[sickofants]

I don't think that it is necessarily that way round. That is, I think that those who value their alone time are more likely to take to poker beyond a recreational level. Perhaps once you get to this stage, you might become more isolated, but I don't believe that a previously outgoing person becomes socially isolated as a result of poker.

I like my alone time an awful lot. If I had to either spend the rest of my waking hours either in the company of others or completely alone, I'm sure I'd go insane quicker in the company of other people. You get the idea. Anyway, as one who prefers his own company, I like to do alone activities. Internet poker is one of these - reading & watching TV are the other main ones. I perhaps give the poker a little more time than the others simply because it is more profitable. When it takes up all of my time and stops being merely a profitable hobby then maybe I'll re-evaluate but right now I'm happy with the situation. I isolated myself, poker didn't isolate me.