This is burnout, and if you want to survive as a trader, you must learn to recognize it. True burnout is not just being overworked, nor is it something you can push through. It is a feedback loop that occurs when your body experiences intense, prolonged stress. Stress is part of life, and under normal conditions you can recover from it easily. In fact, many dimensions of human performance - strength, endurance, mental acuity - actually require stress in order to grow. However, growth in response to stress can only happen when the stress is manageable and offset by periods of recovery. When the stress is extreme and constant, the body fails to adapt and enters a downward spiral. As stress accumulates, several things happen physiologically: - sleep is disrupted - hormones become dysregulated - mental performance degrades - heart rate variability falls - inflammation rises and immune function declines The problem is that each of these effects also *reduces your ability to withstand and recover from stress.* So you enter a vicious cycle where recovery becomes impossible and performance steadily deteriorates. The experience @agapestride describes here is exactly what it feels like to burn out from trading. And if you find yourself in this situation, the most important thing you can do is *recognize what has happened.* You are not dumber than you used to be. You are not more indecisive. You are not more impulsive, fearful, or greedy. You are simply physiologically impaired by severe, chronic stress. When you notice the signs of burnout, you must prioritize recovery above all else: - cut your risk - stop looking at charts - get off social media - play sports or start running - spend time with friends and family - go hiking or traveling - take lots of hot baths As much as it feels like the best time to make generational wealth is RIGHT NOW, the market will always be here. So take a break and don't come back until you know your body can handle it.