People who have uncontrollable behaviors can be considered addicts. The word “addict” may seem dirty especially with society’s perceived ideology of people sharing needles and sleeping on park benches. Reality is that addiction can be in any form and it can happen to you and to anyone else who has an obsession towards something. According to research, an addict’s brain is quite different than a non-addict’s brain because it processed drugs in a different way. For some reason, a part of the brain is being activated and that is when the addiction stimulates these behaviors.
Addiction does not limit to drugs alone. Hobbies or jobs such as trading can also be addictive. The process of trading includes extreme brain exercise plus strong will. It comes with problem solving and invariable analysis as skills based on performance become very fine tuned. This growth can be similarly linked to poker and chess players, and athletes. Nonetheless, trading can be a way of destroying your life because it can be quite addictive because you can develop the urge to succeed in an uncontrollable manner. The hard part about this kind of addiction is that you become addicted to the process and not to a substance such as drug and alcohol addiction. There is still some tedious research done in trading addiction but to stop yourself from becoming a trading addict you need to understand a few things.
UNDERSTANDING ADDICTION
Drug and alcohol addiction are progressive neurological diseases that is greatly influenced by the vulnerability of genes. The brain chemistry’s acquired or inherited abnormalities develop a distorted response thus causing huge psychological, behavioral, and physical problems. Even though social and environmental factors can influence the expression and progression of disease, they do not actually cause the addiction. What transpires is the development of a new strain of chemicals known as TIQS or tetrahydroisoquinollines.
TIQS are very similar to opiates which are compounds that relieve pain. Just like these opiates, enkephalins and endorphins and synthetic heroin and morphine, TIQS can be very addictive substances. When these are developed in adequate amounts in the vital parts of the brain, TIQS can lead to brain chemistry changes that lead to pathological desires.
With this being said, it is in fact very possible that similar processes happen with regards to trading addiction. If one or more of your relatives have problems with addiction then you are more or less susceptible to being a trading addict. Just like drugs and alcohol. Trading can also numb you from pain. If you are at risk for addiction then you need to ask yourself first – do I have the enthusiasm for trading?
Most trading coaches and psychologists will advise you about losing patience, self control, and self discipline. However, the true dangers of addiction are rarely discussed. Frequently, losses if the above mentioned market characteristic are linked to addictive behavior patterns.
Addiction happens when there is great stimulation provided by a specific activity then when done over time, the person can be physically and/or psychologically dependent. It is typically labeled as addiction if people look for the activity despite of the fact that it is destroying everyone and everything around. It is considered as the incapacity to end the activity even when such activity disturbs life.
Research shows that over two million adults have already met the criteria for the diagnosis of pathologic gambling. Four to eight million adults can also be considered as problem gamblers who are direct problems due to gambling. Trading can be included in this category. It is already considered as gambling when you join the main purpose of earning money. There is no utmost plan and goal. The idea of unlimited wealth stand before you and what keeps you captivated is that great catch. This is called as Random Reinforcement. In definition it is having characteristics reinforced with negative or positive results on none consistent basis. For example, today you do something and then you get a reward for it. A similar thing happens the next day but on the day after you do something but then you are punished for doing it. This goes on randomly. This is can be impossible for effective learning.
This cannot be avoided in the training market. All you have to do is to be able to recognize it and stick with your rules at the same time detaching yourself from money. You need to have a good feeling about your trading not because you lost money but your capability to stick to your rules the only consistent things in this environment are discipline and rules.
ADDICTION TO TRADING
Even if you say that traders do not show addictive behaviors than the bigger population, statistics prove that most likely than not, at least a single trader in every 10 can be diagnosed with addiction. For traders with attention deficiency who cannot stand to be bored or who lacks stimulation, binary options trading can do the trick. For a depressed trader, trading can be an escape and be an immediate sense of gratification. Traders like this have to trade and then keep on trading even when they do not have an edge to do so. They eventually lose lots of money and lead to failure in like. This then creates hardships for themselves and their families.
For those who are addicted to trading it is not about the discipline and going with the rules. It is actually about gaining more profit and following rules is useless. The biggest solution is regaining their lives and being in control again. If you already see yourself in this article then you have to understand self mastery and not become a destructive instrument. Feeding emotional problems is not the real reason for trading but making money.
One question that you have to ask yourself is “ what will you do if cannot trade and if you are in trouble? If is like asking a drug addict “what will you do if you do not do drugs? If the answer to these questions is “Life would not be worth living” then you are an addict. If you answer with “ I can do some other productive things” then you can have a better life.