How are you today?
At Capital Index, we consider vulnerability as any trading behaviour that could jeopardise your financial, physical, or mental wellbeing. Within the scope of a trading portfolio, this could entail:
- Risking funds beyond your financial capacity
- Making hurried or obsessive trades without evaluating their impact on your overall financial health Utilising finances reserved for household expenditures to facilitate trades.
- Sacrificing regular activities like rest or family time for trading
- Overlooking work or familial responsibilities to trade
- Constantly tracking trades, even when not suitable or required
- Focusing on poor trading decisions
- Engaging in detrimental self-criticism due to unfavourable trading results
- Resorting to drugs, alcohol, or other substances to manage trading-induced stress.
- Experiencing suicidal thoughts due to financial losses from trades
Are you potentially vulnerable?
Healthy trading behaviours can be maintained for a significant period before vulnerability arises due to a change in personal circumstances. We are dedicated to supporting clients who may have become vulnerable by identifying trading behaviours indicative of vulnerability.
To ascertain whether you might be financially vulnerable, ask yourself:
- Am I endangering my or my family’s financial future to finance trades?
- Am I using funds from multiple personal accounts to back single trades?
- Am I opening increasingly substantial trades to make up for past losses? Am I neglecting other financial responsibilities, like paying for household essentials, to finance trades?
- Am I getting into debt to finance trades?
- Am I anxious that I might not financially recover unless I secure a winning trade?
- Am I concealing my trading behaviour from household members?
To identify whether you might be physically vulnerable, ask yourself:
- Am I neglecting usual self-care routines like exercising, enjoying nature, or resting to monitor my trades?
- Am I having trouble sleeping because I’m anxious about trades going against me?
- Am I using substances or medications to cope with the emotional strain of trading?
- Am I compulsively eating or forgetting to eat to deal with the emotional stress of trading?
To determine whether you might be emotionally vulnerable, ask yourself:
- Am I foregoing time with friends and family to monitor trades?
- Am I distracted by thoughts of trading while spending time with friends and family?
- Do I engage in negative self-talk when a trade doesn’t go in my favour?
- Do I associate my self-esteem with my trading results?
- Do I believe that a single winning trade can solve most of my life’s problems?
- Am I having suicidal thoughts when trades don’t go in my favour?
If you suspect you may have become vulnerable, you can let us know by contacting support@capitalindex.com.
Our Vulnerability Safety Net
Sometimes vulnerability develops gradually rather than abruptly. Subtle changes in your trading behaviour over time might have gone unnoticed. To offer additional protection, we also proactively look for potentially harmful trading behaviours. We don’t monitor your overall trading activities or results. Instead, we focus on ordinary trading behaviours that quickly escalate, possibly indicating vulnerability.
I’m Vulnerable. What Next?
We strive to offer a safe, supportive environment where vulnerable customers can interact with us without fear or judgement.
If you’ve declared your vulnerability, you can request a temporary or permanent suspension of your account. If you requested a temporary suspension, you can request the reactivation of your account once your suspension period is over.
If our system detects behaviours that may suggest vulnerability, a representative will notify you of your vulnerability status and discuss the next steps. Depending on your personal circumstances, the representative might recommend a temporary or permanent suspension of your trading account. They will then provide resources to assist you in regaining stability.
If the system flags your account for vulnerability incorrectly, discuss the appropriate next steps with our representative. We understand that certain circumstances can lead to a false positive. For instance, if you’ve neglected to update your declared wealth for a while, you might have been flagged erroneously. If you think your account was flagged inappropriately and our representative couldn’t resolve the issue, please contact us, or discuss your situation with the representative who reaches out to you.
Is It Time to Ask For Help?
Admitting financial vulnerability can be challenging, but in our ever-changing world, anyone is susceptible. The best course of action is to seek professional help and advice.
Most countries have a robust network of organisations dedicated to providing help to those in need, regardless of the nature of the problem leading to vulnerability.
If you are struggling with mental health, please consult with your physician or a mental health professional. You can also reach out to gambling support services in your area.
Mental Health
Although it may seem self-evident, it’s essential to reiterate that mental health should never be sacrificed for an activity, and trading is no exception. If you find that the stress and tension inherent in a fast-paced activity such as trading is driving you to extremes, don’t hesitate to seek help.
Sometimes, poor trading outcomes can seem overwhelming, but assistance is always available.
Your doctor or any of the following institutions can offer support:
Gambling Support
If the urge to trade becomes unmanageable, it’s time to contact a professional. While some people may be prone to compulsive behaviours, it’s also a habit that can develop over time due to changes in circumstances or mental health. If you notice you’re not adhering to your trading plan and acting impulsively, the following organisations are well-equipped to help you regain stability:
Debt
Occasionally, vulnerability can stem from several poor financial decisions or unlucky trades. The organisation below can offer advice and help you cultivate better financial practices. Debt can lead to overwhelming stress, but with the right tools, it doesn’t have to be a permanent state.
Trading Education
You might not fully understand all the costs associated with the products you’re trading. Our highly competent agents are standing by to offer telephonic support if you’re unsure about our products. During your registration process, our team of consultants will be glad to answer all your questions. Once you start trading, our customer service team will also be able to respond to queries related to spreads, premiums, and any type of cost derived from trading.
To speak to an agent about Capital Index’s trading products, call +44 20 70605120
Need For More Training
Sometimes, not having the right information at the right time can lead to decisions that affect your mental health and financial situation. If you’ve started trading and the results are not what you expected, it’s time to take a break and return to the beginning – training.
A demo account is an excellent way to familiarise yourself with our products and platform, without risking any money. Sometimes, stepping back helps us avoid vulnerable situations. See the training pages on the website.
