Watching the stock market day in and day out can be extremely stressful. This can be especially true when your life savings relies on stock market performance. The stress of the stock market often leads to people finding coping mechanisms. This high energy environment can lead to having to find ways to deal with the constant watching of the market and the news. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, the stock market saw a historic fall in a matter of weeks. People have lost their jobs, their savings, and their sources of income. This harsh reality may be the tipping point for some people who drink to deal with the stress of their jobs. Alcoholism and the stock market decline may cause long-lasting damage to countless people.
The Stress of the Job
For years alcohol and partying has been synonymous with bankers and others in the financial sector. Movies like The Wolf of Wall Street highlight (although dramatized) a culture surrounded by drugs and alcohol within the financial sector. In a 2012 study, a survey found that alcoholism runs rampant within the banking sector. Drinking is used to celebrate victories, to cope with losses, and ways to unwind after a long day. Drinking is so prevalent within the industry that it is stranger to not drink than it is to drink.
Many people downplay or even ignore the seriousness of heavy drinking within the industry, thus making it harder to track more concrete numbers. In an industry that relies on taking risks, admitting you have a problem with alcohol can cost you your career.
Jobs like these are known for alcohol use and consumption. It is only a matter of time until addiction and dependence develops causing even more issues beyond financial ones. But how do you address addiction in a culture that is famous for substance abuse issues?
Alcoholism and the Stock Market Decline
Events like the severe market fall in early 2020, are just one factor in the journey to addiction. People seeing their savings and investments crash within a matter of days can put an immense amount of pressure on them to salvage what they can. When your income relies on something you have little control over, you can often feel overwhelmed with uncertainty. However, there is hope for those that have found themselves coping by drinking. Alcoholism and the stock market decline can be an extremely dangerous combination.
Getting Alcohol Addiction Help
Conforming to cultural norms does not have to mean you struggle with addiction. Help is available to those who can’t afford to miss work but need to make a change. Treatment programs available include:
- Alcohol Addiction Treatment
- Cocaine Addiction Treatment
- Marijuana Addiction Treatment
- Depression Treatment Center
- Anxiety Treatment Center
Stress does not have to lead to addiction. It is time to change how the financial sector is seen. Reducing the amount of drinking and substance abuse can go a long way and can save lives across the world. Alcoholism and the stock market decline does not have to ruin the lives of more people. Call (281) 431-6700 to learn about treatment options for yourself or a loved one who needs help now.
As our CEO, Heather’s main calling is to stay true to the vision of the organization, which is saving lives and striving to redefine statistics by raising the standard of care with evolving treatment methods. Heather studied psychology at LSU and both the main and Clear Lake campuses of the University of Houston, and she is a certified IASIS provider and CPI instructor. She’s been helping people in recovery since 2011. Heather’s motto to live by is “I am not what I’ve done; I am what I’ve overcome.”
