Reddit user recounts conflict with wife over bitcoin trading

A Reddit user with the handle Leather_Opposite2135 рассказал that he was almost kicked out of his family due to a crypto trading addiction. At the time of writing, the original post had been removed.

The 35-year-old father of two, a software developer by trade, became interested in cryptocurrencies in 2021.

“It started as a bit of fun; I was intrigued by the technical side of the issue. I joined a number of specialized channels on Discord, saw people trading bitcoins, and I got pulled in,” Leather_Opposite2135 said.

Over the course of a year, he lost $50,000 of his own savings in crypto trading, after which he began taking out loans:

“I found all sorts of financing methods, including taking out personal loans, credit cards, and I lied to my family about it. I traded on my phone when I went to the bathroom and while the kids were asleep, on my computer during my free time away from work.”

His current debt, he says, stands at no less than $180 000.

About three weeks ago, the user finally admitted his problems to his wife. She reacted sharply, threatening to leave him and kick him out of the house.

To save the family, Leather_Opposite2135 decided to quit crypto, handed control of the trading accounts to his wife, and began weekly visits to a gambling addiction counsellor.

“Emotionally, I was on edge for the first two weeks. A sharp withdrawal from everything I spent at least 10 hours a day on. During all that time, my inner voice seemed to urge me to go back and monitor the charts,” he said.

Trading addiction is among compulsive behaviours alongside alcoholism and drug addiction. Rehabilitation centres around the world have begun offering services to help people overcome it.

Clinical psychologist Anastasia Khronis, in comments to Cointelegraph, spoke of rising numbers of patients whose crypto trading has dragged them so far that it interferes with daily life. 

“A person can lead an ordinary life, go to work, spend time with family and friends, pursue hobbies, and still continue trading. In this case, the addiction can become quite serious before anyone close to them notices,” the doctor explained.

She noted that current treatments for crypto trading addiction largely rely on general medical approaches and therefore need to be refined to account for specific nuances. 

Earlier ForkLog reported that a rehabilitation centre in Spain began offering treatment services for addiction related to trading digital assets.

In March 2021, a Reddit user described his wife’s departure from the family due to his refusal to sell bitcoin at the $60,000 level.