Stock market trading is addictive. Nobody is going to deny that. Anybody who trades on even a monthly basis will have the somewhat compulsion to look at their phone in the morning to see if something has moved in a significant way. It is not a sign of stock market gambling addiction in itself if you are personally excited by stock market trading.
It is exciting. However, when those feelings start becoming negative, and above all disruptive, then it may mean you are cresting over into a gambling addiction, which is something you should be careful to monitor if you do not want it to swallow and consume you.
The Umbrella Question
Here is the umbrella question that pretty much covers it all. The answer to this question doesn’t indicate if you are an addict at all, it simply points towards a potential problem. Here is the umbrella question:
Do you continue trading despite adverse consequences to your relationships, financial stability, or physical and mental wellbeing?
Your immediate answer may be “No.” And that is fair. After all, addicts do not “Want” to be addicts. What people forget is that non-addicted people also do not “Want” to be addicts.
Still, if you were drinking too much or taking too much cocaine, could you answer the same question with similar confidence? If the stock market were abolished tomorrow, would you feel a little lost?
Have You Broken The Law in Order to Trade?
Stock market gambling almost always leads to prison. Most people think it leads to debt and bankruptcy, but that is just one symptom of the problem. If you have broken the law so that you may trade, then you probably have a problem.
Gambling seems to garner the same excuses no matter what type of gambling is going on. The horse racing gambler excuses her theft from her family because the horse she was betting on was a sure thing. The stock market gambler excuses defrauding the car loan company because he was sure his stock pick was a sure thing.
Have You Experienced Physical Withdrawal?
Only recently discovered, non-chemical addiction can cause physical withdrawal. Back in the days of Star Trek Generations, the original series, and Voyager, fans of the franchise were reported as having physical withdrawal. If they didn’t get their “Fix” of Star Trek. A British study showed that fans’ brain chemistry actually changed, which prompted research into non-chemical addictive behavior and its effect on the body.
Have you suffered withdrawal symptoms over the weekend? Do you become skittish, irritable, unable to sleep, or worse? Do you feel the need to drink or take part in other addictive behaviors to keep you going until the markets open on Monday? If so, you may have a stock market addiction.
Do You Lie About Your Trading?
The lies may be about how you are breaking the law, or simply about how often you are checking your stocks on your phone. Do you lie to your loved ones about how much you are spending or how much you have lost? People who lie a lot are often heavily involved in some sort of addiction, even if they do not know they are addicts.
Do You Trade to Cheer Yourself Up?
Shopping addiction has seen a similar set of behaviors in the past. We have seen people with shopping addictions who claim they are only shopping to cheer themselves up, when in fact it is the act of shopping itself that is the problem. Do you trade to cheer yourself up or make yourself feel better? If that is the case, perhaps it is the trading itself that is causing the problem. If you were not addicted to trading, then perhaps you wouldn’t feel as low as you do quite as often as you do.
Promoting Rehab for Stock Market Gambling Addiction
If you run a rehab center or a medical practice that helps people with addictions, consider the services of a seasoned team of marketing professionals. As you know, each niche marketing area has its own features and nuances. The team at Reputation Rehab specializes in businesses, charities, and establishments that help people overcome addiction. If you are running such a center, get in touch to see how they may help improve your online reputation and promote your services.