How Do You Handle Economic Stress?

I read an interesting article the other day which pointed out the differences in how women and men handle economic stress. As we all know, times are tough right now, and moguls like Steven Good, owner of a real estate auction house have actually ended their own lives at the prospect of such economic turmoil. If you also factor in the Madoff scandal, it's been a sombre time, indeed.

These men chose to end their lives because they lost huge sums of money or a large portion of their fortunes.

Why Do Men Seem to Consider Suicide If They Lose it All?

It looks like for many successful men their "image, reputation and ego" depend on their financial success. They're used to being the breadwinner – the one who provides the family with all their material needs. They're also used to their friends seeing them with the big car and nice house, and the kids having everything they want. I think in our 'male-dominated' culture of years past, the man has always been expected to be the head of the household.

Why Are Women Different?

Let's face it - as a guy, I think women are smarter. They're better at solving problems and handling stress. Woman have always been expected to have multiple roles – as a mother, and sometimes even as the breadwinner. At the end of the day, common sense is the only way to get through situations like that and I think women are better at seeing this.

I find that women will just take everything that's thrown at them in stride. My mother raised 6 kids with alcoholic husbands. She used to have to hide behind a tree in the backyard when her first husband (not my dad) would come home. She would wait until he fell asleep and then came back into the house. My mom raised six kids on welfare and we never went hungry… and she did it with grace and dignity and never complained. Rather than freaking out, she rose to the occasion and patiently did what she had to do.

My mom has always focused on what she had rather than what she didn't. I wonder if men sometimes focus on what they want to get … this being a throwback to the 'hunter/gatherer' time when we guys didn't know where our next meal was coming from. Hmmm – something to think about.

I'm not so sure I could do what my mom did. I stress out when I don't get my first Starbucks before 9:30 am!

We're so lucky with the riches we have in our modern society.

What Would I do?

Thankfully, if my financial world crumbled I wouldn't have far to tumble. I just don't understand people who decide to end their lives for the simple fact of losing their money. I guess maybe I've never been rich, so I don't understand. But I can tell you, I've been poor and have had nothing and still found a way to be happy.

Even when I didn't eat for a few days (and this happened to me), I never felt discouraged. I somehow made it through and learned some lessons along the way. I look now and believe that my upbringing has actually been an advantage.

It must be a terrible burden to depend on your wealth for your identity.

How do YOU handle economic stress?

Photo: King Chimp

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