords me as well...

So confusing :p

RN
 
Quote from Joe Ross:

Do you think trading is an addiction? Can a person actually become addicted to trading?
More...
It depends on what your defintion of addiction is. Traditional, it meant habitual use of psychoactive substances w/o the ability to stop. More recently it has been applied to behavioral issues, eg. food, porn, posting regulary on Elite Trader.

I think a more relevant description would be psychological dependence and I sure hope I get a good dose of it tomorrow at the open :D
 
Don't listen to spindr0, he is not responsible for what he is stating...:D ☺


Quote from spindr0:

It depends on what your defintion of addiction is. Traditional, it meant habitual use of psychoactive substances w/o the ability to stop. More recently it has been applied to behavioral issues, eg. food, porn, posting regulary on Elite Trader.

I think a more relevant description would be psychological dependence and I sure hope I get a good dose of it tomorrow at the open :D
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