Planning My Family’s Future by Evaluating Mental Health and Wealth

One of my current goals in life is to become wealthy.

I cannot deny that I need more personal finances than I currently have to sustain my family and live a balanced and fruitful life. As a carer to a husband with hemophilia and a seizure disorder while also struggling with my own diagnoses of ADHD and bipolar II disorder, and as a mom to a sweet little girl, finances largely affect my ability to maintain an acceptable quality of life.

Every week, my husband, Jared, and I spend a significant chunk of our income on his anti-seizure medication. I’m fortunate to be able to use the same medication that Jared takes to maintain my own moods. However, I’m not as consistent as he is in buying my own medicine, especially when I feel like I have more pressing needs.

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For a long time, I’ve felt that my mental health plays second fiddle to my husband’s physical ailments. This is because I don’t view my mental breakdowns as life-threatening, unlike his seizures or bleeds. However, I’m realizing now that this shouldn’t be the case. My mental health is important, too, especially when it comes to my long-term personal growth and, consequently, the health of my family unit.

Unfortunately, I’ve made mistakes that caused me to neglect my mental health. This happened at a time when we were earning a decent income. Although we were able to stay on top of my husband’s medical needs, I ended up making poor decisions that negatively affected our finances.

Decision-making in the context of mental health and wealth

Only after consulting with a mental health professional did I come to understand two things: First, my behavior at the time was a stress response to my former environment, given my health conditions. Second, I must have a more specific grasp of whatever it is I truly need to make better life decisions. Inevitably, one of those things I need is wealth.

As I get older and become a more seasoned mother and wife, I’m starting to define this particular need in more nuanced terms — in terms of what it means to me. Wealth, for me, creates an ability to support good mental health. It would allow me to see my psychiatrist as often as I need to when things are extra tough with my caregiving and family duties.

Wealth would allow me to send my daughter to a decent school, where she would be supported intellectually and could cultivate good values. To me, values matter, as they are the foundation of the choices she’ll make, including how she’ll treat others.

Wealth will afford me opportunities to learn and to constantly improve myself so that I can keep up with current knowledge in my field. That will help me to stay profitable in a competitive business environment.

But ultimately, for me, wealth isn’t just about financial affluence, although that’s a part of it. It’s also about abundance in all aspects and dimensions of my life, which will allow me to become the best human and carer I can possibly be.

Note: Hemophilia News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Hemophilia News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to hemophilia.