Meta Description: Still holding that stock from 2018? You may call it conviction. We call it financial Stockholm Syndrome. Here’s why your “long-term play” might just be a long-term mistake.
📌 At a Glance:
You bought a stock in 2018.
It fell in 2019.
Cracked in 2020.
Sideways in 2021.
Dead in 2022.
And now in 2025, you tell people:
“I’m a long-term investor.”
Bro, you’re not investing.
You’re in denial.
What you call conviction… the market calls delusion.
📉 1. The Timeline of a Bagholder
Let’s break down your 7-year relationship with this stock:
| Year | Emotion | Market Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Optimism | “Multibagger soon.” |
| 2019 | Confusion | “Sector is under pressure.” |
| 2020 | Panic | “Covid impact, bro. Temporary.” |
| 2021 | Hope | “It’ll bounce back, fundamentals strong.” |
| 2022 | Denial | “I’m not booking a loss at this level.” |
| 2023 | Silence | “I don’t check portfolio daily anymore.” |
| 2025 | Coping | “True wealth takes time. Like Warren Buffett.” |
🧠 2. The Truth Hurts: You Missed the Exit Long Ago
You had chances:
- When it bounced after Covid
- When it gave one green candle in 2021
- When your friend warned you
But instead, you opened YouTube and searched:
“How long does it take for stocks to recover?”
The answer?
Some never do.
🪦 3. Holding Is Not the Problem. What You’re Holding Is.
See, “long-term” works when:
- You’re holding Infosys, Asian Paints, or HDFC Bank
- The business is compounding profits
- Management is transparent
- There’s sector tailwind
But if your “hold” is:
- A penny stock with no revenue
- A loss-making SME IPO
- A company where even the promoter exited…
Then congrats.
You’re not holding a stock.
You’re holding a memory.
🏚️ 4. Real-Life Case Study (You Know the One)
Let’s say you bought a stock at ₹125 in 2018.
Now it’s ₹28.
You’ve told yourself:
- “I’ll exit once I break even.”
- “I’ll exit when it doubles from here.”
- “I’ll exit once it hits ₹40. Promise.”
But your mental target keeps moving.
This isn’t strategy.
It’s emotional paralysis.
🧾 5. The Lies We Tell Ourselves
| What You Say | What It Means |
|---|---|
| “I’m in for the long haul” | I have no exit plan |
| “It’s a portfolio stock” | I can’t admit I was wrong |
| “I trust the promoter” | I’ve never read an annual report |
| “Once elections pass, it’ll fly” | I have no clue what the company does |
📊 6. If You’d Switched in 2020…
Here’s what your ₹1 lakh would be worth in 2025:
| Asset | Return |
|---|---|
| Holding Dead Stock | ₹28,000 |
| Index Fund | ₹2.1 lakh |
| Gold | ₹1.9 lakh |
| Nifty Bees | ₹2.15 lakh |
| Your Ex’s Startup | ₹0 (but at least it had vision) |
🔥 EduInvesting Take:
“Time in market beats timing the market”
— Only applies when you hold something worth holding.
If you’re holding since 2018, ask:
- Is the company better now?
- Are profits up?
- Has promoter stake increased?
- Is the industry growing?
If not?
You’re not patient. You’re passive.
You’re not investing. You’re stuck.
🧠 The Therapy You Need
Ask yourself:
- Would I buy this stock fresh today at CMP?
- Or am I holding it because I can’t face the loss?
Because:
“Loss booked = pain once.”
“Loss ignored = pain forever.”
🏁 Final Verdict:
| Thought | Reality |
|---|---|
| “I’m a long-term investor” | You missed the exit |
| “It’s consolidating” | It’s comatose |
| “It’ll come back” | It may not |
| “Conviction!” | Coping mechanism. |
Don’t let one bad decision define your portfolio.
The best investors cut losses and move on.
Not because they’re weak — but because they’re smart enough to change their minds.
🏷️ Tags:
holding bad stocks too long, retail investor denial, long term investing myth, eduinvesting psychology, stock market regret, bagholder therapy
