Can there be a problematic addiction to trading?

[bubilas]

I recently watched a show about people with problematic addictions, and usually there are gamblers or those who are into betting, guys who have lost control.
But for the first time in this show I saw a guy who thought he was addicted to trading. He was trading options on Binance, and at some point he was able to make a really good profit, and this is not noticeable, because options literally multiply your deposit. At the same time, the host of the show thought that he had exactly the same addiction as gamblers. But I think that this is not true, and those who trade spot certainly do not have an addiction.
And in general, I think that there is no addiction to trading.

What do you think about this? What arguments can be given that trading cannot lead to addiction?

[bakasabo]

Addictive to trading? That seems something new or rare to hear, but all in all this is again humans greed. I dont think that addicted to trading person is really interested in the process of trading, but is a person, who got lucky to wave of pump and dumps in its beginnings, made good money on it, and now he searches for a moment to repeat that. I think we can call day traders as addicted, because all they do is trading during all day earning little by little with each deal. Kind of "quantity over quality" thing.

[Charles-Tim]

This belongs to trading discussion and not gambling.

I have heard about trading rehabilitation before and this has been discussed on this forum before. You can click on the link in the quote to read about the discussion. About trading rehabilitation center in Spain that added trading addiction to its list.

I read a news yesterday about a Spanish rehab center that is called 'The Balance', a Switzerland-founded wellness center, located in Spain. The Rehab center helps in treating of alcohol, drugs and behavioral health addictions. Recently it is adding trading addiction to its list and I was surprised to see that. You can read more about it:

Trading and gamble are different but the effect of losing money in trading and gambling are like the same. If you make more money in trading, your reward center in your brain will motivate you to trade more, just like in gambling. The result will be loss at the end because of trading or gambling more than necessary. In both, if you are losing, you will be chasing your losses.

Some people will become addicted just like in gambling because of how trading is.

Option trading is riskier and it is not spot trading but derivative trading. Even in spot trading, someone can be addicted. Derivatives trading are far riskier.

[Ruttoshi]

One thing that I understand with gambling is that you can win the first time that you started gambling which might trigger the greed in you, giving you the mindset that you can make a fortune from gambling. With this mindset, you will continue gambling even when you are losing. Gradually, you are closer to addiction if you don't realize that you cannot make a fortune with gambling.

Trading is different and very broad, so anyone going into trading must have the patience to learn and come up with their own trading strategy to make profit. Therefore, you cannot be addicted to trading when you don't have the skill because you will keep on losing and give up on it. This is because you cannot make profits by luck. It's only a professional trader that might be addicted to trading. At the same time, I wouldn't even call anyone addicted to trading a professional because as a professional trader, you will know when to open a position and when to stay away from the market.

[Oshosondy]

One thing that I understand with gambling is that you can win the first time that you started gambling which might trigger the greed in you, giving you the mindset that you can make a fortune from gambling. With this mindset, you will continue gambling even when you are losing. Gradually, you are closer to addiction if you don't realize that you cannot make a fortune with gambling.

Trading is different and very broad, so anyone going into trading must have the patience to learn and come up with their own trading strategy to make profit. Therefore, you cannot be addicted to trading when you don't have the skill because you will keep on losing and give up on it. This is because you cannot make profits by luck. It's only a professional trader that might be addicted to trading. At the same time, I wouldn't even call anyone addicted to trading a professional because as a professional trader, you will know when to open a position and when to stay away from the market.

This is not very true because trading is also very risky. It is simple to understand if trading is risky or not if you go online to know the percentage of traders that are losing.

More than 85% of traders are losing. Many of them that are losing have the gambling-like effect of addiction despite that trading and gambling are different. Trade more, gain, trade and loss more is how trading is. I have been in trading for years now and I know how this is. Trading is very risky and some people can become addicted to it.

The link that you see above will not just be about the rehab center wanted to add trading addiction to their list but it would have been because of their customers asking if they have the service.

[Ruttoshi]

One thing that I understand with gambling is that you can win the first time that you started gambling which might trigger the greed in you, giving you the mindset that you can make a fortune from gambling. With this mindset, you will continue gambling even when you are losing. Gradually, you are closer to addiction if you don't realize that you cannot make a fortune with gambling.

Trading is different and very broad, so anyone going into trading must have the patience to learn and come up with their own trading strategy to make profit. Therefore, you cannot be addicted to trading when you don't have the skill because you will keep on losing and give up on it. This is because you cannot make profits by luck. It's only a professional trader that might be addicted to trading. At the same time, I wouldn't even call anyone addicted to trading a professional because as a professional trader, you will know when to open a position and when to stay away from the market.

This is not very true because trading is also very risky. It is simple to understand if trading is risky or not if you go online to know the percentage of traders that are losing.

More than 85% of traders are losing. Many of them that are losing have the gambling-like effect of addiction despite that trading and gambling are different. Trade more, gain, trade and loss more is how trading is. I have been in trading for years now and I know how this is. Trading is very risky and some people can become addicted to it.

The link that you see above will not just be about the rehab center wanted to add trading addiction to their list but it would have been because of their customers asking if they have the service.

I agree with you that 85% of traders are losing, and that's because they're not professionals and didn't accept the fact that they don't know what they are doing. I call such traders gamblers and not traders, but they're only gambling with trading. Maybe, they were lucky to make little profits some time ago because their decisions was right with the price wave of the market.

We have seen a lot of people claiming to be traders who don't know anything but only looking for signals and use copy trading, I wouldn't call such people traders but gamblers. When you bring your gambling orientation into trading, you will always be in the market and become addicted if you don't accept the fact that you are only gambling and stop trading.

[danherbias07]

He is addicted to profits. That's all about it.

Trading can become a boring industry once you get used to how it works, and it's way different than gambling because somehow there's a fun part in gambling. I traded before, and I can fall asleep while monitoring the market price changes, and that never happened to me when I was playing slots. My eyes are always open wide while playing, unlike when trading.

I think he is just misunderstanding addiction. Making money can be addictive, too, and that might be what is happening to him.

[avp2306]

I recently watched a show about people with problematic addictions, and usually there are gamblers or those who are into betting, guys who have lost control.
But for the first time in this show I saw a guy who thought he was addicted to trading. He was trading options on Binance, and at some point he was able to make a really good profit, and this is not noticeable, because options literally multiply your deposit. At the same time, the host of the show thought that he had exactly the same addiction as gamblers. But I think that this is not true, and those who trade spot certainly do not have an addiction.
And in general, I think that there is no addiction to trading.

What do you think about this? What arguments can be given that trading cannot lead to addiction?

Actually there are cases discuss about this before and I really think trading addiction exist.

Care to read this https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5422017/ its because they tackle up trading addiction for sure people could learn a lot if they read the contents of that site.

Addiction is not limited only on gambling and anything excessive what you do could lead on addiction. Also I wonder why this trading discussion posted in Gambling section? Maybe better OP move this trade on right board to avoid any confusion.

[cabron]

There is something like falling in love to a coin though. There is this guy and he still is holding his Dogecoin since the time even when it hits to its ATH, he didn't dumped.

He got addicted to trading Doge I think that he kept his doge in Robinhood.  He still will wait for doge to go $1 in the next altcoin season, he is that addicted to the coin.

[KiaKia]

It's no addiction if you are doing well   it's only an addiction when it's ruining your life.

Even if you trade or gamble every blessed day, it could be because it's hobby for you, something you must do when you are free but then again if it start hurting your life and finance then something is wrong.

I think it's easy to be a irresponsible gambler when you take gambling as an hobby, because these gamblers are doing it in the first place to make money, the typed that their source of income can't give them is what they want to make from gambling.

Trading is risky and gambling is also risky, to proceed on both you need to protect yourself first, in trading you use stop losses and in gambling you learn how to manage your bankroll and emotions.

[kotajikikox]

But for the first time in this show I saw a guy who thought he was addicted to trading. He was trading options on Binance, and at some point he was able to make a really good profit, and this is not noticeable, because options literally multiply your deposit. At the same time, the host of the show thought that he had exactly the same addiction as gamblers. But I think that this is not true, and those who trade spot certainly do not have an addiction.
And in general, I think that there is no addiction to trading.

Literally anything can turn into an addiction depending on how the person approach the activity. If he is already at that point of his life where he has become impulsive and obsessive when it comes to trading then it could be an addiction already. If he is getting that adrenaline rush from profiting and severe depression when he is losing as well as there to chase losses then it could be an addiction maybe.

What do you think about this? What arguments can be given that trading cannot lead to addiction?

Trading usually isn’t supposed to be an addiction because it requires deep discipline however it’s not totally impossible for anyone to develop an addiction with trading.

[Wexnident]

~

I think there's some mistake here, ANYTHING can be addicting. It can be compulsive, cravings or whatnot to whatever but if it happens constantly, then yes, it's addiction. It doesn't matter even if it was say, a neutral or good activity, if done in excess then it's already an addiction. Though, in most cases I guess people only consider it as one if it actually impacts your life negatively and well, gambling fits the bill for that part.

On the contrary though what makes you so sure that you can't be addicted to trading? I mean, if you're winning and all but still have that compulsive behavior with it, then it's still addiction. Doesn't matter if you win or lose. I mean you can't exactly deny that someone who regularly gambles (and wins) isn't an addict because they kept winning you know?

[Kelward]

Addiction is not limited to gambling, I believe that there are addictive traders, as there are other types of addictions like alcohol. Addiction is basically when we don't have control over what we constantly engage in and it begins to affect our health and money. I don't think that addiction is very much in trading because it is a professional job, unlike gambling and alcoholism that are based on habits. A trader that is very active in trading that doesn't chase loses cannot be categorized as an addictive traders. It should be when they're constantly losing their funds and can't stop, that is when they can be called addicts.

[cryptoaddictchie]

I recently watched a show about people with problematic addictions, and usually there are gamblers or those who are into betting, guys who have lost control.
But for the first time in this show I saw a guy who thought he was addicted to trading. He was trading options on Binance, and at some point he was able to make a really good profit, and this is not noticeable, because options literally multiply your deposit. At the same time, the host of the show thought that he had exactly the same addiction as gamblers. But I think that this is not true, and those who trade spot certainly do not have an addiction.
And in general, I think that there is no addiction to trading.

What do you think about this? What arguments can be given that trading cannot lead to addiction?

Gambling and trading is two different things. In trading there are ways on how to earn and using strategy to completely win off a bet/trade while in gambling you literally needed some luck ofcourse with exception of such game like poker which needed some good hands or at least some tehcnque or bluffing skills to intimidate opponents.

[DaNNy001]

There's nothing like addiction to trading...it involves a lot of complex analysis that isn't similar to Gambling in any way...The reason why people are addicted to Gambling most especially casino gambling is because of the simplicity and how easy it is to keep chasing more losses after winning..The consistency of trading can't be referred to as an addiction because that's the only way to actually get positive results from it but consistent gambling can lead to an addiction. There's a difference between them, those who are traders can understand perfectly.

[death69]

Addiction can manifest in subtle, unassuming ways. It's easy to say a gambler is addicted because they lose control and hit rock bottom in plain sight. With trading, though, it is different. Until unless in deep, trading lacks that "all-or-nothing" feeling. It's more subtle, more insidious.

When you’re dealing with options, margin calls, and crypto volatility, you’re tapping into something far beyond just risk. The adrenaline rush? The need to make the next trade, the next win. Though it doesn't seem like gambling, it does really work like that. The same desire, the same obsession with temporary gains, the same "just one more bet".

People can explain it, telling themselves, "I'm in control," "I'm doing this for long-term gains," but the mechanics of options (leverage, time, volatility) are meant to set off the same compulsions that support other addictions. If you're playing it safe on spot, it's simple to argue there's no addiction to trading; but, what happens when you go over your means and start trading for the next high? Things start to get tricky at that point. Combined with the rationalizing, the emotional manipulation from the markets can readily send someone down the same dangerous road as gamblers.

Does trading not have the potential to cause addiction? Actually, for those who know their limitations. For individuals who lose sense of what is real and what is the next fix, however? Well, that's another story.

[Gozie51]

And in general, I think that there is no addiction to trading.

What do you think about this? What arguments can be given that trading cannot lead to addiction?

Why not. There is trading addition of course. If you are trading more than necessary then you are addicted especially if you are losing because you will be chasing back your loses just as it is in trading. Most times those who do day trading could fall into addiction because they are always checking up their position and exit or entry. When they are profiting too, they want more profit and that is addition and greed.

However, I feel this trade belongs to trading discussion.

[Su-asa]

Addiction is not limited to gambling, I believe that there are addictive traders, as there are other types of addictions like alcohol. Addiction is basically when we don't have control over what we constantly engage in and it begins to affect our health and money. I don't think that addiction is very much in trading because it is a professional job, unlike gambling and alcoholism that are based on habits. A trader that is very active in trading that doesn't chase loses cannot be categorized as an addictive traders. It should be when they're constantly losing their funds and can't stop, that is when they can be called addicts.

Absolutely, anyone can be addicted to anything which they can not control their self from. Being it gamble or trading, as long as money is involved people will definitely become addicted to it. However it's rare to see or hear that someone is addicted to crypto trading, but everyday we talked about gamble addictions only.
IMO I think the reason why people focus more on addiction to gamble is because they might start with the fun prospective and after a long time try while gambling they become addicted to gamble. But trading you obviously do it for profits and maybe become addicted when you lose or gain.

[qwertyup23]

At the same time, the host of the show thought that he had exactly the same addiction as gamblers. But I think that this is not true, and those who trade spot certainly do not have an addiction.
And in general, I think that there is no addiction to trading.

What do you think about this? What arguments can be given that trading cannot lead to addiction?

I think you are mistaken. There is indeed, an addiction to everything. Addiction to food, vices, and to even hobbies in particular. The sky is the limit when it comes to the general term of "addiction" as it encompasses everything that a person likes to do in a frequent basis.

You argued that trading cannot lead to addiction but that is inherently wrong. Like what I have mentioned, you can be addicted to everything. Think of it as this way- gambling is an addiction but not all addictions are gambling.

Why not. There is trading addition of course. If you are trading more than necessary then you are addicted especially if you are losing because you will be chasing back your loses just as it is in trading. Most times those who do day trading could fall into addiction because they are always checking up their position and exit or entry. When they are profiting too, they want more profit and that is addition and greed.

However, I feel this trade belongs to trading discussion.

Like what you have mentioned, there is addiction in any case depending on the thing/person/ or even hobby. Anything can be the subject of addiction as long as the requisites on how you can be addicted are present.

I do think that this kind of discussion can fall under this board given the scope of the arguments involved.

[Agbamoni]

What do you think about this? What arguments can be given that trading cannot lead to addiction?

You can be addicted to trading without knowing. There is no physical sign that will let you know how deep you've gone. Often times the addiction arises from constant winning or constant loss. When you lose in a trade, the feeling of trading one more will lure you to blow your trading account.

Another way you will find out you are getting addicted to trading is when you wake up to trade in times you weren't supposed to. The urge to keep trading every single time is a sign that you are getting addicted.