Hi everyone,
I’m Jane, one of the mods here at QuitBetting.com. I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself and share a bit of my harrowing story. A few years ago, I got heavily involved in trading stock options through the WallStreetBets community on Reddit. At first, it seemed like an exciting way to make quick money, and I was drawn to the thrill of high-risk trades.
However, things quickly spiraled out of control. I became obsessed with checking the markets, making impulsive trades, and chasing losses. Before I knew it, I had lost $20,000.
Thinking I could recover my losses, I doubled down, taking even riskier bets. This led to a devastating spiral where I ended up losing $100,000, including my entire 401k.
You wouldn’t believe the stupid DD (due diligence) that I thought was legit. In my mind I had totally convinced myself that I could out-trade Wall street and had some sort of an edge. I took beating after beating it was relentless and by the time I woke up to the madness it was too late. That was the start of recovery. Well not quite, I cried my eyes out, mentally beat myself to a pulp, and ultimately came to the realization there’s only one way to go from here.
I don’t miss those days of stock option gambling, it was terrible.
The screentime notifications I got during this period were absurd. Waking up at dawn only to see my balance drop lower by the second, talk about GUH!
Mayne one day I’ll share my stupid DD posts from Reddit so you can see how delusional I was.
The financial strain was immense, and it took a toll on every aspect of my life. I lost my job due to my constant distraction and stress, and my marriage fell apart under the weight of my addiction. I had hit rock bottom and felt utterly hopeless.
In a moment of desperation, I reached out to 1-800-GAMBLER. That call was a turning point for me. They put me in touch with a local psychologist who specialized in gambling addiction treatment. I received 24 sessions of therapy for free, which were incredibly transformative. Truly I’m not kidding when I say this, it’s a life changer. And it’s not that it’s perfect, they made me fill out a few pages of BS. Once you get past that it’s just you and your counselor and my goodness does it do a world of help. Probably like thousands of dollars of treatment completely free, changed my life and I’m forever grateful.
The support and guidance I received helped me rebuild my life. Today, I no longer touch stock trading or options. I’ve shifted to managed robo-investing through Vanguard, which allows me to invest responsibly without the risks of active trading.
I joined this community to help others who are facing similar struggles.
Whether you’re dealing with gambling on stock options, casino games, sports betting, or any other form of gambling, know that you’re not alone. We’re here to support each other and share strategies that work.
Feel free to reach out if you need advice or just someone to talk to. Together, we can overcome these challenges and build a healthier, gamble-free life.
So ya, TL;DR - welcome, I too have fallen short, and we’re here to get better together. You too can go from GUH to All Good!
Best, Jane