Dithsoer

ALL my trading disturbs my sleep. I have lost many hours a night re-playing the day's game, thinking about my mistakes, wondering about my profits and if I did something right or if I just got lucky, but I know what you are talking about. I've been doing this for years and I found the only solution for me is to trade small enough where I can sleep. I know it's a cliche---and most trading cliches are bunk---but it really will help your game if you CAN sleep even though you have a trade going. But I definitely know where you are coming from. I'm currently in oil in a big way (for my portfolio) and I wonder about what is going to happen after the computer is off and the clock says bed time. I'm sure someone will get on here and say something about setting your stops and setting your price target and just let it go, but it's still stressful.

"One of the amusing things that I noticed after a few months was that I was more willing to strike up conversations with total strangers. I found this amusing as I had never been one to do that. So, in some regards I've become slightly more affable. It doesn't take me long to get my "people fix" for the day; a trip to the grocer usually does it. If I feel the need for more there is a local pub that I frequent. I speak with family and friends on a daily basis, and make it a priority to have dinner out with someone once a week. I'm completing my 3rd year trading full time, and seem to have adapted to it. To me, the freedom that trading affords is the main draw; don't really care about getting rich. I've usually dragged off what I need by lunch time... close the books... get my people fix for the day... I'm good." I agree with you completely on the first sentence, noticed it myself. Thanks for the point of view and something to consider. It's just kind of hard when you don't know any other traders in your life, and when ever you mention what you do. . . . well, you know how it goes, everyone is fascinated by the idea of the money and think you must be making millions a day, but they just don't understand what it's really like. Then they feel alienated from me because of what I do, we've all experienced it so you know what I mean. "You trade stocks! How much do you make a day?" "Well, today I worked my azz off and lost $128.00, but man did I WORK to only lose that much." At least I'm not the only person who trades that experiences this. . . .

I am certainly not new to trading, but I still think this belongs here. For those day traders who can answer, how do you deal with the boredom, loneliness, even depression that comes with being a full-time trader? I mean I love trading, it's the best job in the world, but still, if you've been doing it long enough, you'll know exactly what I mean. My wife works outside the home so I'm alone in front of that screen all day long, 90% lonesome boredom and 10% terror. I was just curious how other traders deal with this rarely spoken of aspect of full-time trading. Sure, I watch the news feeds and I'm constantly checking some chart or another, but it's a damn lonely life that we choose to lead.