M.A.D. – Money Anxiety Disorder
Money worries are no respecters of persons. Old or young; rich, poor or in-between, we worry. Will we have enough for education? Will our jobs pay adequately? Will the job last? Will we have enough to sustain our families? Will our “nest egg” last? Will the market wipe out our investments, retirement accounts or pensions?
Worry, yes. Stress, yes. But when do legitimate worries turn into anxieties?
We at Counseling on Demand are not money managers. There are plenty of those around. We are the ones who can help put money into perspective. Money is meant to serve- not to be served. Life is worth more than just a living.
The American Psychological Association conducted a survey in late 2008 and found that 80% of the people who responded said that the financial crisis was causing them a significant amount of stress.
Anxiety over money issues has produced a new ailment that is affecting a large part of the population. Psychology professionals have named this affliction: Money Anxiety Disorder (MAD). ( HollisC, BlogHer on August 15, 2010)
From 2008 and beyond, it seemed that every time we picked up the paper, there was more bad economic news- gas crisis, a housing crisis, a banking crisis, a stock market crisis, an unemployment crisis… what’s next?
If you suffer from such a general anxiety, then any bad news may cause you to sleep poorly and have a hard time concentrating. If you know that your financial angst has progressed beyond justifiable stress to something unfounded or irrational- such as an amorphous fear of what the future might bring, then you may want to seek help. (SocialAnxietyDisorder.net)
It is well-established that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective in treating such anxiety.
This is where Counseling on Demand comes in. You need not go through this alone. We have employed CBT many times and with good results. With our support, you can get through these times in surprisingly short order.
Typically our first session begins with the identification of your anxieties. We then set goals for improvement and set up a treatment plan. We, then, might give homework to work on. Before session number two, you may send us emails to gauge progress, answer questions or just hear you out.
At our next session we discuss how things went and what to do next. At some point you become able to operate on your own. If you need help down the road, you may contact us for a “tune up”.
And…You needn’t leave your favorite/private place. Nor must you wait for an appointment. We are there 24/7. You can begin in 24 hours or less.
You may contact us now. Your first consultation is free.
We await your call, email, text or chat with us on our chat line. If you want a face-to-face, we can Skype you on your computer, cell phone or tablet.
