Re: Can a Former Addict become a good Poker Player?
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Is it possible someone with my mind frame can retrain themselves to realize that earnign a little at a time steadily is better than that big hit. The biggest road block being I am a problem gambler and there is no denying that. Can I become a successful player?
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No "firing away" here.
I have several relatives who have battled substance addictions of one form or another. It's not a laughing matter, or one to be dismissed lightly.
Addiction is, by definition, uncontrollable. You can construct all sorts of rules and guidelines for yourself, but you'll have to constantly fight the temptation to ignore them. The part of your brain that drives the addiction will always crave the "big hit", no matter how consistently you deny it.
You may be excellent at finding the right strategy to beat your opponents, but the inability to let go of sure losers is a huge weakness. That alone makes it questionable to determine whether you can become a successful player.
But here's the biggest concern I have:
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5) Maintain my mind frame that this is the money my family is going to be eating off of next week and is going to make the hosue payment in a month.
All that being said I want to note, my family will eat and my house payment will be made along with all other bills paid even if I bust out entirely at this site by doing something stupid.
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The money you already have online may not have an impact on your family; but you don't say whether you would reload if it disappeared. Until you can afford to lose the money, you can't afford to play with it.
It should be obvious what my recommendation will be. Cash out and use the $500 in the real world. Pick a date -- six months, nine months, a year -- and make a commitment to a complete lack of gambling in this time period. Prove to yourself that you truly can walk away, that you're not just trying to rationalize the continuation of the addiction. If, after that time, you have a job and can afford to lose money, you can make a decision about whether to buy back in.
I wish you all the best.
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