Psychology Help Today

I love this article I found in my Sunday Reporter-Herald: "As of August 2013, the average American's credit card debt totaled $15,263; mortgage debt averaged $147,591; and student loan debt hit $31,646.   And many households have all three!  No wonder you report that you're more stressed than you were 10 years ago.  Twenty percent of you now say you live with extreme stress daily, and we think the real number is even higher than that. "It's not news that financial woes fuel tension, sleepless nights, relationship problems and depression.  But a new report reveals that debt is also linked with higher diastolic blood pressure --- that's the second number in a blood pressure reading that tells you the pressure level BETWEEN beats.  We say you should aim for 115/75. "High diastolic pressure signals high-blood pressure problems. And that can double your risk for heart attack and weaker recovery post-heart-attack; triple the odds for digesti...

“Handling of money wasn’t that hard to understand.  Terms and concepts that sounded mysterious were really quite basic.  It was easy to learn the difference between a defined benefit and a defined contribution plan, or a load versus a no-load mutual fund, or a growth versus value style of investing.  Common sense ruled.  If it was complicated and hard to comprehend, chances were you shouldn’t invest in it.  Financial advisers who were paid by a percentage of fees under management or by the hour really did seem to do a better job than those whose compensation depended on convincing their clients to buy or sell financial products.  People who couldn’t–for whatever reasons–live below their means generally found themselves in financial trouble sooner or later.  Insurance was invented for a reason.  Many of us could save ourselves a hell of a lot of trouble by simply picking up a copy of Personal Finance for Dummies, like I did when I was f...

“Susan is not unusual.  She developed this problem because she lives in a culture that teaches out appearances and material acquisitions can soothe psychological problems and enhance self-worth.  Like Susan, most of us believe that others will accept us and think more highly of us if we have more stuff, or fancy stuff, or the latest stuff.  Our psyches are marinated in promises of status and esteem gained through material possessions. “Large corporations implement highly sophisticated advertising campaigns convincing you that their products are necessary and will help you solve your problems.  They first remind you of your human fallibility and personal insecurities, and then promise you redemption from your feelings of inadequacy or shame.  Advertisements instill hope to achieve psychological states of being–like happiness, popularity, inner peace, sex appeal, and superiority to others–through particular products. “Advertisers have studied your...

"Most educators work in an environment with certain characteristics that are strong correlates of wealth accumulation.  Pension planning, investment seminars, and tax-advantage supplemental investment plans are part of an educator's on-campus socialization process.  Adopting a frugal consumption lifestyle and developing good financial and investing skills are all skin to catching a cold.  What happens when you consistently come into contact with sick people?  You get sick.  Work with frugal people, and you may become frugal.  Associate with colleagues who are astute investors, and you may become wealthy one day.  Many educators became good investors because their jobs require them to research, study, and learn new material on a continuous basis.  These processes are easily applied to making investment decisions. "...live comfortably on 80 percent of their household's income.  They earn more and accumulate more than most of thei...

"When kids grow up on a farm, the value of savings is much easier to comprehend than in an urban environment.  If a farmer sells or consumes all of corn that he harvests, the following year he will have nothing to plant and as a result, have no income.  The smart farmer knows that some of what he harvests is to feed his family, some is to sell, and some is to be saved for seed.  Teaching the concept of holding some of what is harvested (earned) as seed (savings) for the future is something every farmer’s child understands. “Unfortunately, most of us aren’t farm savvy.  But at your dinner table you could use examples from any farm-grown vegetable that has seeds.  Explaining that one kernel of corn produced a stalk with several ears and that each ear produced hundreds of kernels, can teach many principles; planning ahead, sowing and reaping, and compounded interest. “Years ago we read the book Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley and William Dank...

"We've heard of parents who give their children money on Sunday morning to put in the offering plate.  While donating money is a commendable thing, when children give what isn't theirs, the joy of giving is usually missed.  We've always encouraged our kids to give their own possessions, time, or money to those in need. "... Sometimes the best solution has been to use our organizational skills to help raise money, rather than simply giving it.  Working with our kids, we've taught them to organize, promote, and host fund-raising garage sales for our Boy Scout troop and drama group.  We've also hosted several silent auctions, with the kids helping collect donations, label item, and administrate the auction.  They'll never forget the time and effort they put forth.  But more importantly, they'll always remember the fun and success they had as hundreds of people came to the events and hundreds or thousands of dollars were raised. "Vo...