- It Is Because Of A Mental Health Problem Called Kleptomania
Have you wondered why many of our public office holders steal huge sums of money they can’t finish spending in their lifetime? Have you wondered why many steal and keep stealing until they are caught and tried for corruption? We can tell you why. Its because of Money addiction. It is a mental health problem. We all pretty much understand what it’s like to overdo things. When we are young, we generally find out the hard way what it is like to do things in excess. We may have eaten too much sweetsor too much ice cream or simply drank too much of anything; actions which can easily cause one to get sick. Our bodies try to teach us to take things in moderation and not to over indulge ourselves.
Regardless of this, we eventually come to understand that some people have addictions, which they have a hard time controlling. This is not a good thing.
This is occurring, despite our brain’s own common sense telling us that all excessive behaviors cause damage.
One of the biggest addictions affecting the Nigerian society today is addiction to Money. While Money is a necessity, like bread and water, it as an addiction and can cause hardships in our lives, even deaths. I will make the claim that the addiction to money is perhaps the most horrible addiction mankind faces. This claim as you already know is generally supported by most religious organizations. I am sure you have heard the expression: “Money is the root of all evil”.
People with this addiction understand this threat but they have over time shaped the image of extreme wealth into a desirable and healthy condition. They have built a system of business which champions money above all and this allows their excessiveness to be approved. Their system has made nearly everyone overly depended on money; very cleaver. They of course have the money to promote their system and promote it they do, with the hunger of an addict that needs food. That is the feeling they wish to instill in you as well.
However, there isn’t enough room in their system for most of us to be at the top. Its design requires an extremely large population to support a very limited group on the top. Therefore, it is a very poor system for the general public; the masses. Unfortunately, you just heard the common sensejudgment that always gets thrownoutby those with the addiction.
Can people infected with a money addiction really say that they challenge this criticism in the presence of a stable mind? Do they truly know what they are doing? The answer is that they are not doing this from the state of a healthy mind. They too have existed in a world that makes a hero out of money; so much so that people without excessive wealth are viewed as inferior when stacked up against the wealthy. We humans, all over the world, have become brainwashed into accepting anabnormal behavior, and in doing so we have allowed the world to have serious problems.
Excessively wealthy people can of course have the upper hand in this argument, as they naturally will not accept that their excessive behavior is a problem. They can pay for thousands, even millions, of people to defend against this accusation. So far, they have been successful, and millions of people have suffered for it. Those with the addiction have the money thus the power and the stage to twist the story of who causes the pain and suffering in Nigeria. They can then blame everyone else but themselves. If you know anyone that has an addiction, you will know that this is a common escape measure.
You can explore on your own how the desire for great wealth has put Nigerians through great pain and suffering; there is a long history of it. Until we take the time to understand how the addiction to money destroys our country, we will continue down the same road. Without the excessive need for money Nigerianswould function a whole lot better. Don’t misunderstand me. Money is important It just shouldn’t be excessively important, because when it is people tend to do terrible things because they are being control by the money.
To be clear, there is no harm in being wealthy, but there is harm in being excessively wealthy. It’s not only harmful to the addict, but more often than not to the society as a whole. No doubt you ask, who is it that should determine just what excessiveness is? There isn’t an easy answer for that question. However, that shouldn’t stop us from considering that there may be an answer that we can, for the most part, agree on. Addicts of course should not be included in this debate. I think you will agree that it certainly should not be left to the addict to decide; as they do now.
Money addiction in all forms can ruin marriages, pollute careers, limit creativity, trigger depression, and tarnish integrity and self-confidence. Left unchecked, it can seriously drain the quality and happiness of your life and especially If you are a politician, it can terribly affect the citizens that voted for and trusted you to make their lives and well-being better by eradicating poverty.
Those that loot Nigerian money are all suffering from money addiction. As such, they see no reason why that money should benefit anyone but themselves. If we are to check the mental state of mind of Nigerian looter, I guaranteed you if not all, majority of them are suffering from money addiction and mental issues such as depression and anxiety. It is there anxiety that kept them looting more and more money; and they never get satisfied because they are addicted to the money (drug). They also go through the painful withdrawal symptom when they lose money which lead them to severe depression.
Take a look at the hidden signs below that may be driving some of your unhealthy money behaviors. Do any apply to you?
LIVING IN DENIAL
If you or someone you know is living in denial, you will tend to be vague about your money: your expenses, earning, and debt, how much money you have in your bank account. You may be unaware of the real amount of credit card debt you owe or unable to clearly state your current bank account balance. You can also be in denial about how much money you need to earn to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle.
Denial can also take the form of not having any financial goals in place, like a retirement plan or savings plan. You cope with your denial by telling yourself that a magical solution will appear to make things better. It’s important to realize that denial doesn’t just apply to people who are compulsive spenders and chronic debtors. It can also apply to someone who is an excessive saver, and unable to face the reality that they do have enough money in the bank to spend.
The problem here is that people are putting too much important on the “number” they think they need to be happy. Interestingly enough, denial is also what holds people back from getting help in the first place. You may not be ready to face the idea of new actions and habits, and instead choose to stay stuck and in your ways, which could be to your own loss. Denial in some cases feels safer, it’s a choice to stick to what you know (or don’t know). Basically, the real issue starts from deep-seated beliefs around self-worth and self-destruction, and these need to be explored in order to move forward.
MONEY SECRECY & SHAME
In this scenario, you know you are struggling with money, but you don’t want other people to know about it. Perhaps you’re afraid people will judge you for not being able to manage things. Or maybe you don’t want to look as though you’re failing.
In other cases, you may sometimes spend in ways that are harmful, and feel like you must keep it to yourself. The secret starts to crumble, making you feel shameful about not only what you did, but the fact that you are hiding it. In some cases, it can lead to acting out with more habitual spending. Just like with any addiction, trying to hide our shame and money issues make us detach ourselves from the people and resources that could actually be of help. Moreover, themoredetached we become, the worse we feel. The cycle continues.
MONEY OBSESSION
When you are obsessed with money, you are constantly thinking about it: how you plan to get it, how you’ll spend it, how you’ll juggle it. You run numbers constantly in your head. You calculate money on the back of envelopes, trying to figure a way to manage what has become unmanageable. You spend hours calculating about things you want to buy. It’s similar to someone who goes on a strict diet, who gets extremely obsessive about calorie counting.This obsession begins to take a real toll when you can’t calm your thoughts, and it disturbs your sleep. Worries about money take up the emotional mental space that was once devoted to enjoying life and being with loved ones.
LACK OF MONEY CONTROL
If you are unable to change your money habits and behaviors, no matter how hard you are trying, or badly you want to change, then the simple, hard-to-swallow truth is that you have little or no control over this aspect of your life.
You may start every day with the best of intentions: You go shopping vowing to only buy one blouse or shirt, but you leave with four. You end up using your credit card, even though you intended to pay with cash. Each day, you wake up optimistic and hopeful that “Today will be different.” However, every day looks like the one before.
The trouble here is that this lack of control starts to wreck your self-confidence. You begin to doubt yourself, and lose trust in your own inborn abilities, or even worse, beat yourself up. What is needed is a gentle understanding of the underlying forces that are outweighing your desire to change.
INABILITY TO CHANGE MONEY BEHAVIOR DESPITE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES
Similar to lack of control is the idea that even faced with serious consequences of our money behaviors; a dissolving marriage, bankruptcy, loss of property, maxed out credit cards; we are still unable to do what is in our best interest. We tell ourselves, “Never again”. We want no more of the shame that results when we have neglected a financial responsibility or broken another promise or told another half-truth. However somehow, our old ways of spending, or avoiding, or deceiving, resume despite the pain we want to avoid.
Overall, If you want to establish a healthy relationship with money, it requires a willingness to explore your unique drivers and this can be difficult to do on your own. The good news is that your road to recovery can be rewarding and fruitful. But the first step is accepting the fact it’s up to you to take control of your money and you certainly don’t have to go at it alone. Just like any recovery process, you must accept that you have a problem, and then make a decision to actively seek out help.
Making significant and lasting behavioral changes is an “inside job”. It takes time, and the guidance of someone who can weave together the deeper layer of issues that causes your destructive behaviors, while also helping you look at the real numbers, and your spending plan.
The end result: a healthy, adult relationship with yourself and your money that can allow your financial future to blossom.
