6 years and lost 173,000 USD

To share honestly, not to brag about losses but to talk about the psychology and the dangers of trading addiction. In 6 years, I lost about 173k USD when trading forex. I am a developer, earning quite well, perhaps that is the only reason I haven't completely "collapsed". But 3 years ago, my income was low, I once bore a debt of 90k USD, and also had to worry about the whole family.

Trading can become a very real addiction. Every time I promise to stop, I return to that same loop. There was a day I lost 40k USD, at night I could only think about what that money could have done for my parents… and it haunted me to the point that it felt like something was controlling me. The worst part is that in real life, no one truly understands this feeling.

I really want to stop, but there is always a voice in my head saying, "You're smart, just buy gold and you'll get it all back." So I deposited 5k USD, lost it in 2 days. Then it was, "Today's market is easy," added another 5k… and lost again.

Some people say the market is like a thief in a suit: it lets you win a few trades and then takes away a year's worth of your life. To be blunt, today's profits may just be bait for a big loss tomorrow. Sometimes a true victory is to stop. No matter how much is left in the account, even if it’s only 1,000 USD, withdraw it and live your own life.

If you are addicted to trading, seek help as soon as possible, cut off all the things that stimulate the urge to recover losses. You are chasing after something that isn't real. From someone who has gone through hell: cherish a stable job, a normal life. If possible… stay away from trading and don't look back.

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Source: collected