by Mario Alfonsi | Published on Mar 4, 2020 | Updated on Mar 4, 2020Poker players who want to be consistently successful at the game, need to place a huge emphasis on their mental wellbeing. Success in the game all boils down to the decisions you make at the table and how you deal with potential downswings.
It does not matter if you’re just playing poker for recreational purposes or whether you are one of the best players in the world – variance in poker is inevitable and if you lack that mental strength to go through tough times, it will be difficult for you to stay in the game.
4 Tips For Poker Players To Take Care Of Their Mental Health
The good news is that help is always available. Here, we share with you key tips for taking care of your mental health in this ever challenging and highly competitive game of poker:
- Practice Mindfulness
- Get A Support System
- Recognise Mistakes and Learn From Them
- Play Within Limits
The game of poker can be mentally taxing that every now and then you need to stop, take a deep breath and clear your mind. There are times when you feel really exhausted and mentally drained while playing, and the best thing you can do to deal with that situation is to take time out from poker and observe mindfulness practices such as yoga, reading and meditation.
These some sort of “quiet” times will help you big time in going back to your best mental state. You can read some really great articles about the benefits of mindfulness.
You can get through challenging times more easily when you have loved ones, friends, or family members giving you that much-needed support. Talk to them about your mental struggles.
Do not attempt to work on your problems alone. There will always be people willing to listen to you and offer some moral support. Communication is the key.
Making errors are part of the game. And sometimes, we often blame ourselves too much for that one mistake that we forget about what to do next and how we can improve.
An important factor in maintaining a positive mind is acknowledging your flaws, forgiving yourself and moving on.
Remember that poker is an evolving game and something that is difficult to master. Lower your expectations and just continue to learn.
You cannot avoid bad beats in poker. There might come a time when you’ll lose for an extended period of time.
If you’re in that situation, don’t try to push yourself into playing more to recover your losses, because chances are, it will only get worse. Know when to stop.
Your mental health is more important than money!
