Cost of Non-Wellness

Stressed and fatigued at her desk, the personal and professional costs of neglecting wellness.

How much is your mental health selfcare costing you?

It is no secret that if you are struggling with your mental health that finding a therapist you trust can be extremely beneficial and the benefits can significantly out way the costs. But, what about the smaller issues? The periodic life stressors that come along that you tend to ruminate on for hours, days or even weeks. What about the daily waking up and going to the job you hate and can’t stand any longer? Or that relationship that ended and you just can’t seem to shake the way it ended or the things that were said. These are just regular stressors that come along and everyone to some extent has to deal with issues like these - so why seek out a therapist that will cost on average $150.00 an hour? 

The hourly rate of a good therapist can deliver quite the sticker shock - especially after about 6 to 12 sessions. But don’t let the cost of a typical round of therapy throw you off from thinking that a good therapist is not worth the investment. Recent economic research has uncovered the real cost that poor mental health selfcare can have on the economy. Researchers found that mental health illness and mental health services account for 1.7% ($287 billion per year) of the United States GDP. Okay, but how does that justify meeting with a therapist to work through the “more minor issues” that come up in life like the ones mentioned earlier. 

Well, the most interesting thing about that figure is that $287 billion is hundreds of millions if not billions of reasons why making a habit of taking charge of your mental health self-care is so important. According to the research, individuals who are not making mental health selfcare a priority are actually more likely to invest less into their retirement funds, themselves and other forms of investment vehicles and have a decreased earning potential. Additionally, those caught in the trap of ruminating on negative past or possible outcomes in specific areas of their lives spend less time being productive and more time stuck on the preverbal hamster wheel. This leaves individuals stuck on the hamster wheel less ready to take charge of their future and more focused on re-living and re-experience perceived past negative interactions or events. 

So, how can a good therapist help you get off the hamster wheel? First of all - you need to know whether or not you are on the hamster wheel in the first place. Many individuals go about their day not knowing that they are ruminating and stuck in their heads oblivious to the multitude of opportunities around them at any moment. Once you know you are on the hamster wheel it becomes much easier to learn the tools and develop the skills that will help you live more in the moment and off the hamster wheel. Living in the moment helps you see when you might be thinking overly pessimistically or overly rigid in your assessments with regards to everyday life events and even when some of those ‘one-offs’ situations occur. Leaving you open to take more value-based chances, learn from your missteps and not be so judgmental towards yourself and others as well as more excited for what your next opportunity might be. 

Abramson, B., Boerma, J., & Tsyvinski, A. (2024). Macroeconomics of Mental Health. NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH. https://doi.org/10.3386/w32354