money therapy

It is my belief, as a result of my years of sitting, listening and mumbling, that a great deal of what is called "psychopathology" is really a result of the culture of the times coming down upon a person's life and mind.  The American Psychiatric Association, as evidenced by the forthcoming DSM V, is going in the opposite direction.  They are trying to classify many behaviors, such as being addicted to the internet, or compulsive shopping, (although these changes will only be put in the appendix for now)  as basically "brain disorders."

I don't see it that way.  I also am currently having a very tough time having to treat so many people who are unemployed or underemployed, or who are stuck in jobs they hate because they know they will have a very tough time getting another job.

Yes, I am sure the the stress of not being able to meet your mortgage payment, or struggling to feed you kids, or even losing your vacation home, creates changes in your brain.  But the real causes of these depressions and anxieties are based in the workings of our society. We have a system in which the financial conditions of many families can vary greatly from year to year.  Our culture encourages consumerism; the desire for unnecessary goods. Some segments of our culture purposely and by specific design, allowed many people to accumulate a great deal of debt to buy these things.  This helped some people get very rich, while many others are now getting poor.
. I see many marriages that after many good years, are now under great stress. Many people are not only scared and struggling, their self-image has been shattered.  After months in a downward spiral they are left feeling helpless and powerless in a way that many have never felt in their lives. They are angry because they feel duped.  They feel that they did what they were told and followed the American Dream, and now they are being left out, and even blamed for it.

Treating these individuals and couples is very difficult because what would really be the best thing I could do is find a way for them to make money.  I work on that, to help them brainstorm, or network, or make use of skills that they didn't realize could be put to use. But it's very tough.  Not many places are hiring, and very few new ventures can get capital, and many fewer people will spend money anyway.

What also bothers me is how many of these hurt and angry people have been sucked in to be angry at their own government, which currently is trying anything it can to help.  I don't think they would really prefer to be at the mercy of the oil companies, insurance companies and banks, but they don't seem to see that that will be who benefits from their political stance.

However, I am not surprised.  Fear and anger do not usually help rational, longer-term planning and thinking, but they always have been a major factor in political behavior.

 But whenever I get a new patient now, I find I really, really hope they have a way to support themselves.  I can't do money therapy.