Addictions | Are you in control or are you under their control?
The game hasn't changed a bit. Poker stereotypes are still the same today as in 2010. Texas hold’em players behaviour fits what you have in mind when you hear the words casino and tournament.
I like the Poker ecosystem but, as any other social group of people, there are some that come off as negative for the development of the community as a whole, perhaps because of their attitude towards the game or the people, maybe it is because of their approach to the poker table, sometimes it is because thye just don´t know when to quit.
One thing we all have to bear in mind while playing poker is that it is just a game, and we shouldn´t let it control ourselves.
If you don´t know when to quit, and keep losing and losing hand after hand you might go into Tilt mode. To keep it simple, Tilt mode means you start making wrong decisions after a big loss and you get dragged into a negative spiral that keeps dragging your game down.
Yesterday I played a Texas Hold´em Satellite tournament where the entry fee was around $15 dollars.
The thing is, as this is a Satellite tournament, the re-buys - a re-buy means getting a new stack of chips every time you lose all of them - are unlimited until the break, four hours after the tournament starts. This means there are people who don´t spend only $15 usd because they keep re-buying their entry.
One rule I have when I´m betting online in Soccer matches or when I´m playing poker online is to set myself a limit before starting, if I loose certain amount of money, I won´t keep betting. You have to know your limits and you have to know when to quit. But if you don´t set your limits before getting into business - or gaming should I say? - it´s going to be very hard to know your limits once you are already inside, so to speak, you won´t know where is the exit of the forest if you already walked 3 miles without leaving a bread trail to the entrance.
On my table there was a guy who kept losing and kept re-buying his way in, he must have spent around $90 - $120 dollars on a table where he was losing badly. He was on tilt mode and he kept making silly mistakes, his game was low tier and everytime he lost he would rant about it, sometimes even borderline insulting the other players - you can´t insult, that´s a penalty and they will kick you out after a few - and overall he got the table´s mood to a shitty status, making everyone uncomfortable and even getting some comments back saying he should drop out and stop playing.
Overall, I know the poker world has people like him. Every social group or community has them. But this brings up my question.
I am addicted to women and they control me - this is a fact and no thing I can do to change lol
Hahaha this comment is soo underrated :P
So, you too huh? Damn women controling our lives
hahaha great :D
ha, I bet you are not the only one with this issues.
Well it's always good to have your control in check @anomadsoul, I used to play cards and it nearly ruined my school funds you know it was like cigarettes addiction. Well hope you played well?
It was a good game, I re-learned a lot of what I thought I´ve forgotten. I didn´t make it to final table but I think I´m going to keep playing :D
@anomadsoul, can anyone control an addiction? You can get a sense of control but I don't think it is real.
I pride myself that I never smoke without drinking alcohol but I never drink without smoking, so what is the control?
I feel that it is that sense, that feeling that I am in control of my addictions that is dangerous because it gives me the impression that I can walk away from it anytime but in reality, I just take long breaks and return stronger than ever.
I feel addictions need a complete stop, not an attempt, a control, or anything of that nature. A complete cleansing of the system, if it is possible.
Maybe get it in line? As far as I think, you can´t control it 100% but you can have limits.
Well, the control is that you don´t need a cigarette if you are not drinking, at least you don´t smoke all the time?
I do that with smoking, I quit every once in a while to "know" i can still handle it, there will come a time where i just won´t start anymore, i hope.
Yeah I hope so too. I am truly tired of it but once in a while the urge comes and we start all over again.
@warpedpoetic I hope it works out well in the end man.
I believe that this rule is important when it comes to managing your addiction, if you set the limits and feel really committed to your word, you will not have a problem, it is a way to balance your addictions, it is a good way to have control, however the addict does not always have the will to contain himself, to respect his limits, since it takes a lot of willpower to achieve it, in my case, for health problems, I should control the sugar that I eat, I don't know if I can compare it with poker, but although I'm aware that I shouldn't, it's very difficult to stop, thank God, I'm already working on it, Happy night and I feel happy for you because your results were satisfactory.. (at least for you)
hello I think it's interesting what you are saying and as a ludopath, I must admit that I do not have control when I play, so I prefer not to do it, there is something in me that says, go ahead, do it, maybe in this one you win and it is difficult to deal with it .
we must be aware of its limits and I have no limits playing so I avoided it.
Well we gotta know our limits and it is wise from you to simply not do it if you know you won't be able to control yourself... That is next level wisdom my friend!
I’ve always done my best to set a limit similar as you. It so easy to get into the wrong mindset that if you just had one more try that time it go really well. I’m glad at least they had a time limit where they stop allowing buy ins. While it is a shame when there is that one guy that person also serves as a reminder of what not to be for everyone else.
I’ve been in a few situations mostly in gaming where people just want take it too far. That is when I just walk away. Even if it means giving up on invest time as at the end of the day gamers are supposed to be fun. Last thing I want do is get caught in the moment and be the thing I have no wish being. Sadly some people will do almost anything to be number one at something and there really is not much you can do.
I mean theres people who literally loose everything to gambling or gaming, as you said, it is key to know when to walk away even if you already invested some time and money...
This was a really great read. I enjoyed seeing a little bit deeper into the world of high-stakes poker.
Awesome that you are able to set limits for yourself and then have the discipline to stick with it.
I actually struggle with addictive tendencies, and so I have to be really aware of them. If I notice myself starting to get into a habit of doing something that isn’t beneficial - I will usually force myself to take a step back for a while to break the habit. Then I can re-introduce that thing back into my life with more moderation.
I´m an addict - I hope in a good way - and everytime I get into something I go full 100% into it. I can´t help but to give my all to whatever I´m doing until I´m the best - or my best - so I understand your position.
This is a very good read (and shameless self promotion) about that very same subject, I think you´ll like the read considering we both have addictive tendencies.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting :D
Your right, I did really enjoy reading your previous article! It sounds like you are able to channel your addictive tendencies in a way that propels you forward and helps you improve your craft or addiction - whatever it is at the time. I’m sure it has taken some work and intention to get to that point!
My addictions tend to revolve around guilty pleasures and don’t seem to really benefit me. I actually haven’t had to struggle against too many lately because I honestly keep so busy between my day job and Steemit! I don’t have a lot of time to get caught in bad cycles. Haha
@coruscate Haha that was me shilling me and it worked! :P
Guilty pleasures are the best as long as we don´t yield completely to them :D
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this is key
@angelgarz best key if you ask me.
Just play in bankroll and you can afford even being an awful poker player.
Play more money than what you can afford and you will risk going broke, even if you're the best player in the world.
@bnoise well, its like investing. You can´t play with money you can´t afford to lose, otherwise you´ll get sucked in a negative hole of bad decisions...