Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Chronicles Of Depression 2.0: #473: Addicts

Downturn Spurs "Survival Panic" for Some in the U.S.
A paralegal, recently laid off, wanted to get back at the "establishment" that he felt was to blame for his lost job. So when he craved an expensive new tie, he went out and stole one.

The story, relayed by psychiatrist Timothy Fong at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital, is an example of the rash behaviors exhibited by more Americans as a recession undermines a lifestyle built on spending.

In the coming months, mental health experts expect a rise in theft, depression, drug use, anxiety and even violence as consumers confront a harsh new reality and must live within diminished means.

"People start seeing their economic situation change, and it stimulates a sort of survival panic," said Gaetano Vaccaro, deputy clinical director of Moonview Sanctuary, which treats patients for emotional and behavioral disorders. "When we are in a survival panic, we are prone to really extreme behaviors."

Emphasis added by me.

That's a smart move: adding a shoplifting arrest to your background check!
"We don't buy products, we buy feelings," Vaccaro said. "We're buying the anticipation of the feeling that we think that product or service is going to give us."

I can see what my future will be like.

I'll be surrounded by tens of millions of insane bastards addicted to spending who are going out of their fucking minds from cold turkey withdrawal.

Many of you will die.

Many more of you will need killing.

If you can't adjust to little money, you're no damned good to yourself -- or the human race.

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