poker addiction... what to do?

[Unabridged]

1) smoke some weed, calm down
2) 4 table $25 ring until you are a consistient winner
3) get pokertracker, mine tables
4) consider switching to PLO where VPIP 30% is only semitight

Every day this week, do the following:

Before each session you play, spend 15 minutes evaluating why you want to play today and highlight why you shouldn't play today. Are you bored? Are you tired? Are you going to be discplined? How long can you play for? Are you looking to hit it big and run, or grind it out playing solid poker?

WRITE YOUR ANSWERS DOWN (bonus points if you post them here). After a half hour of play, take a 5 minute break and answer the same questions again, in addition to: how loose and how aggressive am I playing? Do this every session this week.

[greatwhite]

I think trial and error will teach you a lesson eventually. Unless you thought about suicide because of gambling I can't see it being that much of a problem. I don't want to name names, but there are many top pros who are degenerates. However, you should stay within your bankroll and avoid tilt which often many pros can't do.

if you would like to play some heads-up, i'm always available..

[ QUOTE ]
i didnt read the thread but the answer to most of these "im addicted" threads is stop being such a pussy. you can either

1)play poker right and make money.
2)play poker inccorectly and lose and whine
3)quit poker like a bitch and get a job

there is no option to whine about being "addicted" to a freakin game. Get over yourslef or get a real addiction them come back and not post your mental issues about being a 5 year old girl on the inside.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bah, you're right. Addiction is just weak-mindedness. I need to just be disciplined about bankroll management and stop whining. Thank you.

Where is there a site with good shorthanded NL tables (preferably 1-5 handed) that I can get rakeback?

[ QUOTE ]
Go get a shitty job for a while, and try to forget about poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

shitty job for me = $10 college campus tourneys

what are PLO and VPIP?

[ QUOTE ]
Before each session you play, spend 15 minutes evaluating why you want to play today and highlight why you shouldn't play today. Are you bored? Are you tired? Are you going to be discplined? How long can you play for? Are you looking to hit it big and run, or grind it out playing solid poker?

WRITE YOUR ANSWERS DOWN (bonus points if you post them here). After a half hour of play, take a 5 minute break and answer the same questions again, in addition to: how loose and how aggressive am I playing? Do this every session this week.

[/ QUOTE ]

Dude that's genius. I think part of why I play so well when I buy in again is because I've thought about my play beforehand.

What is addiction anyway? I mean, I always have the very real choice of wether or not to play poker. I'm not sure I beleive in the concept of addiction. For example, I smoke cigarettes. I haven't smoked any in about a month. I feel compelled to, but I decided that I should take a break to test my willpower. Cigarettes are supposed to be chemically addictive, in that my body will actually yearn for them when I don't smoke. But I feel much, much more addicted to poker. In a very different way. Cigarettes don't consume any of my thought or change my moods as far as I can tell. But poker does.
However, I am sure I could stop playing if I really wanted to. I just don't. Is that what addiction really is? Not wanting to stop?

Anyway, I think I'm going to keep playing, but get stricter with myself in terms of mindset. If I catch myself daydreaming about making assloads of money, I'm not going to play until I get a hold of myself. That's going to be tough.