Trading and substance abuse.

[Stepstowealth]

I have been thinking about this and I think I needed bringing it up here for discussion. Are you a trader, or do you know any real traders, someone who consistently follows the market? Have you noticed them on any sort of substance?

I fell traders are more likely to become substance abusers for these reasons.
- The market can easily induce stress and anxiety because of the pressure of making decisions. Traders can loose sleep over it.
- Traders need to monitor the market regularly, even worse if you trade crypto because the market is always open.
- Most traders function alone, and are mostly by themselves, locked up in a room with their huge screens.

Some of the substances that could be abused by traders are:
- Alcohol
- Energy drinks and Caffeine.
- Cigarettes, Cannabis and even cocaine.  etc

Substance abuse can affect the accuracy of your trading decisions, so I feel people interested in trading need to understand this risk before starting to trade so that they do not turn to substance abusers, but rather focus on the healthy alternatives.

[Oshosondy]

You are right but I do not think traders can turn to substance abuse unless he has that in his nature, or maybe he is influenced by friends or people around him. What traders can be susceptible to is loss of money and waste of time on trading and still losing.

Energy drinks and caffeine from chocolate, coffee and energy drinks are not substance abuse but do it in moderation.

[lovesmayfamilis]

I know a trader who doesn't use all the substances mentioned in the OP's post, but he regularly uses nootropics. These are substances that stimulate and enhance brain function, which in turn help improve psychological well-being, concentration, and everything else that helps him stay in front of a computer screen for long periods of time without rest. I wouldn't pay any attention to this, since nootropics are supposed to be beneficial for him. Every substance requires a certain dosage, but this trader literally uses them by the handful, so I have a feeling he's also abusing them, which could one day end badly.

[EarnOnVictor]

Have you noticed them on any sort of substance?

Never! Well, this is possible, because I take alcohol at times while trading. But this happens when I feel like, not that I want to use it to induce anything or improve my trading situation. It's even better to keep it natural while trading to avoid acting under influence. This could ruin the account of the trader in minutes, if not in seconds.

I fell traders are more likely to become substance abusers for these reasons.
- The market can easily induce stress and anxiety because of the pressure of making decisions. Traders can loose sleep over it.
- Traders need to monitor the market regularly, even worse if you trade crypto because the market is always open.
- Most traders function alone, and are mostly by themselves, locked up in a room with their huge screens.

I doubt this, though all your points are valid, but it will affect a few minutes fraction of traders. I've been trading for 2 decades and I've not heard or seen a practical example of a trading-induced substance abuse. This is to show its unpopularity even if it exists. Fine, if someone lost so much, this hurts, the person might take substance to cool off, just as it is when we lose so much money in other aspects of life, which is common. But this doesn't link to persistent trading per se as many may not return to trading again after the huge loss.

[DaNNy001]

Trading is difficult and a lot of times it can mess up your mental health especially when you don't have self control....a lot of traders rely on drugs and alcohol when they are going through a losing phase, some take energy drinks for them to stay up night to analyze the market...But constant use of these substances can cause health issues that are not even worth it...all you need as a trader is discipline and self control

[Gozie51]

Substance abuse can affect the accuracy of your trading decisions, so I feel people interested in trading need to understand this risk before starting to trade so that they do not turn to substance abusers, but rather focus on the healthy alternatives.

If you know those substances you mentioned can cause a trader to take irrational decision because they are intoxicated or inebriated , so why alluding that it is part of what traders will eventually turn into? This is not true.

A trader who takes substance like alcohol, Energy drinks and Caffeine,  Cigarettes, Cannabis and even cocaine etc (like you said) is not doing that because he is trading. No. Such kind of behaviour is a personal habit and not because a trader must have to do that.

In fact, trading is a serious business that you have to be free of drugs so as to get a sound mind to take your decision because one wrong click can blow out your account and the substance gets cleared off your eyes in regret. No one wants to make such mistake because he took substance. However, if you find joy in them and your trade is fine then by all means do what makes you happy because happiness helps you to take favourable decisions. It is a personal decision what you take and how you live your life.

[uneng]

Substance abuse was revealed to be common among doctors, lawyers, security forces, politicians and so on... So why wouldn't it be a thing among traders as well? I guess it's not about the correlation between trading and substance abuse, but between modern world in general and substance abuse. It's everywhere, like a pandemic!

It's result of moral relativism. In previous times, it was morally wrong to use such substances, but now it's not wrong anymore, because what is wrong nowadays? Nothing! So this kind of behavior is getting a common pattern, especially among individuals who are impulsive and in constant pursue for quick cash (what is directly related to trading and substance abuse practices, right?).

[Wiwo]

That is a trend that have been passed on in lige growth by some trader's or online workers who need to stay up late to forecast some risk market events, substance abuse is more pf a growing trend that individuals pass on from being already used to such substance and not that theiy start using those substance when they became traders, that definitely is not the truths if you are addicted you may become advanced at it when you face pressure from trading.

We still have some successful traders in the cryptocurrency market that dont abuse or take any of those things that is mentioned in the ops and for sure it ball down to individual lifestyle before becoming a cryptocurrency trader or gamblers as the case may have it.

[beveryu778]

Traders never turn to drugs because of trading. Those who trade are always in a state of depression and they constantly try to make good profits from trading. Those who already have such a bat habit and are influenced by their friends or anyone else in this regard tend to turn to drugs. Drugs cannot directly attract a person and cannot make them addicted. When a person is influenced by someone and consumes it for a temporary fun purpose, then if he consumes it occasionally, then there is a big possibility of becoming addicted to drugs. But trading never influences drugs.

[Mpamaegbu]

Are you a trader, or do you know any real traders, someone who consistently follows the market?

Point of information – everyone who trades is a real trader. Perhaps, you meant to say "profitable traders", I guess. Again, that someone consistently follows the market doesn't make them profitable. Any trader who earns from their trades more than they lose to the market is that trader you're referring to. It doesn't mean whether they watch charts or sit on the market or not.

I fell traders are more likely to become substance abusers for these reasons.
- The market can easily induce stress and anxiety because of the pressure of making decisions. Traders can loose sleep over it.

Well, that's not entirely true. It can happen to newbie traders or those who aren't profitable yet. Profitable traders know how to hit the iron when it's hot.

- Traders need to monitor the market regularly, even worse if you trade crypto because the market is always open.

You don't have to over trade because the market is always open 24/7. Every trader should choose their trading pattern and what works for their temperament. I don't like scalping the market except when the market is choppy/ranging. On the whole, I like placing trades and letting them run. It's so I don't have to constantly revisit my charts at the detriment of other stuff I should be doing.

- Most traders function alone, and are mostly by themselves, locked up in a room with their huge screens.

Even if one decides to isolate oneself in a room to trade, one should've trading groups one belongs to as that will expose one to what others are doing too. It's a kind of assessment mechanism.

Substance abuse can affect the accuracy of your trading decisions, so I feel people interested in trading need to understand this risk before starting to trade so that they do not turn to substance abusers, but rather focus on the healthy alternatives.

I don't know where you got that info from but I can tell you for free that it's not so. To the best of my perspicacity, traders are about the most disciplined set of people and aren't given to vices. Most of them hardly have time outside their charts.

[BitMaxz]

That's an unhealthy habit since you are watching the market in front of your PC for long days or nights. I drink caffeine and sometimes smoke cigarettes, but alcohol and other substances you mention, I don't use them while watching the market. Because, like you said, it can affect your trading decisions.
Any traders that I know don't want that; they eat healthy foods and do exercise while watching the market.

[Zaguru12]

I have been thinking about this and I think I needed bringing it up here for discussion. Are you a trader, or do you know any real traders, someone who consistently follows the market? Have you noticed them on any sort of substance?

I fell traders are more likely to become substance abusers for these reasons.
- The market can easily induce stress and anxiety because of the pressure of making decisions. Traders can loose sleep over it.
- Traders need to monitor the market regularly, even worse if you trade crypto because the market is always open.
- Most traders function alone, and are mostly by themselves, locked up in a room with their huge screens.

You’re absolutely right on most of this claims, I can say that people usually have this habit or mindset to actually to maximize everything they want to do most especially if it is something that has to do with making profits and trading isn’t also excused because there are traders that do actually utilize the use of substances to either stay focus while watching their trades or simply to help them sharpen their memory, in any of this situations that a substance is used even if it is at the right dosage actually is an abuse to me because a substance shouldn’t be just taken except their necessity for it which trading isn’t one, just taking substances to read in schools.

Traders need to realize that although there are some periods where the market presents best opportunities for trade the market is still never dry off of opportunities and it can actually presents another one again. Trading with a poor bad health habit is simply wrong because it can only lead to more losses and bad health at the end.

One thing is trades are not supposed to be monitored every time in my opinion, for me trusting your analysis most especially the take profit and stop loss will definitely help to stop monitoring the trades everything minute, most of those traders usually glued to their screens are those gambling by avoiding the ethics of using both stop loss and take profit.

[bitbollo]

it's better to find an easy solution that requires maybe legal or at least followed by an expert.
this is the classic illusion to have a "magic" pill that can help and give you a boost in performances. of couse, even if this is partially true, there is always a great "side" effect of this myth:
generally, it's better to not use nothing unless prescribed for a real issue. getting out of these substances in some cases could be close to impossible or it's really painful.

[_act_]

That's an unhealthy habit since you are watching the market in front of your PC for long days or nights. I drink caffeine and sometimes smoke cigarettes, but alcohol and other substances you mention, I don't use them while watching the market. Because, like you said, it can affect your trading decisions.
Any traders that I know don't want that; they eat healthy foods and do exercise while watching the market.

I can drink alcohol if I am trading, just one bottle of beer can not do me anything but it can make me feel good. I can take tea also if I am trading even if it contains caffeine. I do not smoke nor have anything to do with cocaine.

What makes some people always watch the screen while trading is because of high leverage or they are trading very volatile coin. I do not do that, but I prefer to use little leverage and I avoid altcoins.

[LogitechMouse]

---
I fell traders are more likely to become substance abusers for these reasons.
- The market can easily induce stress and anxiety because of the pressure of making decisions. Traders can loose sleep over it.
- Traders need to monitor the market regularly, even worse if you trade crypto because the market is always open.
- Most traders function alone, and are mostly by themselves, locked up in a room with their huge screens.

I'm a trader (although not an expert), and I guess I need to debunk or say my opinion to some of the things that you said here.

- That might happen when you're a newbie, and TBH, it also happened to me. The feeling of thinking whether your trade will be profitable or not while trying to sleep? I felt it back then, but ever since I have a strategy that works for me, I don't feel any anxiety or stress anymore when it comes to my trades. Maybe there's a little stress, but that's tolerable. Just trust your analysis, and let the market do it's thing.
- Expert traders don't need to monitor the market regularly. Expert traders only trade at least 2 per day (scalpers), and some even only trade once per day or week (swing traders). Well, you need to monitor the market still, but not to a point where you will look at it 10x per hour.
- Well, this might be true for most of the traders out there since for them, they consider it as their work-from-home job. There are some though who are joining various trading groups on different social media platforms like Discord where they find traders like them as well.

Substance abuse can affect the accuracy of your trading decisions, so I feel people interested in trading need to understand this risk before starting to trade so that they do not turn to substance abusers, but rather focus on the healthy alternatives.

I will not speak to this one myself because I haven't tried to use substance nor use substance to have a better decision in trading. I will not be surprised if there are traders out there that are using substance for whatever reason it is, but I don't think that it's a good habit to do. For me, I don't need substance to make better decisions. Just a quite area, and I'm fine.

[Alphakilo]

Substance abuse or not, a successful trader doesn't get to be asked the kind of substance they take or not take after a big return on investment and that's what makes substance abuse irrelevant to the discussion of trading.
What matters is the decisions a trader make while trading and the results they get at the end of the day of which one who is wise enough would calculate the risk involved in such endeavor and either discipline themselves to reduce it, quit it in total or increase the volume of substance intake.

Trading involves risk management and of course risk management should include among others, the kind of substance traders take while making trading decisions as well as the amount spent on investment while trading, purchase of substance and future health implications.

[BABY SHOES]

It is possible that some traders abuse substances for their own benefit so that they can continue to monitor the market without feeling anxious.

What is more common is that they take illegal drugs so that they can stay awake for several days.

Smoking is already a common practice in my country... while marijuana and cocaine are strictly prohibited, but some traders may consume them.

What's worse is that because they are anxious or stressed about the trades they are making, they may believe that substances are the solution.
In reality, this is self-destructive.

[Ultegra134]

Substance abuse was revealed to be common among doctors, lawyers, security forces, politicians and so on... So why wouldn't it be a thing among traders as well? I guess it's not about the correlation between trading and substance abuse, but between modern world in general and substance abuse. It's everywhere, like a pandemic!

It's result of moral relativism. In previous times, it was morally wrong to use such substances, but now it's not wrong anymore, because what is wrong nowadays? Nothing! So this kind of behavior is getting a common pattern, especially among individuals who are impulsive and in constant pursue for quick cash (what is directly related to trading and substance abuse practices, right?).

This is correct, them being "traders" doesn't have to do anything with the nature of cryptocurrencies. They'd still use substances even if they were trading stocks, bonds, gamble and so on. With that being said, why wouldn't it be a thing? I don't believe they can "enhance" your abilities, they'll certainly make you have less self-control without you realizing. Someone who resorts to such measures requires medical attention and I can't consider it a "normal" behaviour, even though I understand what you're saying, everything is considered "normal" nowadays.

[BitMaxz]

I can drink alcohol if I am trading, just one bottle of beer can not do me anything but it can make me feel good. I can take tea also if I am trading even if it contains caffeine. I do not smoke nor have anything to do with cocaine.

What makes some people always watch the screen while trading is because of high leverage or they are trading very volatile coin. I do not do that, but I prefer to use little leverage and I avoid altcoins.

Well, I have a bad experience with alcohol in my trading where I put a limit order but no stop-loss; it's actually a big loss for me. I'm lucky it didn't liquidate, and it recovered a bit. I set it while drinking with friends and forgot to set up a stop-loss.
That's one of my big mistakes in trading, and I don't use above 10x leverage on altcoins except BTC.

Honestly, alcohol for me looks like it encourages me to trade even if the position is risky, and it makes you brave not to use stop-loss.

Anyway, my drinks are brandy and gin. I don't drink beer because it adds more belly fat.

[Strongkored]

I know of a very active trader who consumes a lot of sugary and caffeinated drinks like coffee because he always feels the need for energy. And perhaps other traders use certain substances to stay awake, because in my observation, active traders are like addicts who find it difficult to leave the monitor screen even for a moment to monitor the market.