[Bralynn]

I'm 27, have a wife and two daughters, ages 4 and 2. I work part-time at an Internet company and play Online Poker as a main source of income. I've been doing this off and on for over a year.

I'm really trying to figure out if I want to keep doing this, or if I even want to play Poker anymore. I'm definitely not a losing player. I've actually done very well and Poker has definitely made a big difference in my income recently.

I'm just at a point where I don't feel like I enjoy the game, or that it's good for me. It causes too much stress, too many mood swings, the bad beats, the good days, the bad days and everything in between. It seems like if I have a really good day, I'm in a good mood, but god help you if you are around me after I've just lost 5 2 outters in a row. I don't feel like that is healthy. I don't like it when a game has control over my emotions like Poker does.

The problem is that I don't know if I can or even SHOULD stop right now. I can't remember having a losing week in the last year, so obviously I'm winning consistantly, and I don't know if I can just go back to a full-time job, bringing in a steady paycheck and living paycheck to paycheck again. Is that really the smart move?

I think for the first time I realize how gambling is bad, apart from just losing money. I feel like I've lost control over my life and options. I can't imagine doing this for a full-time job forever, but it seems like when you spend all your time playing poker, it consumes you. I don't seem to have an interest in learning about anything else. I just feel like if I'm not doing anything, I should be trying to make money. Over, and over.

So my problem is this: I feel like deep down I should stop playing Poker beacuse it just doesn't feel like that right thing to do. I'm a winning player and I don't know if I can handle going back to getting a paycheck, which will be considerably less than I usually make when I play Poker.

Should I keep playing just to support my family although it's hurting me in many other ways?

Any advice is appreciated.