do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

I've seen a million different psychiatrists/therapists over the years, and my current one is the first I've ever talked to extensively about poker. We've talked about what it means to me and my self-image, how it can make me feel awesome or terrible, what kinds of compulsive behaviors I've developped in relation to it, the kinds of things that put me on tilt, etc etc. I've found it quite refreshing, at least after the point where he got over his shock about me treating poker as something other than just an addiction or a negative force in my life. And it has been good for my results -- my game has never been sharper, and I tilt less and handle the emotional swings much better than I have in the past.

Does anyone have any similar stories or experiences?

Related side-question: can any of you recommend a good psychiatrist in the Las Vegas area? I'm looking for someone to see while in town for the wsop.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

I'm sorry, everytime I see the word "therapist", I think of this.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

All,

I'm actually curious what percentage of you regularly go to therapists/psychiatrists/counselors/etc or have ever done so.

I've never seen anyone like that, but know many people who have.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

I've never seen a therapist but one of my friends in Cali did. He said he tried to talk to him about poker and told him how much he had made over the years but the rapist was like but you didn't "do anything" to make that money. Haha, yeah it was just a million hand heater and of course since poker is considered a game of skill in Cali this guy knows better than the lawmakers. What a joke.

I'm sure there can be some good ones like the one you got that can almost function almost like a sports psycholigist or something like David Duval and them use but I think you got lucky considering some of the other stories I've heard about therapists. There used to be a joke I heard about doctors something like "Internists know everything but do nothing, Surgeons know nothing but do everything and Psychiatrists know nothing and do nothing"

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

obv, wtf else would I talk to him about?

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

I talked to my last primary care doctor about it. I told him I was addicted to poker (which I was at the time but am not now). I told him about difficulties it created in my marriage (taking time from my wife and her being upset) and how I thought obsessively about the game. I was clear about the fact that I was not a run of the mill gambing addict, did not care for games of chance and played for profit, tracked my winnings, etc. He accepted my description of my involvement in poker. I told him that I did not want to address being addicted to poker and he did not offer an opinion either way.

While obsessed, and at times quite irritible when dealing with negative variance, it was not 'out of control' except for the significant amount of hours I was devoting to the game. If I was a loosing player or chased my losses I would, hopefully, been interested in seeking help.

I have seen a therapist briefly in the past, about 10 sessions. It was during a time when I was winding down from a sex addition. I went to sex and love addicts anonymous meetings around the same time, what a freakshow that was.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

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obv, wtf else would I talk to him about?

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Tell him you dream of blood and cutting people up with chain saws. Tell him it's a secret you've been keeping for a long time. lol

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

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can any of you recommend a good psychiatrist in the Las Vegas area? I'm looking for someone to see while in town for the wsop.

[/ QUOTE ]

You know what cheers me up when I'm feelin' sh*tty?

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

[ QUOTE ]
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can any of you recommend a good psychiatrist in the Las Vegas area? I'm looking for someone to see while in town for the wsop.

[/ QUOTE ]

You know what cheers me up when I'm feelin' sh*tty?

[/ QUOTE ]

Hookers and Blow?

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
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can any of you recommend a good psychiatrist in the Las Vegas area? I'm looking for someone to see while in town for the wsop.

[/ QUOTE ]

You know what cheers me up when I'm feelin' sh*tty?

[/ QUOTE ]

Rolled up aces over kings. Check-raising stupid tourists and taking huge pots off of them. Playing all-night high-limit Hold'em at the Taj, "where the sand turns to gold." Stacks and towers of checks I can't even see over.

[/ QUOTE ]

FYP

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

I used to go to one that i got thru a referal of an female friend.
My family has a history of depression/manic depression but to be honest it wasn't really for anything like that just a person to talk to about just about everything. I went twice a week but that was back when i was getting support from parents and had health insurance thru my dads airline company.

Now I'm to poor to afford a therapist. But if i had the money to burn i'd totally go 2 or 3 times a week.
On a sidenote, my therapist was smoking smoking hot.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

[ QUOTE ]
It was during a time when I was winding down from a sex addition. I went to sex and love addicts anonymous meetings around the same time, what a freakshow that was.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh dude, if anything deserves a trip report, it's this.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

i do. but she doesn't know it. i substitute poker with chess. she says i'm very obbsessive (but not towards people). Where is she going with this? I seriously feel very vulnerable in there (only been twice now) and i feel that she has direction and that i can't figure it out and it really irritates me.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

[ QUOTE ]
i do. but she doesn't know it. i substitute poker with chess. she says i'm very obbsessive (but not towards people). Where is she going with this? I seriously feel very vulnerable in there (only been twice now) and i feel that she has direction and that i can't figure it out and it really irritates me.

[/ QUOTE ]

try not lying and asking straight up when you want to know things. it will probably help.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
i do. but she doesn't know it. i substitute poker with chess. she says i'm very obbsessive (but not towards people). Where is she going with this? I seriously feel very vulnerable in there (only been twice now) and i feel that she has direction and that i can't figure it out and it really irritates me.

[/ QUOTE ]

try not lying and asking straight up when you want to know things. it will probably help.

[/ QUOTE ]
i'd feel way too vulnerable just spilling the truth to her always.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
i do. but she doesn't know it. i substitute poker with chess. she says i'm very obbsessive (but not towards people). Where is she going with this? I seriously feel very vulnerable in there (only been twice now) and i feel that she has direction and that i can't figure it out and it really irritates me.

[/ QUOTE ]

try not lying and asking straight up when you want to know things. it will probably help.

[/ QUOTE ]
i'd feel way too vulnerable just spilling the truth to her always.

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work on that or therapy will be a total waste of your time. a friend of mine consistently lied to therapists for bout 7 years before she started telling the truth. coincidentally she found therapy useful only after that.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

RoundersQuote,

I've previously deleted one or two of your posts, but you really stepped it up this time. Very nice work.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

[ QUOTE ]
RoundersQuote,

I've previously deleted one or two of your posts, but you really stepped it up this time. Very nice work.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was thinking the same thing El Diablo. That was one of the better RoundersQuote posts. Splendid work.

On topic, I haven't ever seen a therapist, but if I could swing it for free I would love to, just to see how it would turn out.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

I saw a therapist a couple times because I've been pretty depressed the past couple of months. Having someone to talk to helps, but I don't think she could really comprehend how psychologically warped being a compulsive poker player has made me. Mild antidepressants have helped me a fair amount, though (both with mood swings and the compulsion).

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

I don't see a therapist, but a prescribing doctor every couple of months. I'm totally honest about poker. It's like him asking how my job is going. He's mormon, so he doesn't quite understand the mechanics of it all.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

Therapy is just a racket for the jews...





jk haha sopranos

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

i'll think about the telling the truth stuff. i feel that she'll be really judgemental specifically about poker and marijuana (i smoke occasionally, once a week approx).

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

I've seen a therapist on and off for four years. Latest one I've been seeing for ~ 1 year now, and he has helped me a decent amount. I can only afford it, btw, because California has a mental health parity law, so my insurance picks up the tab less the $15 copay. I'm also thinking about joining a therapy group, that should be interesting.

Claude

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

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i'll think about the telling the truth stuff. i feel that she'll be really judgemental specifically about poker and marijuana (i smoke occasionally, once a week approx).

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Then jesus, switch therapists. What's the point of paying to talk to somebody if they're going to make you lie? You could phrase it as "it's not conducive to therapeutic discussion", but more straighforward: you're not getting you money's worth.

I suggest you try a few therapists; go in for a first visit, talk to them about what's going on, and if you feel a connection, go back. There's nothing wrong with shopping around on this one.
-Sam

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Therapy is just a racket for the jews...





jk haha sopranos

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Sopranos therapy quotes > all

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

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I went to sex and love addicts anonymous meetings around the same time, what a freakshow that was.

[/ QUOTE ]Great place to pick up chicks.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

[ QUOTE ]
i'll think about the telling the truth stuff. i feel that she'll be really judgemental specifically about poker and marijuana (i smoke occasionally, once a week approx).

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh for the love of God. Dude, you don't need a therapist. You just need to grow some balls. Take a decision that from now on you're not ashamed of your own life. You are who you are. Learn to be proud of yourself. Affirmative-fecking-action.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

on this subject, i just started seeing someone and there are definitely things i don't tell my therapist about (for me it isn't poker, that's the easy stuff). this is weird, right? or i guess normal... but the stuff i most need to talk about it is sooooo hard to verbalize, because then it's like you accept that they are issues.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

[ QUOTE ]
on this subject, i just started seeing someone and there are definitely things i don't tell my therapist about (for me it isn't poker, that's the easy stuff). this is weird, right? or i guess normal... but the stuff i most need to talk about it is sooooo hard to verbalize, because then it's like you accept that they are issues.

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Yes, and if they are issues then the impending quesiton is what are you going to do to get rid of/modify/deal with them.

Stages of Change:

1 Precontemplation
2 Contemplation
3 Planning
4 Action
5 Maintenance

Sounds like you might have just went from precontemplation mode to contemplation mode. If you make a decision to tell your therapist (and work on them) you will be in planning stage. Then telling him/her and figuring out what you are going to do and then taking action.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

do you seriously need to see a therapist that badly that you can't go at most four weeks without one? and isn't it important to develop a relationship with your therapist? I don't see what you could gain from four weeks of contact with someone..

on another note, I've seen therapists before for incident-related stuff. once I evened out I didn't see the point.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

I used to see one all the time, but this was before poker came into my life. In all honesty, though I felt that they did help somewhat, I dont think that it has made nearly as much difference long, or short term as simply thinking things over in my own time and getting older.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

[ QUOTE ]
on this subject, i just started seeing someone and there are definitely things i don't tell my therapist about (for me it isn't poker, that's the easy stuff). this is weird, right? or i guess normal... but the stuff i most need to talk about it is sooooo hard to verbalize, because then it's like you accept that they are issues.

[/ QUOTE ]

At first I was going to say "weird" because, like, the main point of going to therapy is being able to delve into the parts of your personality that are personal, private and hard to tap into. But, there's really room for only so much exploration with a therapist, so it comes slowly. I would say, then, that if you're making zero progress getting to those hard-to-verbalize needs, then the therapy isn't serving its purpose.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

The few times I saw her last year, poker was about the only subject we spoke about. We spoke about how im responsible of myself in the table and I have no reason to get angry about poker and never take it out to any other players.

Those few hours probably kept me away from going broke last year and I have made much less enemies in the tables in last year or so, when I'm not calling anyone [censored] [censored] or telling how I hope them to catch a cancer or get hit by a truck.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

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I'm sorry, everytime I see the word "therapist", I think of this.

[/ QUOTE ]

i laughed.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
i'll think about the telling the truth stuff. i feel that she'll be really judgemental specifically about poker and marijuana (i smoke occasionally, once a week approx).

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh for the love of God. Dude, you don't need a therapist. You just need to grow some balls. Take a decision that from now on you're not ashamed of your own life. You are who you are. Learn to be proud of yourself. Affirmative-fecking-action.

[/ QUOTE ]
you have no idea what you're talking about sir. you don't know what is going on with me, nor my life. do not judge whether or not i need a therapist when you have no idea what my situation is like.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

How does one find/choose a therapist?

I went to one when I was younger and had problems with depression and I recall enjoying it but my parents paid for it then. I have a HMO health insurance thru bluecross but not sure if it would cover therapy.

Is it normally pretty expensive? Seems like it might be worth while once a week etc.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

I've seen the same one since 1998 and I talk to him about poker occasionally, since I took it up about three years ago. I had a great month a couple years ago playing low stakes NL, and of course I thought I was good, but it was just before Party changed the structure to make the games deeper, and I quickly found that I wasn't, and I talked about that, too. I showed him Greenstein's book when it was new and he absolutely raved about it -- and he's not a player; he thought the psychological insight was so good.

I think guys are probably usually better off with male therapists. It's easier to tell your secrets. And if you're there, you probably need to.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

[ QUOTE ]
How does one find/choose a therapist?

I went to one when I was younger and had problems with depression and I recall enjoying it but my parents paid for it then. I have a HMO health insurance thru bluecross but not sure if it would cover therapy.

Is it normally pretty expensive? Seems like it might be worth while once a week etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think there is a number on the back of your card to call for mental health treatment. Many insurance plans cover like 8-12 sessions a year with the normal co-pay.

For depression why not look into antidepressants. Better living through chemistry.

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

In terms of finding a therapist...I don't have anyone who I could get a "referal" from so it would just have to be someone from my provider: bluecross....how exactly does one choose somebody.

Do you guys think it is better to get a male or female?
Do I want a psychologist?psychiatrist? Marriage and Family Therapist? WTF is the difference?

Mainly going for slight depression and just to talk about my lackluster life. Tnxs

Re: do you talk to your therapist about poker?
 

[ QUOTE ]

on this subject, i just started seeing someone and there are definitely things i don't tell my therapist about (for me it isn't poker, that's the easy stuff). this is weird, right? or i guess normal... but the stuff i most need to talk about it is sooooo hard to verbalize, because then it's like you accept that they are issues.



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Duck,

It's very very important for you to just get it out. Putting it off is terrible. It's hard to explain exactly why, but I can give you a general idea.

1. You might feel guilty about telling him/her later because you will be revealing that you've been dishonest and this will lead to further putting it off
2. You might not want to break the image that you've created for your therapist because you are enjoying the current dynamic, which will cause you to put it off
3. You might find yourself spending your sessions delving into various issues that are not very important. This will later require you to reveal how unimportant all your previous heaping prattle has been, and that's a significant disincentive to really be honest.

Also, patients will often start to view their therapist as kind of a friend. This will cause problems and synergize will all the above factors to badly sabotage your therapy experience.

I sincerely apologize for how badly written my explanation is. I haven't slept for more than 24 hours (finals).

Best wishes,
Jordan