Schizophrenia and Poker

Kurtis · #1 05-20-2005, 04:08 AM

I wonder how Schizophrenia, or really any major mental illness, affects a poker player?

mackthefork · #2 05-20-2005, 04:21 AM

They always think you are bluffing, and insist the dealer is wrapped in tinfoil if they are in the 10 seat. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Mack

<font color="white"> Sorry for my flippant response </font>

PairTheBoard · #3 05-20-2005, 04:27 AM

Successful poker requires a great deal of mental and emotional stability. It's not a game for schizophrenics or those subject to mania, depression, or other psychotic disorders. It's a cruel thought to even consider.

PairTheBoard

Kurtis · #4 05-20-2005, 06:12 AM

No, I am asking for personal reasons. I am not talking when you are in pyschotic state, but when the synotoms die down. I forget the term, sorta like a relapse, but it never goes away.

It has seemed to help me, well maybe not help, but quiets the mind and I am able to focus.

mackthefork · #5 05-20-2005, 06:50 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Successful poker requires a great deal of mental and emotional stability. It's not a game for schizophrenics or those subject to mania, depression, or other psychotic disorders. It's a cruel thought to even consider.

PairTheBoard

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Pairtheboard

I think this applys even on a very minor basis, for example, when I feel like I won't win, I invariably lose, confidence as well as mental stability is very important, depression affects confidence in a serious way.

Mack

PairTheBoard · #6 05-20-2005, 07:13 AM

Kurtis,

I have a dear friend who suffers some form of bi-polar schizophrenia. She takes Respiridol. Yes she can get stable under the medication. But when she gets emotionally disturbed or begins obsessing about something she can quickly destabalize and end up in the hospital. If you can keep your poker playing very very recreational and it helps you maybe it's a good thing. But poker, and gambling in general can be very emotionaly disturbing and easily obsessed over. I'd sure advise against it myself.

PairTheBoard

bkholdem · #7 05-20-2005, 08:18 AM

When your stable (if you are high functioning) just show up at the casino with a nice fat roll, dressed and acting like you do when you are decompensated. Sit at the no limit table and go to town.

kiddj · #8 05-20-2005, 08:50 AM

[ QUOTE ]
When your stable (if you are high functioning) just show up at the casino with a nice fat roll, dressed and acting like you do when you are decompensated. Sit at the no limit table and go to town.

[/ QUOTE ]
This is actually quite clever. Nothing makes you more money than being underestimated. (Actually, nothing makes you more money than being skilled and underestimated.)

stigmata · #9 05-20-2005, 09:46 AM

Other issues aside, one of the core symptoms of schizophrenia is "thought disorder". It is generally observed that schizophrenics have lower IQ than the general population, even though they may have scored highly before the onset of symptoms. The generally disorganised mental capacaties of a schizophrenic patient would not usually lend itself well to an intellectual activity such as Poker, but might be an asset in e.g. the arts. However, schizophrenia is an extremely heterogenous disease, and it is therefore not out of the question that there are diagnosed schizophrenics playing poker at a high level.

Although I have to say this is rather silly question. I should imagine that quite a few world-class poker players have suffered from depression at some point, it is a very common situation....

PokerProdigy · #10 05-20-2005, 10:11 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I wonder how Schizophrenia, or really any major mental illness, affects a poker player?

[/ QUOTE ]

Just for the record, most people think Schizophrenia means having multiple personalities, but actually this is NOT true (even though most movies, books, etc... don't know this so they keep making it seem like that, and then people are even more mis-informed). Multiple-personality disorder is when you have multiple personalities, Schizophrenia on the other hand is defined as "a group of severe disorders charachterized by disorganizedd and delusional thinking, disturbed perceptions, and inappropriate emotions and actions." The reason I made this post is because it seems that well over 50% of the population does not know this (including me until I took psych 100).

P.S. If anyone still doesn't believe me then just send Dr. Alan a private message.