Money and Mental Health

The connection between access to money and assets as a means of avoiding food insecurity and better asset availability is clear. The avoidance of these things reduces stress and the ill effects on mental illness. Access to money and resources do much to reduce social stigma and the “full participation in life” and the social supports it has to offer. Access to money, assets, relief of stigma and social supports make people more resilient no matter their age.

Mental illness is strongly associated with lack of money and resources. Often it is not clear what came first the mental illness or the lack of access to money and resources. However, in diagnoses of depression and anxiety it is clearer than in diagnoses of schizophrenia the onset of which is seen in late teens and early in adulthood when education is usually obtained. And obtaining education as a vehicle for accessing gainful employment, asset accumulation, social status, serviceable debt and easy access to social supports, better helps insulate a person from the impact of stress and the resulting ill physical and mental effects.

Money and assets enable people to obtain decent safe housing, as well as, a car, access to good public transportation, and yes even greater proximity to a dependable washer and dryer. All insulate a person from stress and illness.

Third world counties who have provided people with low interest loans have reaped the benefit of improved health and economic productivity. The better the access to the greater amount of funds the greater the increases in these benefits.

Studies have also shown, despite the horror stories about those who have won the lottery, that those who have won are often made healthier, happier and more resilient to stressors. So, this author suggests that those with the means soberly buy the occasional lottery ticket. Granted the odds of winning are very remote. However, access to money and resources are well proven insulators from the stress inherent in the human condition. Leading to greater resiliency.