Trauma & Money: What’s the Correlation?

credit: karolina grabowska

credit: karolina grabowska

Do past traumas really predict how successful we are with money? Are you doomed to be stuck in this spot forever?

Most of us grew up being told it was rude or inappropriate to talk about money with people. Whether it’s how much money we make, or what we do with it, this line of questioning is often taboo and generally frowned upon.

And then there are the unfortunate many of us that also happened to have experienced something scary when we were younger. We came face-to-face with trauma, either one time or several. Again, we were told not to talk about it and maybe, if we did, we were threatened to keep quiet.

Learning to navigate this amount of secrecy can be overwhelming, exhausting, or even re-traumatizing. With having so many topics we aren’t allowed to discuss, it’s no wonder most of us that have experienced traumatic events early in life are later struggling to establish stability, both in our finances and inter-personally.

How often have we all heard “what is that person worth”, “what is your net worth”, or “what is that car worth” to establish someone’s value? When we use language like “worth” to quantify a person’s financial status, we might also be stepping on the toes of our subconscious inner child that happens to constantly be struggling with self-worth. Survivors of trauma often struggle with feelings of inadequacy, insecurity, and self-sacrifice. Is our financial status really tied to our personal worth? We may answer “no” cognitively, but does that feel true viscerally? Do you ever find yourself comparing yourself to others and later feeling bad about it? Is it really your fault, or is it the way the system is set up?

The truth is, trauma can negatively impact our decision-making skills, our level of impulsivity, our lack of motivation, impending sense of doom, and/or our ability to organize higher tasks. Being good with money involves the use of all of these skills. So, how to you become good with money if you have a world of stress and secrets swirling around inside of you all day, ever day? Well, the answer isn’t an easy one, but it IS an achievable one. There is a psychology to money that you will learn here.

Why are finances important? Because when you have enough money, you have more options in life and the freedom to choose between them. Whether it’s traveling more, buying your first house and establishing “home”, feeling like you have more to offer a potential partner, or just being comfortable paying bills; it all adds more meaning to a fulfilling life.

Trauma & Finances is a blog dedicated to helping survivors of trauma manage their time, lives, and money in a realistic and empathic way. This blog will explore questions like:

  • Why do I need a 401k if I’m going to die younger than everyone else?

  • How else do I feel better if I’m not buying things?

  • Who cares what I do for a living if I don’t care myself?

  • What if I’m too anxious or depressed to do any of this?

  • What if I’m not good enough for a raise?

  • What if the universe already decided I can’t have nice things?

  • How do I find a good job when I can’t even get out of bed?

Even if the questions don’t make sense to the rest of the world, they are fears that many of us have, and they are fears getting in the way of advancing financially.

We will also look at published studies, talk about the latest therapies, and explore investment/budget options that work for you and your situation. We will celebrate accomplishments, because they come in all sizes and are worthy of our attention.

Enough YouTube videos and Podcasts titled “how I retired off my $100,000 job.” Not everyone has that privilege as a starting point. For many survivors, the privilege comes in just having a good day without all the noise dragging us down. This isn’t a “get rich quick” blog, rather a forum to find comfort, balance, and steadiness in your journey towards bettering yourself and your circumstances.

Trauma & Finances is dedicated to presenting creative financial options while acknowledging all the other stuff we were raised to not talk about. Why? Because you, as a person, are worth it.

Welcome.

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Childhood Trauma & Emotional Spending

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Depression vs. Motivation