Unknown poker player here that was sent to multiple psych wards for years. Parent does not want me to have credit card. Don't know how to buy an apartment. Obese/health issues in the past also prevented me from escaping parents properly although I had a brief stint sleeping outdoors. (Technically not homeless but to build a bankroll I only stayed in hotels one or two days in live MTT intervals - micro stakes)

Had won money despite not playing poker much but because of my psych ward stays I couldn't establish a winning record and when I got out (after years of incarceration) PC broke, HoldemManager no longer available (which I gambled in the past by using parent's credit card to buy in secret) but worse I didn't have the social manipulation to convince players around the room to stake me. (Didn't know how to get my bank account from them so played with only cash on my wallet at the time.)

Still have cash from previous wins but constantly being re-sent to psych wards meant no consistent place to store cash so I would spend cash on food, win or lose some and then rinse and repeat until I got captured by ambulance staff. Cops won't help. Already contacted a lawyer but still have no money.

Sorry to hear about your rough time with mental health and gambling, it sounds like you would be a lot better off putting your efforts towards general health and a stable income before trying to make money playing poker.

Physical health really is a solid base for better mental health, try finding a sport that excites you or try running/cycling and stick at it for 6 months. It's also a great way to meet people. Ditch sugar and high carb meals (which contribute to mood swings) and try finding some healthy meals you enjoy.

Find a job that makes you feel like you are making a difference and excites you. Do you have any other interests besides poker?

The truth about Poker is it takes years of hard work and study to even beat the lower stakes, and even then the hourly pay is pretty abysmal compared to most skilled jobs, and without the security of a monthly pay check.

You're worth more than that so secure your physical/mental health and income first, and then you can have fun building bankrolls and taking shots.

To answer your original question though, if you have the skill beat poker you never need to get staked, make a single deposit or ever dip into your savings. You can build bankrolls from $0 using freerolls + microstakes, this way you never lose and the game tells you pretty quickly if your skills need improvements.

All the best!

Was developing an indie film while playing poker. 1 month before shooting got sent into a psych ward for like 8 months. Lost all funding/staff/etc.

Learn Vietnamese.