Anxiety while playing online

[AJFenix]

I'm well overbankrolled for games I play, and I'm usually confident in my game even during downswings. I usually acknowledge if I made a mistake and try my best not to lie to myself about situations where I lost value or made a bad play.

I love the game, I enjoy it, and I can play with friends for fun for hours, even at really low stakes that mean nothing to me as far as money. As far as getting upset, I get upset at 5c 10c and play chips just as much as my normal stakes (currently 1-2NL, deep stacked some of the time). I get pissed, but I don't tilt in a way that affects my play (MOST of the time, obviously not all, as everyone tilts away some money from time to time, besides Mr. Angelo. I think its pretty rare for me. Getting angry is VERY common though, and I think part of that is not having to control myself in an online setting. I get to throw things across the room, scream, punch things, and other fun things. ) from what I have noticed. What REALLY affects my play, from what I have noticed, is 0 hrs of sleep the night before. That ones obvious though.

Thing is, when I am about to go PLAY play online, as in grind a couple tables on my own, regardless of 6max or full ring, I feel anxious. I remain anxious for a little bit. Hell, I'll even sweat a little (the room is usually cold as hell this time of the year, I got a small portable heater now though. The temperature of the room seemed uncomfortable, perhaps that had an impact). It takes me a while to settle down. If I double up quickly or win a series of big pots, my session usually doesn't last very long. I think this anxiety prevents me from playing as much as I could, as I have more than enough spare time to get more hands in. Often I feel like I dont want to play after eating, or I'm too tired at the time (my sleep schedule is often messed up), or I have something else I want to do.

Not sure what specific questions I want to ask, but I appreciate any comments.

[Ari Gold]

I know how you feel regarding a lot of points you make. I often spend as much time procrastinating as I do playing. Also, even making 30 or so BB (limit here) in say the first 200 hands can quickly curtail what would have likely been a 1k hand session.

Another thing I find myself doing is drinking lots of caffeine to get the energy to play, feeling fine, but then feeling like my heart is racing once I actually get into my session. You'd think I would learn, but no, I do this every day.

I'm not really sure what to say or do either, but you are not alone in feeling like this.

[BlackRain]

I know the feeling as well. I don't feel it near as much when I'm playing 6+ hours everyday though. Then it feels more routine I guess and I just sit down and feel normal. So my advice to you would be to make sure you put in a solid amount of play for like a week straight and see how you feel after that.

Wish I could take my own advice. I have tried to get back on a "normal" sleep schedule this week, i.e. getting up at 10am or something. And I wake up 5 times a night now and get 3 or 4 hours sleep so I havent played since Monday. Somebody help me! Sorry, didn't mean to hijack your thread bro /images/graemlins/smile.gif But I know the feeling, try playing more. Habit seems to decrease the anxiety or stress of playing for me. gl.

[Mr. Now]

The way to manage this is to develop pre-game rituals. Such rituals move your mind from "where it is now" to poker-mode.

Most successful athletes can describe how they do exactly the same thing pre-game. Sometimes the WHOLE DAY previous is a ritual. Guys that play college football or b-ball know exactly what I'm saying.

At a minimum, athletics provides the suit-up time which is a perfect place and time to do these rituals.

The ritual can be whatever you want. Just make sure it a series of steps you repeat every time, with sufficent time to execute each step completely.

Pregame Warmup:

1. Eat or drink etc in advance of play
2. Put phone answering machine on
3. Remove shoes, shut door.
4. Review notes and short/long term performance stats- add to notes if necessary
5. Run through mental rituals (whatever works for you, example: recalling past wins vividly, recalling <'reliving'> successful dealing with handling downswings, successfully handling huge bankroll increases, etc)
6. Repeat and review actual intentions for play (purpose for play)
7. Play

These are hypothical steps. Create your own. The main point is this: you will address and then vanish the anxiousness during your customized pre-game warm-up rituals.

It's a form of self-brainwashing that works extremely well.

[Scottery]

I get anxious when i loose a buyin or whatever- im getting better now though- its just learning to be confident with your own ability and that a small loss is only a disturbance in your long term profit making.

[Ariose]

me three.

[AJFenix]

[ QUOTE ]
I get anxious when i loose a buyin or whatever- im getting better now though- its just learning to be confident with your own ability and that a small loss is only a disturbance in your long term profit making.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't get anxious when I lose. On the contrary, I get settled down and can put in a very long session if I get started on a bad note. That doesn't mean I don't get mad, though. I think the fear that my winning session will turn into a losing one and wanting to end on a positive note factors in shortening my playing time. I'm not sure how to go about changing that mindset.

[Blarg]

Of all these problems -- I've got 'em.

I worry that I may never get over them either.

[HotPants]

I used to have all the same stuff. Over time it just eventually stopped. How long have you been playing?

The only 'trick' I ever use is to congratulate myself every time I maximize my EV.

J3o UTG? fold. I maximized my EV, good job HotPants!

[donkeyradish]

What is it you get anxious about, is a fear of not winning, or something else, like maybe guilt about spending too much time playing poker?

[AJFenix]

[ QUOTE ]
What is it you get anxious about, is a fear of not winning, or something else, like maybe guilt about spending too much time playing poker?

[/ QUOTE ]

Definatly not guilt. Fear of not winning/losing maybe, I don't know. I'm not consciously worrying about anything, I'm just anxious.

[GAL]

Fenix, I used to have the exact same problems, if I got off losing I could sit and play all day until I got even and play well, but once I got back to even I didn't want to go down again. If I got off to a good start say doubling up in my 1st big pot I didn't want a winning day to turn into a losing one. At the time I had alot of trouble sleeping and generally felt anxious all the time, then about a month ago I read a post from someone, who had trouble playing on when winning, who's results were like mine, his winning sessions were smaller than his losing sessions with regards to BB won/lost and the time he played when winning was less than when losing. One of the replies he got was from a poster telling him that he needed to play on through his winning sessions as this was when he playing his best poker and quit when losing and playing not so well. The problem I had with this advice was that I never like to have a losing day but I have applied it and found that (playing 1/2NL) instead of my winning days averaging $200 with a couple of losing $300+ days, (which stop me sleeping), I now have more $300/$400 winning days and so the days where I lose $100/200 don't bother me anymore.

Long I know but I guess my point is psychologicaly you prove to yourself that you are a good player by winning so once you're up for the day you've proved your point and don't want to play on but you must let the good sessions continue and quit the bad ones.

[bernie]

The more experience you get, this feeling should dissipate.

That's what I've found, anyways.

b

[AJFenix]

Being able to play the same amount of time regardless of results is certainly a good goal. What about overcoming that unwantingness to play? Like someone else said, it seems so easy to procrastinate and lay off playing when it comes to actually grinding it out, and its hard to put in a long session when you don't "feel like it". How do you go about "feeling like it" more often?

[AJFenix]

[ QUOTE ]
The more experience you get, this feeling should dissipate.

That's what I've found, anyways.

b

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you play no limit? I think I would dread limit out of boredom more than anxiety. I don't see how someone could get pumped up for a limit game unless it was too big for their bankroll, and there can't be nearly as many tense moments in limit compared to NL (running big bluffs, getting your money in as a slight favorite with a draw and watching the cards come down, watching cards slide off when opponent has the draw, getting in a coinflip for your stack and once again watching the cards come down, etc). Not trying to insult limit players, either, just that its a much different game psychologically, imo.

[bernie]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The more experience you get, this feeling should dissipate.

That's what I've found, anyways.

b

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you play no limit? I think I would dread limit out of boredom more than anxiety. I don't see how someone could get pumped up for a limit game unless it was too big for their bankroll, and there can't be nearly as many tense moments in limit compared to NL (running big bluffs, getting your money in as a slight favorite with a draw and watching the cards come down, watching cards slide off when opponent has the draw, getting in a coinflip for your stack and once again watching the cards come down, etc). Not trying to insult limit players, either, just that its a much different game psychologically, imo.

[/ QUOTE ]

I play limit.

I also don't play for the rush of playing or anything so that psychological aspect doesn't really affect me as far as differentiating between limit and no limit. But I'm going to guess from your post above, and what you look forward to, that we play for some subtle different reasons.

For me, I don't really get bored playing live limit. Watching hands unfold is kind of like watching a mystery show on TV for me. That's for any form of hold'em I'm playing. I'm also trying to put people on hands that I'm not involved in along with watching how players play based on their physical movements, etc...all that crap. But then, I've also been a live player long before online.

Now online is a little different for me. I do get bored playing online very quickly.

b

[AJFenix]

[ QUOTE ]

I play limit.

I also don't play for the rush of playing or anything so that psychological aspect doesn't really affect me as far as differentiating between limit and no limit. But I'm going to guess from your post above, and what you look forward to, that we play for some subtle different reasons.

For me, I don't really get bored playing live limit. Watching hands unfold is kind of like watching a mystery show on TV for me. That's for any form of hold'em I'm playing. I'm also trying to put people on hands that I'm not involved in along with watching how players play based on their physical movements, etc...all that crap. But then, I've also been a live player long before online.

Now online is a little different for me. I do get bored playing online very quickly.

b

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't play for the rush, the rushes just come as a natural part of the game. Yes, live play is far more entertaining, and I'm sure that holds true for limit as well as NL. I would never get bored in a live setting as there is so much more to occupy you. I'm primarily talking about a multitable online NL grind. I couldn't imagine multitabling limit. Yuck.

[bernie]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't play for the rush, the rushes just come as a natural part of the game.

[/ QUOTE ]

For most, it is. For those that play for a living, that 'natural' part of the game tends to go by the wayside. One of the trade-offs. Which is why I said experience. The more you play seriously, the less it will likely affect you because you will be looking more longterm than the shortterm feel of it.

[ QUOTE ]
I don't see how someone could get pumped up for a limit game unless it was too big for their bankroll, and there can't be nearly as many tense moments in limit compared to NL (running big bluffs, getting your money in as a slight favorite with a draw and watching the cards come down, watching cards slide off when opponent has the draw, getting in a coinflip for your stack and once again watching the cards come down, etc).

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't get pumped up to play a game. I don't get into those 'tense' moments. That effect kinds of wears off when you play alot. To be honest, sometimes I wish I did, as it is more exciting and fun. But you eventually see about every situation just as you eventually get snapped on every hand imagineable. But to me it's just one hand. If I win a huge pot, I know I could be giving it back in the next few hands.

b

[Dan BRIGHT]

if by anxiety you mean horny, then yes

[Dan BRIGHT]

horny like a toad

[Steven_Q_Erkel]

The answer is weed, this stuff needs to be medicinal for poker players.

[Stealthy]

[ QUOTE ]
I think the fear that my winning session will turn into a losing one and wanting to end on a positive note factors in shortening my playing time. I'm not sure how to go about changing that mindset.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is my number 1 problem with playing poker. All of my very long sessions have been trying to recover from a bad run of cards whilst I have had a ton of short ones where I stop at say 50BB up when I should keep playing.

[12AX7]

Well, you're not alone.

I find I'm a little jittery after a session. I sometimes spill my tea or something after I get up. LOL!

Just a side story. Years ago I ended up broke after a Corp. downsizing. Ended up in Vegas to work for Citicorp. After avoiding the Strip for 6 months I went down and tried craps.

I was at the Sahara and playing something like .25 or .50 bets. I had one hand resting in the chip rack. There was a puddle of sweat under it. LOL!

Probably because I had just come through a period of real financial stress. LOL!

Fast forward 2 years later. Several hundred dollar swings at the Mirage card room were tolerable. Funny how you build up a tolerance.

[12AX7]

Don't say this around a shrink. He'll prescribe an SSRI and tell you, "you have OCD".