Well first and foremost you should have enough $ set aside for atleast six months of non-poker related responsibilities, utilities, rent, food, et cetera, so your 'downswing' shouldn't mean you are starving. If it does, or you are close to it, maybe jump down limits and do some other work until you make back what you lost.

It's been truly hard at times to pull myself away from the game, particularly when I'm down $ because of bad luck. But it's a skill I'm trying to hone, cash games arent "supposed" to dent you if you have the "appropriate" bankroll, but let's be honest, we are all gamblers and if we continue to push the envelope on a day where the cards give you no help you can take a considerable hit.

If that's the case, maybe play some safer games. But to answer your question directly the only way for me to stop, when I am in that 'hooked' phase, is to seriously just stand up, and walk. A long vacation isn't always realistic and/or affordable to some players, in that case I'd just reccomend playing another game and re-fueling.

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