Spare a Thought for the Rich

I have heard of many diseases, I also hear people everyday complaining about lack of money, but I had never heard of the "Wealthy Fatigue Syndrome", or WHS, before today. Is this another new fad? After doing some research, I found out that this ailment, which affects the multimillionaires, is a genuine disease, a form of anhedonia (defined by the online free dictionary as "an inability to experience pleasure").

While most people on this planet struggle to make ends meet, sometimes even juggling several jobs, it is hard to believe but yet it is true, having too much money can make you sick. Some people are so rich that they have lost the ability to enjoy what money can buy. When it is not enough to own a collection of luxury cars anymore, they will buy a yacht; when they will get tired of it, why not buy a private jet? The more money they have, the more they spend, and the more material possessions they have, the more they want. Just like spoilt children who always want the newest gadget even though their bedroom is full of brand new toys.

This form of depression is partly due to the loneliness that some wealthy people experience. People who were not born rich but became millionaires can hardly remain in middle-class neighbourhoods; imagine a millionaire living in your average housing estate: how would he be treated? He would either have to hide the fact that he is extremely rich or live with the thought that his friends and neighbours are jealous and/or intimidated by his situation. This can also lead to paranoia: if you know people are envious of your situation, you might think they are likely to want you harm, so you cut all ties and move to a more affluent environment.

Being part of a community is an important factor in happiness too but when you live in an enormous estate surrounded by high walls and you are in perpetual fear of being robbed or of your children being kidnapped and held for ransom it can be difficult to get to know the neighbours!

Families of the very rich can also suffer from WHS. A bit like workaholics, the super-rich choose to focus on making more money over improving family relationships. The wives of men that spend very long hours at the office are bound to feel neglected, when you get bored of your possessions, you might get also bored of a husband or wife, especially knowing the fact that rich men attract beautiful (and not so beautiful) women! In families where both parents are obsessed by money and material possessions, children are being cared for by nannies and miss the affection of a real mother and father and some end up suffering from clinical depression.

When they don't feel any pleasure from what money can afford, some people seek their thrills elsewhere, engaging in dangerous activities, financial or physical like gambling huge amounts of money for kicks, or swimming with sharks.

I will now happily drive my 12 year-old car to my bank and ask for another credit card limit extension. I could also try to contact some of those rich people and tell them I found a cure for their terrible disease: just give me the money; if I can't spend it all, I will give some to charity. If money can't buy me happiness, I don't know what will!