Trading can be Addictive…
Trading & Addiction: How to Stay Balanced, Healthy, and in Control
Hi, I’m Becky and welcome back to Market Mamas. I want to talk about something that’s been on my mind for a long time: the addictive nature of trading and how it can affect our lives if we’re not careful.
Trading is exciting and rewarding. That’s part of why we do it. But it also triggers deep neurological pathways in the brain that are similar to behavioral addictions like gambling. When you win a trade, your brain releases dopamine, a “feel-good” chemical that motivates you to chase that sensation again and again. This can create a compulsion to trade, not just a strategy.
Why This Matters to Traders
Even when you’re functioning well, posting green days, participating in community, talking about setups and journaling your trades, unhealthy patterns can still be developing underneath. Some traders may:
become emotionally attached to wins and losses
tie their identity to their P&L
chase losses to feel “normal” again
feel restless or anxious when away from charts
hide losses or overtrade in secret
These are warning signs, not judgments.
How to Tell if It’s Becoming Unhealthy
Here are some simple questions to ask yourself:
✔ Do you trade to feel better instead of following a plan?
✔ Does market time crowd out sleep, hobbies, and relationships?
✔ Do you feel uncomfortable stopping, even for a break?
✔ Are losses followed by revenge trading?
✔ Are you constantly thinking about trades outside your planned time frame?
If you answered yes to several of these, it might mean your trading is less about strategy and more about emotional reaction patterns. And, this conversation isn’t meant to evoke any shame. But to bring awareness to a potentially dangerous situation that is worth a look for all of us, myself included at times as well!
What Healthy Trading Looks Like
Healthy traders still love the markets. But they also have a life outside of them. They:
🟢 Trade with a plan
🟢 Follow risk rules and stop losses
🟢 Respect defined trading hours
🟢 Can step away without panic
🟢 Prioritize rest, relationships, movement, and hobbies
It’s not how many hours you put in. It’s how intentional you are with your time and energy.
“The market isn’t going to love you back. It will do what it does with or without us. We have to be the protectors of our own lives.”
~ Becky Gaskell, Market Mamas
Tips for Staying Grounded and Balanced
Here are practical steps you can take:
1. Set Hard Boundaries
Define when trading starts and stops each day. Having non-negotiable trading off times helps separate work from life and reduces impulsive trades.
2. Screen-Free Decompression
Take breaks away from charts. Walk, exercise, garden, cook, socialize with friends… Find things that refresh your brain without screens.
3. Journal Emotions
Track not just trades, but how you feel during trading, such as restless, anxious, excited, or disappointed. That emotional data is powerful for self-awareness.
4. Build Support
Find one safe person, a friend, mentor, or peer, that you can trust to talk about your feelings after red days. Sharing emotional reactions counters isolation and shame. Consider cultivating a trading accountability partner for this role, it is a powerful relationship! (https://youtu.be/Lg65z3GsQGk?si=ve-K1-fbw5zM3E3B)
5. Seek Help If Needed
There’s no shame in talking to a therapist or counselor, especially if stepping away feels impossible. Professionals exist because these challenges are real. Did you know that if you dial 988 from your phone, you can rapidly and for free be connected to professional crisis managers that are standing by and ready to help anyone in an emotional crisis. This resources is free and will never judge you!
The Bigger Picture
Trading is a dynamic, challenging activity that can offer financial growth and personal satisfaction. But the market isn’t going to love you back. It will do what it does regardless of your emotions or identity. What does matter is how you protect your life, your relationships, and your wellbeing.
You don’t have to reach rock bottom to take your health seriously. That’s actually a strength. Being able to pause, reflect, and build a balanced approach to trading is one of the most powerful moves you can make as a trader and human. And will matter more than so many other actions for your longevity in this role.
If this topic and conversation made you think, even just a little, that’s good. Awareness is the first step toward intention. Whether you use boundaries, support systems, professional help, or lifestyle habits, taking care of your whole self will help you trade longer, more healthily, and with more joy. We have these days right now. Nothing else is promised. So yes, we should push our goals and work, but we also need to care for ourselves and enjoy the ride along the way.
Thanks for being here with me. I’m grateful for this opportunity to maybe help a trader that might need it out! Take care of yourselves and each other.
To those who show up for these conversations, the mental effort and time dedication, you are my people and I would love to get to know you better! Please take a moment to shoot me a comment on https://www.market-mamas.com/contact! Catch you next time! Keep learning, keep growing, and keep trusting yourself. We got this!