There's a correlation between the ups and downs of the stock market and the rise and fall of one's mood.
A new study conducted by researchers at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana found that when stock prices fell, antidepressant prescriptions rose. Over the course of two years, they examined data from approximately 300 metropolitan areas, looking at local stock prices and antidepressant prescriptions.
The study found there to be a 0.42% increase in antidepressant prescriptions following a 12.8% drop in local stock prices over two weeks.
In a mid-October report from The Wall Street Journal, they found a 6.4% decline in stock prices to be correlated with a 0.21% rise in prescriptions.
KTRH Money Man Pat Shinn added that the rise in antidepressant prescriptions is more common for those closer to retirement age at around 45-55 years old.
"That tends to be the age when saving for retirement comes more and more into focus," Shinn said.
There's a few factors that contribute to this. Shinn believes the availability to see stock prices in today's world makes it easier for people to invest. Folks can pull out there phone or smart device and can easily look at their investments.
"The values are right there staring you in the face, showing you how much you have made or lost that day," he said.
Another factor is human behavior and more specifically investor behavior. When markets change, investor behavior tends to repeat itself.
"It's human nature to think that when stocks are going up that it's going to continue and on the flip side when stocks are going down it will only get worse," said Shinn.
Photo: Moment RF