Trading High【Trading High】｜A state of intoxication from market excitement that makes you lose your composure

?This article was posted on November 7, 2026＝＞Latest related articles?

Trading comes with exhilaration and excitement. When predictions come true. When profits increase. When the market moves as you wish. As you repeat such experiences, you want more profits. You can no longer be satisfied with a few wins; you become more and more excited and cannot hold back.

On the other hand, even when losses accrue, you tend to believe you will bounce back someday. You shift your stops, keep averaging down, and try to recover the losses. Anxiety and excitement make your heart race uncontrollably.

This state is already a "trading high."

?Win or lose, the excitement of trading does not stop!

The term Runner's High is well known, but there are other states where immersion in something brings a lift or happiness.

The same thing happens in trading. Rather than making a profit, the act of buying and selling itself becomes enjoyable, and you feel unable to calm down unless you are participating in the market. Before you know it, you forget the original goal of increasing funds.

For example, even while achieving a certain profit, you continue to buy on pullbacks. You add positions because the market isn’t moving. You become unable to be satisfied with a little win and aim for even larger profits.

Conversely, when losses accumulate, the goal becomes recouping them. You move your stops. You average down. You believe the market will come back and take on more risk.

Is that really a calm, rational judgment?

Of course, not all stop adjustments or averaging down are wrong. The issue is whether they are based on the original strategy or whether they stem from a feeling that you don’t want to admit a loss.

If you add to your position, even small price movements can drastically affect your P/L. You intend to pursue profit, but you end up increasing your risk without realizing it. Are you aware of that?

?US stock plunge! Were we able to analyze the market?

In this year's U.S. midterm elections, the Republican Party led by President Trump lost many seats in Congress, and the Democrat Party gained. Afterward, the U.S. stock market plummeted, with major selling centered on AI-related stocks.

With such sudden changes, some people may have incurred large losses or exited the market.

Some are trying to recover with averaging down, while others likely cut losses early. For those who kept leverage in check, there may be a belief that now is a buying opportunity.

Judgment depends on the market conditions. What matters is not only which decision would have been correct, but whether you were emotionally calm and whether you properly understood the risk.

?Trading, perhaps, is best when you are a little bearish

There will be times when you feel you could have earned slightly more. There will be times when you think you should have been more aggressive. And that is fine.

There is no need to chase maximum profits. Focus on steadily increasing profits and not experiencing large losses. Most importantly, avoid being forced to exit the market.

Since this week has been a volatile market, how about taking a moment to review your positions and trading history?

Was your judgment calm? Did your pursuit of profits lead to lax risk management? Were you seeking excitement from the trade itself?

Step back from the market a bit and take time to reevaluate your own trading.