Hi again, @jmiles
Leverage magnifies both gains and losses, so you are right to be cautious. The good thing is that the amount of leverage you use is within your control up to the maximum allowed by regulations which is 50:1 the US. That means you are free to use less leverage if you prefer or use no leverage at all which is to trade 1:1.
You may find this earlier discussion on the topic helpful: Can I lose more than my deposit?