Insecurity - A Tale of Two Cities

by Richard C. Raynard, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist

The emotion of insecurity is triggered by the realization that your needs are outrun by anything you can do about them. In one issue of the NY Times is a tale of two cities, the rich and the poor.

What to do?

The Wall Street story began with a poor, paycheck to paycheck family headed by a Willie Loman kind of father whose millionaire future was always just around the corner. His son borrowed his insecurity and dreamed that money would solve everything. He was much frustrated until he got into trading. But soon, he found that no matter how many millions he made, others made more. Paid only 1.5 million in his 5th year, he wanted to be a billionaire and be "important", a somebody.

Finally, he saw in himself the fear of other traders losing anything and their anger at any constraint on their income. He withdrew from his "wealth addiction" in panic and quit Wall Street with the help of his therapist. Wanting to contribute, he went on to marry and to start a non-profit to help struggling families with obesity and addictiveness. He now has a "core sense of self".

The Cherokee Nation story, on another page, is about a Cherokee tribe, half living in poverty. The poorest had the greatest risk of emotional and behavioral problems, substance abuse, and other degenerative diseases of adulthood. Then, in 1999, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians opened a casino whose profits went equally to its 8000 members, amounting to $9000 yearly by 2006. To gather evidence that poverty caused emotional problems, or the reverse, Professor Costello had begun already a study of 1,420 children, 1/4 of them Cherokees.

Cherokee children were found in 4 years to have  40% decline in behavioral problems, less substance abuse, fewer crimes, and higher graduation rates. Surprisingly , the youngest benefited the most; those already 14 or older had little change. An economist later figured that in 5 to 10 years after the age 19, the savings surpassed the costs of the Cherokee supplemental income.

So poverty as well as wealth can make people more insecure and unwell. Many studies show that income in excess of about $60,000 does not lead to measurably more "happiness".

Insecurity alone, as well as insecurity coupled with greed, robs us of a sense of self and self-worth.

About Dr. Raynard
Dr. Richard Raynard is a licensed clinical psychologist with 35 years experience resolving a broad range of emotional problems. As a cognitive-behavioral therapist who has specialized in anxiety and phobic disorders since 1980, he has spent the last 35 years fulfilling his life-long desire to explore and define the true purpose of emotions and how people can easily use emotions to create meaning and satisfaction in their lives. Dr. Raynard's series of books on emotions can be found on Amazon.com. His other books include Don't Panic, and Anxiety & Panic Medications.