A drink to take the edge off...

Discussion in 'Professional Trading' started by Cocaine, Oct 27, 2006.

  1. Someone's a little paranoid :p
     
    #141     Feb 4, 2008
  2. Valerian is good homeopathic stress remedy and sleeping aid
     
    #142     Feb 4, 2008
  3. NY_HOOD

    NY_HOOD

    WHY AM I NOT SURPRISED THAT "COCAINE" STARTED THIS THREAD ! a liitle drink,a little bump of coke just to take the edge off. BETTY FORD CALLED,she wants you back at her clinic.
     
    #143     Feb 4, 2008
  4. gnome

    gnome

    If you "soaked" it, Bill Clinton style... wouldn't it be better yet?
     
    #144     Feb 4, 2008
  5. Lucrum

    Lucrum

    I used to date a girl who turned out to be a raging alcoholic. Her reason/excuse for always needing a drink - "to take the edge off".
     
    #145     Feb 4, 2008
  6. Cocaine, there seem to be a lot of people on here who immediately assume your question means that you're a closet addict looking for a reason to hit up earlier in the day, or a failed trader looking for success in the wrong way.

    However, optimal performance might include changing your body chemistry to best suite the task at hand. One problem I see in your plan is that the effects of alcohol are graded, so you will experience less of the effect over time and after effects will kick in. Do you then take another drink? Or do you only trade for 1.5 hours in the morning, or do you only feel that edge during the open?

    You can take the edge off using other substances that will have less after effect than alcohol, IMO. I'm sure you could figure out which herbal remedies tend to lower blood pressure and produce tranquility (I note someone mentioned Valerian above).

    In the end, though, the biggest question is this - do you get high? If you are someone who enjoys using drugs/alcohol for recreational purposes, I don't think it's a good idea.
     
    #146     Feb 4, 2008
  7. Booze probably isn't a good choice. Go to your doctor and tell him/her your deal. Perhaps try a very small dose of Xanax or a beta-blocker.

    Early in my trading career I experienced a great deal of stress when I put on a trade. It got to the point that I thought I'd have to stop trading. I'd pull the trigger and my heart would start racing. I had finally turned the corner so I didn't want to quit something I had worked so hard for. The Doc told me I could try 1/2 an Ativan or a Beta-Blocker. Supposedly, Beta-Blockers prevent you from experiencing the symptoms you experience from public speaking. Trading causes a very similar reaction. I took the Ativan for a couple of months and then I didn't need it anymore. It got me over the hump. Go visit the Doc.....
     
    #147     Feb 4, 2008
  8. Thanks powerfade, you are correct, people receive a thread like this basically exactly like you'd expect. Most poked fun but few did see that what you did. Changing body chemisty ever so slightly can make a big difference.

    I did try the experiment for a bit of time, saw some good results but ultimately did not want to create a life habit of dependency to trade well. I already do fairly well as is, just looked to see if I could get a better edge. I see what you mean with a graded effect, all the more reason to not keep up with the experiment.
    Thanks for sharing :)

    Btw, to everyone else reading this, this is an old thread. I tried this for a few weeks and thats it.

     
    #148     Feb 4, 2008
  9. Good post, thank you for sharing PTF.

     
    #149     Feb 4, 2008
  10. I just noticed the age of this thread. Did you find a solution?
     
    #150     Feb 4, 2008