Kind of surprised I've never seen alcohol or any substance problems mentioned much among traders on the net and how folks are doing. Staying well is job number 1 among some guys (and 2 women) I've had the pleasure of trading with over the years. Anyone care to post their experiences before and after or feel free to PM me. Coffee is on. Geo.
oh gees... I guess you could say I had substance abuse. I've done just about everything as a teen. Life was going downhill. My dream of becoming a professional golfer was fading away. I was really considering suicide. My life was pretty much over... so, since I was practically dead, and whatever happens afterwards is meaningless, I made a deal with god. I'll quit everything and give myself one more chance to become pro. If it doesn't happen, I'll just blow my head off. So I put the glass pipe down and started practicing. To make a long story short. I did not turn pro, but neither did I kill myself. I don't view it the same way anymore... the part of whatever happens afterwards is meaningless. Every good and bad things have been done to help me become a better person. The substance abuse being a very painful phase in my life was actually a great thing that happened to me. I learned a lot from that experience. Also proves that I can do anything. The first year of going clean was very difficult. You don't hear too many crack heads going clean ya know. Now I wouldn't dare take a puff. I've worked so hard to improve myself psychologically and physically, why would I throw it all away? Just glad to be alive. Andy
congrats Andy.. i used to work in an industry that employed alot of people with substance abuse problems.. ive worked with alot of crack addicts and have only known one who was able to quit.. i think it was Elder who said that the pleasure gained from making a trade is even higher than that of sex.. and ive known people who couldnt put the mouse down too.. its sad to see people destroy themselves with addiction, even financial destruction.. one day at a time -qwik
Wow, I got a lot of PMs. Anyway, I mentioned in replying to a PM that I had been out with some traders during an Online Trading Show in NYC where someone mentioned that one or two of the real sharp commod traders he knew were older guys that had quit. He said they were so good they were "brutal" or something like that. At the time I had been trying for years to get going with trading as a second career. The comment stayed in the back of mind (I was still drinking then) and turned out to be one of the big factors in why I quit when seemingly nothing else, and there was a lot lost, would get me to change. Anyway, it's a lot more profitable trading AH without a martini or daytrading without a 1.5 BAC after a routine night before! Funny how you fill up the hours you used to spend doing the other stuff. For me, I've been honing up on some TA concepts I could never get it together on and doing some reading. That sure as hell hasn't hurt. Geo.
I found out a while back, that even the occasional wine did not help when I needed a clear head...can't remember when I last had any alcohol (and no, I don't do anything else), maybe a couple of months ....sure feel better, mentally and physically for it! Running, yoga and the gym also probably keep me on the track to take care of myself
Any recovering traders that wish to have PM discussion re sobriety and trading please PM me. Thanks, Paul
just want to relate my experience, back on my graduation day somebody hand me some champagne since I didn't have any food they went straight to my brain and then my car skated on ice on the way home and hit the guard rail, when police interviewed me they asked, how many drink I have per day being statistically bend I made a quick calculation, on weekend I drink a lots and divide the sum by 6 I have average daily intake so I told them a couple beer per day, 'book him' he said. Looking back I know I drink when I was with certain 'friends' so I just drop them and I haven't have any reason to drink ever since. So if anybody have a problem may be take a hard look at who, when and where and then drop them off one by one might help.
The biggest trader I know of was an alcoholic. On the way to work on several occasions, I saw his limo [he drivers lincense was taken away - I knew it was him because he had HAT, his badge at the MERC as a license plate] with wine bottles being thrown out the window on the way to the MERC. I remember the guy, he looked ghostly to me, with rings around his eyes from the coke and alcohol he abused. When I passed him on the floor, he reaked of alcohol. I do not know what happened to him, but I know that he made 10's of millions a year, and one year I belive he made 250M. It didn't matter what the commodity he was trading - he was as comfortable doing cattle as doing pork bellies as doing Eurodollars. My little brother had a huge drug problem. It is strange - I rarely ever drink, usually wine or beer with my food, and I think I have smoked pot ten times in my life. They say it is genetic... nitro
Yea I read Elder's book. I found it interesting how he related losses with alcoholism. I never went to rehab or any AAA meetings before. In some movies where they have characters going to AAA meetings, I could swear that they were talking about trading... Andy
I have no evidence to support my belief, but I do believe addictions are related to genetics. I stopped hanging out with my old friends, except for a few... they're truly genuine, and I do not wish to lose them. Anyways, one of my buddy has a pretty bad addiction to drugs. His parents do not use drugs nor alcohol... but they are obese. I believe people can become addicted to food, sex, as well as anything that provides instant gratification. My friend's parents have an addiction to food, where as he has an addiction to drugs. I feel they're the same because they cannot control their intake, which can eventually kill them. Then again.. I also have another friend. His parents are teachers, his younger brothers and sisters are totally innocent kids, while he's a huge drug dealer. But I think in most cases genetics has something to do with it. As far as what helped me quit... I forgot who said this quote, but goes something like, "Obstacles are the things you see when your mind strays off target." Andy