When Trading Becomes Addiction: Should I Intervene or Let Go?”

[Ocham]

I’m sharing something very personal from my life and I genuinely want honest opinions from everyone.
My younger uncle has been trading for almost 2 years now. At the beginning, it seemed like he was learning, but gradually it turned into something like an addiction. Over these two years, I haven’t seen any stable income or consistent profit—only repeated losses. He claims that at one point he made around 50,000 taka in profit, but due to poor risk management, he lost everything. To continue trading, he sold his expensive phone, sold a car worth nearly 500,000 taka, and also took money from family members (he denies it, but I know the truth). Now he barely owns anything—just a low-end phone and a laptop, which he uses for trading. I never wanted him to become a billionaire or millionaire. I would be completely satisfied if he earned even 10–20 thousand taka per month. I have repeatedly advised him to quit trading and take a small job, but he refuses to listen. He is so frustrated that he still says whatever little money he has left will also go into trading, and if that’s gone, he will be “destroyed.” Another important issue—he was addicted to drugs (yaba) for about 1–2 months before. I stood by him even during that time. Now he says that in the future his wife will not be allowed to work outside, will have no income of her own, and everything will have to depend on him. His family has almost given up on him. He lives alone with our grandmother. If I leave him too, he might completely collapse—that fear is what’s stopping me from making a decision.

My questions are:
→ Am I wrong to tell him to get out of the trading life in this situation?
→Am I asking for something unreasonable, or is this actually a serious red flag?
Honest and realistic opinions would really help.

[Call_Me_Guru]

My questions are:
→ Am I wrong to tell him to get out of the trading life in this situation?
→Am I asking for something unreasonable, or is this actually a serious red flag?
Honest and realistic opinions would really help.

You are doing what is right, nothing can change that. But know this, your need for a honest and realistic opinion is why I say this, I wouldn't ordinarily, I feel your pain and genuity. I sensed more than addition while reading your post, entrapments like this are mostly viewed psychologically, but it could be beyond it.

I don't know if you believe in spirituality, that is what I sensed. Trading can be addictive, but the addition is not like that of gambling, it only lasts for a short while after the market had taught you a bitter lesson. Your uncle is entrapped in it, nothing will stop him, if you like feel pity or advice him forever, he will not change. My one and only advice is to go for a deliverance, after which, he should see a therapist or a counselor. Don't overlook this advice.

[Oshosondy]

Am I wrong to tell him to get out of the trading life in this situation?

Always advice him to quit trading, you are doing the right thing. I hope he will listen one day after losing more money.

I don't know if you believe in spirituality, that is what I sensed. Trading can be addictive, but the addition is not like that of gambling, it only lasts for a short while after the market had taught you a bitter lesson. Your uncle is entrapped in it, nothing will stop him, if you like feel pity or advice him forever, he will not change. My one and only advice is to go for a deliverance, after which, he should see a therapist or a counselor. Don't overlook this advice.

Trading addiction is real, there are a lot of things that humans can be addicted to and trading is one of them. The person will only notice that he is over trading, make some money but later seeing himself losing more just as gambling addict is. If you think that I am not correct, you can browse about it. It is even a growing concern and there are rehabilitation centers for it just as there are gambling rehabilitation centers, although they are the same centers but people in the gambling rehabilitation centers are saying their clients are requesting for trading addiction rehabilitation services and many of the rehabilitation centers are offering it.

[Ruttoshi]

→ Am I wrong to tell him to get out of the trading life in this situation?

No, you are doing the right thing. If possible talk to his family members that he is addicted and needs a professional to help him out of addiction. Keep talking to him to quit because it's only if he quits that he will be free.

→Am I asking for something unreasonable, or is this actually a serious red flag?

You are more than a brother's keeper to stand by his side in order for  him stop trading with all your advice. You want the best for him but he's not with his senses anymore due to trading addiction. I never thought trading can be this addictive.