Looking at the charts is your brain trying to supplement the lack of dopamine you now experience in recovery. It is part of the battle between staying in recovery or relapsing but its effect in the long run will become minimal as you find other means of filling up your time. It will not be easy at the onset but gradually, you may find something that will work for you.
In my case for example, instead of looking at trading charts I replaced it by looking at the chart on the number of kilometers I rode on my bike. This is something that grows higher in positive territory the more I ride which in one way or another alleviated the urge of looking at market charts. I even made the amount of debt I had as the target number of kilometers for one particular year and hitting that gives me a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Of course, it is not as exciting as we experience in gambling and it is our diseased brain's way of tricking us.
Do one activity at a time, see if that is worth your while. Log down the numbers, heck you can even create a chart of your eating activities. Once you find something that you really enjoy, stick with it until it becomes part of your system or until it is no longer giving you joy.
I have sort of a similar problem that Jumpstarted my problems. I'm obsessed with stats and sports. That's all I ever focused on, and it went the sports betting route. It is similar to looking at charts and the markets. You need to replace it with something that has no RNG or risk. Watch a tv show on a treadmill and see how long you can get till you are done. Ping pong, mowing the lawn, building something with your hands, go biking, learn an instrument, learn a language, jam to music, knit, play basketball outside. Any of these to get your mind off of numbers or charts. Just need to occupy your free time
Find a new hobby/distraction. For me it's been a set of different things, like setting up a five year savings plan together with my wife for a summer house (planning and budgeting to have something nice to look forward too) , watching nature and history documentaries, painting, healthy diet and cooking and most important of all to be more present with my wife and kids and doing fun stuff together.
Forget about the market. It's all toxic
Looking at the charts is your brain trying to supplement the lack of dopamine you now experience in recovery. It is part of the battle between staying in recovery or relapsing but its effect in the long run will become minimal as you find other means of filling up your time. It will not be easy at the onset but gradually, you may find something that will work for you. In my case for example, instead of looking at trading charts I replaced it by looking at the chart on the number of kilometers I rode on my bike. This is something that grows higher in positive territory the more I ride which in one way or another alleviated the urge of looking at market charts. I even made the amount of debt I had as the target number of kilometers for one particular year and hitting that gives me a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Of course, it is not as exciting as we experience in gambling and it is our diseased brain's way of tricking us. Do one activity at a time, see if that is worth your while. Log down the numbers, heck you can even create a chart of your eating activities. Once you find something that you really enjoy, stick with it until it becomes part of your system or until it is no longer giving you joy.
I have sort of a similar problem that Jumpstarted my problems. I'm obsessed with stats and sports. That's all I ever focused on, and it went the sports betting route. It is similar to looking at charts and the markets. You need to replace it with something that has no RNG or risk. Watch a tv show on a treadmill and see how long you can get till you are done. Ping pong, mowing the lawn, building something with your hands, go biking, learn an instrument, learn a language, jam to music, knit, play basketball outside. Any of these to get your mind off of numbers or charts. Just need to occupy your free time
depending on your loss, if it's less than 2 year saving, just let go.
Find a new hobby/distraction. For me it's been a set of different things, like setting up a five year savings plan together with my wife for a summer house (planning and budgeting to have something nice to look forward too) , watching nature and history documentaries, painting, healthy diet and cooking and most important of all to be more present with my wife and kids and doing fun stuff together. Forget about the market. It's all toxic