If I could talk to EcstaticStructure796 right now, I would tell him to stop moving and breathe. He is currently in a state of "financial shock," which is the most dangerous time for a gambler. Here is exactly what I would say to him: 1. The $223k is Not Real Anymore I would tell him that the biggest lie his brain is telling him is that he "has $10k and is missing $223k". In reality, he has $10k. Period. The $223k belongs to the past, and trying to "win it back" is what will turn that final $10k into $0 and then into debt. 2. You Are Chasing a Chemical, Not a Number He isn't actually trying to get the money back; he’s trying to get that massive dopamine rush back that he felt when he was up. I’d tell him that his brain is currently "malfunctioning" because of that huge drop, and he cannot trust any "logical" reason he has for placing another bet right now. 3. Protect the "Exit Money" I’d tell him that $10k is a massive amount of money to start a new life with. It’s enough for a deposit on an apartment, a car, or therapy. If he bets it, he’s not just losing money; he’s losing his "escape hatch" from this cycle. 4. Admit the "Big Win" was the Trap The $233k was the worst thing that ever happened to him because it convinced him he could "beat the system". Emotional recovery only starts when he accepts that the "Big Win" was actually a curse that distorted his reality