I have a problem

I have a big problem with my poker game right now. No, I am not playing too loose, I am not chasing with bottom pair or middle pair, low kicker. I am not too weak, passive, aggressive, or any of those things. I have emotional problems.

Whenever I hit a downswing I start believing I am the worst player on earth. Anytime I hit a 50-100 BB downswing, I think the sky is falling. I pour over my Poker Tracker stats trying to find the weak point in my game that is causing this downswing. More times then not, I don’t find one. Sure I have little problems here and there, but nothing to suggest I am a losing player.

Even though I know that the best of the best have the exact same downswings, even though the week before and after the downswing are usually winning weeks, I still think I am the worst player on earth during the swing.

When I start to lose I start doubting myself and my ability as a poker player. Worse yet, I start to play my hands differently then I normally would, that is my big concern. I play a fairly aggressive attacking style, when I start losing I lose some of my aggressiveness and that is costing me even more money in the long run.

Yesterday I two very good sessions at $2/$4. Up over 50 BB’s for both sessions. But, because I had been losing, I wasn’t being aggressive as usual. Just off the top of my head I can think of at least five (which means more probably) spots where I did not value bet the river. I won all five hands, so that was at least $20 left on the table. Every hand was a hand where I took the lead on the flop and bet through to the river, a scare card came on the river and I checked behind.

This is something I need to work on to improve my game. I need to play the exact same way no matter if I am up 300 BB’s or down 300 BB’s.