February 1, 2009

USA Today

As Economic Fears Rise, Families on Verge of Unraveling

Signs abound that the battered economy is causing serious damage to the mental health and family lives of a growing number of Americans.

There has been a sharp rise in mental trauma even among those who still have jobs:  The demand for therapists surged 40 percent from June to December — driven largely by money-related fears — at ComPsych, which runs the nation’s largest employee assistance program, says ComPsych chairman and CEO Richard Chaifetz.

Meanwhile, financial advisers say they’re finding themselves in a new abnormal “normal.” John Jones, a financial planner at ComPsych, says he’s referring many more workers to counselors. “They tell me they’re not eating or sleeping,” Jones says. Many colleagues around the U.S. are having the same experience, he adds.