Poker on Painkillers - Do you play better when more relaxed?

[WJMKAM]

Friday, I had ankle surgery to repair a broken bone and ligament damage. The Doctor said it was much worse than expected when they opened it up.

As a result I was put on a couple different pain killers. Saturday, I had nothing to do but lay on my back and play online poker. I got into 2 freerolls. I finished 26th out of 1201 and 2 out of 960. Opponent hit runner, runner to get a higher full house. At the flop, first place looked all but locked.

I seldom do that well. I think that I just felt so calm and relaxed that everything came easy. If I did not hit the flop, then I did not push it. It was like, oh well, I will get it latter. Generally I tend to lose a hand and then push the next one harder.

Do you think I am on to something here? Was it the pain killer? the relaxed play? Nothing else happening to distract me?

Yesterday was mainly sleeping. I cut down on the dosage and have really gone on tilt today. Have I lost my edge?

 

[Luvepoker]

Friday, I had ankle surgery to repair a broken bone and ligament damage. The Doctor said it was much worse than expected when they opened it up.

As a result I was put on a couple different pain killers. Saturday, I had nothing to do but lay on my back and play online poker. I got into 2 freerolls. I finished 26th out of 1201 and 2 out of 960. Opponent hit runner, runner to get a higher full house. At the flop, first place looked all but locked.

I seldom do that well. I think that I just felt so calm and relaxed that everything came easy. If I did not hit the flop, then I did not push it. It was like, oh well, I will get it latter. Generally I tend to lose a hand and then push the next one harder.

Do you think I am on to something here? Was it the pain killer? the relaxed play? Nothing else happening to distract me?

Yesterday was mainly sleeping. I cut down on the dosage and have really gone on tilt today. Have I lost my edge?

1st, i hope the pain goes away quickly and your recovery is super fast.

As for playing relaxed.Yes when your relaxed you will play better, Without emotions you will see things clearer than normal and not make emotional based errors as much. I started mediation ten + years ago and one one the many good thinks about it was my poker game had less tilt and I played better. Today I meditate before I play and listen to meditation music while playing and very rarely make a emotional play and or go on tilt. At the same time I started seeing my results improve. If you read around you will seen many of the great players will use mediation to improve themself s and there game.

 

[Zeke67]

That is my norm…

With my health history(I am on 100% disability) I am on painkillers and benzodiazepines to help control my PTSD. That being said being relaxed is a definite advantage to any given player. When I’m relaxed and comfortable I definitely play better. I recently(before Covid) took a ‘poker cruise’ and as everyone knows you can pick up whatever type of narcotics that you desire as soon as you get off the ship in most foreign ports. Well after one such stop one of the people I was playing poker with at a cAsh table just happened to mention that he picked up a certain narcotic and how much he had paid. Well as everyone else spoke up it just so happened that 7 out of the 9 players at the table were on some type of narcotic. I just thought that was interesting.

Thought my story might give you a little insight into narcotic usage at your local poker game. Seems like it’s pretty wide open as is normal life.

As for me it definitely helps me to ‘feel good’ while I’m in a meaningful poker game!!

 

[VVi10]

I think it is possible, to use poker as a form of therapy to feel better, you just need to be careful not to become addicted, thinking that you will only be okay if you play poker, you need to know the limit and what really makes you good.

 

[DS3]

With my health history(I am on 100% disability) I am on painkillers and benzodiazepines to help control my PTSD. That being said being relaxed is a definite advantage to any given player. When I’m relaxed and comfortable I definitely play better. I recently(before Covid) took a ‘poker cruise’ and as everyone knows you can pick up whatever type of narcotics that you desire as soon as you get off the ship in most foreign ports. Well after one such stop one of the people I was playing poker with at a cAsh table just happened to mention that he picked up a certain narcotic and how much he had paid. Well as everyone else spoke up it just so happened that 7 out of the 9 players at the table were on some type of narcotic. I just thought that was interesting.

Thought my story might give you a little insight into narcotic usage at your local poker game. Seems like it’s pretty wide open as is normal life.

As for me it definitely helps me to ‘feel good’ while I’m in a meaningful poker game!!

Definitely.

There was a thread some time ago pondering drug use within the poker community and some of the members posed it was an accepted fact. Some posters took offense at the idea and passed some really silly comments. But it been an open secret for years.

I used to take drugs of various kinds for years and then slowly found I preferred not to. However, others use ganga to chill themselves out in the pain killer scenario WJMKAM has painted above. So I can certainly imagine playing in that relaxed state on pain meds was a benefit.

However, there would be some difference in regularly playing after smoking marijuana and taking painkillers - one potentially more addictive than the other.

 

[Lena M]

Hello.
I am sure that good prospects and, accordingly, the results do not depend on painkillers and other drugs, but on your patience, concentration and discipline. If you think that painkillers will allow you to succeed, I assure you, you are wrong.

 

[pavel1111111]

funny moment, when I was very cold and I couldn't leave the house, I managed that day to make 4 final tables at quite difficult tournaments, so it seems that yes

 

[INISHTE]

Hi Friend.

Funny, but hey, it may have helped you a bit to be calm. :smile:

 

[akgross]

Your emotional state is very important, but it's not only about the pain-relieving, but about a good and favorable playing day for you. On this day, luck with coolers and your skill was superior to other players. As you know, on such days, even with 7 and 2 in hand, you will win.

 

[alien666dj]

It's an illusion that you've just convinced yourself that you need drugs to do your best.

 

[danydidi]

I so not play when I am not relaxed ,I become aggressive and then I loose .that's cause I play slow tournaments

 

[Vilgeoforc]

I don’t think it’s worth taking drugs to improve your poker game. But if drugs improve your physical and psychological condition, then your game will be much better.

 

[Subel007]

Of course,when you are relaxed you play better

 

[jj77jwj]

You got to be doing other stuff while you are playing poker cause a tournament just takes way to long I might be cooking and watching TV while playing you got to have something else going on while you are playing because the stress of playing poker sucks got to be stress free while I'm playing

 

[YRAGAGARIN]

Literally today I began to notice that my head started to hurt, I had to take a pill and continue to play

 

[mrc1988]

. I cut down on the dosage and have really gone on tilt today. Have I lost my edge?

I have never once had a good experience while playing "enhanced ". In fact I have 3 memorable sessions lifetime where I lost $1k plus each time....and I was in NO shape to take that kind of hit. I won't even play tired anymore. I set a timer every half hour and I walk away from the table. A clear mind will always make better decisions.

Best of luck