Hey everyone — today I want to share some powerful insights from psychology research about how our early life experiences (especially ACEs, or Adverse Childhood Experiences) shape the way we deal with money, stress, and even how we communicate with others. 🔍 What the Research Shows - ACEs are common and costly. Around 63% of U.S. adults report at least one ACE. These early adversities are strongly linked to worse health outcomes, risky behaviors, and economic struggles later in life. The financial burden is massive — both in healthcare costs and lost productivity. - ACEs and financial stress. People who experienced childhood adversity are more likely to face financial stress as adults, even if their income is similar to others. Insecurity around housing, food, and money tends to show up more often. - Mental health and money habits. ACEs are associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression, and difficulty regulating emotions. This often shows up in money behaviors: compulsive spending, avoiding bills, or using money to cope with stress. - Childhood financial strain leaves a mark. Even if a child wasn’t abused or neglected, simply growing up in a household with financial instability can create lasting emotional distress and insecurity around money. - Socioeconomic trajectory. Young adults with ACE histories are more likely to face unemployment, lower education, and long-term financial disadvantage. - Communication and safety. One protective factor is emotional intelligence and safe relationships. Studies show that when people develop emotional intelligence, or feel safe reaching out to trusted adults, they’re better able to regulate stress and communicate openly — even with a background of adversity. 🔄 How This Shows Up in Everyday Life - Money scarcity beliefs: “I’ll never have enough,” “Money always runs out,” “Spending is dangerous.” - Stress-driven habits: avoiding looking at finances, overspending, or impulsive purchases as a way to self-soothe. - Physical toll: higher baseline stress, poor sleep, health problems that amplify financial anxiety. - Communication struggles: shame or fear of being judged makes it harder to talk about money with partners, family, or advisors.

What are you doing to survive these days? Mentally, financially, socially, spiritually, etc.?

1. Job insecurity and stress In the 2025 APA “Work in America” survey, 54% of U.S. workers say job insecurity is having a significant impact on their stress levels. 31% of U.S. workers report feeling stressed because of their job “often” or “always”. Also, 30% of U.S. workers said they would take a pay cut in return for better mental health / lower stress at work. 2. Burnout & emotional exhaustion A recent study found job burnout is at 66% (in 2025), reportedly an all-time high. In 2024, the Society for Human Resource Management’s data show 45% of workers feel “emotionally drained” at work, and 51% report feeling “used up” by day end. Globally, a 2024 survey found 48% of workers reported feeling burned out. Over 80% of U.S. workers report experiencing stress on the job. 3. Productivity loss, depression, and organizational cost In 2025, unresolved or untreated depression among employees is estimated to cause ~35% drop in productivity. That translates to $210.5 billion annually in costs from absenteeism, reduced productivity, medical expenses, etc. From Deloitte / Meharry modeling: in 2024, excess costs from mental health inequities alone in the U.S. were estimated at $477.5 billion, with cumulative costs to 2040 projected to reach nearly $14 trillion. 4. Prevalence of mental health challenges Among U.S. workers, 84% experienced at least one mental health challenge over the last year. 71% of working adults reported at least one symptom of stress. Among younger cohorts, 68% of millennials and 81% of Gen Z have left (or considered leaving) roles for mental health reasons in the last year. 5. Awareness, stigma, quitting / job change linked to mental health From the 2025 NAMI / Ipsos poll: 1 in 4 employees say they have considered quitting their job due to mental health concerns; 7% said they actually quit for that reason. 42% worry their career would be negatively impacted if they disclosed mental health challenges at work. Among managers, 22% don’t even know whether their company offers mental health benefits; 45% don’t know how to access mental health care via employer plans. 6. Labor market stress / job cuts, long-term unemployment As of August 2025, the U.S. unemployment rate stood at 4.3%. In that same month, 1.9 million people were classified as long-term unemployed (jobless for 27+ weeks), making up 25.7% of all unemployed persons. The number of people working part time for economic reasons (i.e. would prefer full time) was ~4.7 million in August 2025. Also, over the past year, the labor force participation rate has declined slightly (by 0.4 percentage point). In 2025, U.S. federal agencies have announced mass layoffs (e.g. in Health and Human Services, Department of Education, etc.), which has been documented to generate anxiety, fear, and mental health impacts among both those laid off and remaining staff. 7. Global / systemic underinvestment in mental health Globally, over 1 billion people live with a mental health condition. Yet median government spending on mental health remains at just 2% of total health budgets, same as since 2017. In lower-income settings, mental health workforce shortages are severe — e.g. 13 mental health workers per 100,000 people is the global median, with many countries far below that.

1. Fast Food on Credit - People are putting McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and gas station snacks on “Buy Now Pay Later” apps like Klarna. - This means folks are financing a $7 meal because they can’t cover it today. 2. Grocery Store Security - Retailers are locking up not just electronics, but basic groceries like baby formula, cheese, and even Spam because theft has surged. - Rising “necessities theft” is a telltale sign of economic desperation. 3. Crowdfunding for Essentials - GoFundMe reports that the majority of campaigns now aren’t for big dreams — they’re for rent, groceries, and medical bills. - When charity platforms become survival tools, it exposes how weak the safety net is. 4. Car Loan Math Doesn’t Work Anymore - Average new car loans are 7 years long, with monthly payments often higher than rent in some cities. - Repossessions are quietly surging, especially for subprime borrowers, despite “strong” employment numbers. 5. People Renting Clothes for Work Interviews - Services like Rent the Runway and even local shops report an uptick in people renting business clothes just to attend job interviews. - A sharp signal that people are strapped for basics while trying to re-enter the workforce. 6. “Invisible Homelessness” - A growing number of people with jobs are living in cars, RVs, or couch surfing, but they don’t show up in official homeless counts. - Teachers, nurses, and gig workers are disproportionately affected. 7. Pet Abandonment & Animal Shelter Surges - Shelters nationwide are reporting record numbers of pets being surrendered because people can’t afford food or vet bills. - A heartbreaking, indirect measure of household stress. 8. Decline in Funeral Spending - Families increasingly choosing cremation without services, or even “direct disposal” options, because funerals are unaffordable. - End-of-life spending is often a hidden barometer of financial strain. 9. Medical Debt on Credit Reports