Taking a break from trading: when did you step away, and did it help?

Stepping away can be one of the best decisions a trader makes, whether after a drawdown, during a stressful stretch of life, or when the market no longer suits the method.

If you've taken a break:

• what made you decide to stop
• how long you stayed away, and what you did instead
• how you came back: smaller size, demo first, a rewritten plan

And if trading has started to feel compulsive, where you can't stop even when you want to, please talk to someone. Many problem gambling support services also help people whose trading has got out of control.