Poverty and Stress by Mia Caruso

            Poverty is a very large social concern. Many people today struggle to stay above the poverty level. This is not news, but it seems that few understand the how many negative effects result due to poverty. In order to better understand the lifestyle of those who are in poverty, it is important to analyze the negative impacts on individuals, more specifically their health. It is very common for people living in poverty to become someone with an addictive personality. There have been studies which determined how poverty can increase addictive behaviors. The most common addictions studied were sex, drugs, alcohol, and smoking. It is interesting that so many people have been found to be addicts of these when they can also be found among those who are wealthier. It seems that in both wealthy and low income households, individuals are driven to addictions, with the driving factor being stress. It could be argued that those who come from high and low income households both suffer the fear of failure (Luthar, 2014). In order to for any type of change, it is crucial to study what is driving people to become so addicticted, what it does to individuals, and what how to help those in poverty.

            The most common reason for people to turn to all of these is stress. Previous studies have determined that due to financial stress being so high among those in poverty, it is common for them to become addicted to outlets such as sex, drugs, alcohol or smoking. One study, Examining the Validity of Low-Income African American Women’s Responses to Items from the Compulsive Sexual Behavior Inventory, analyzed the compulsive sexual behaviors of men and women with low incomes. The results showed high scores among both men and women, with men scoring higher. Adding further however the women scored highly for participating in sex exchange or prostitution. In these specific situations, women might engage sexually to deal with financial struggles, but could also be a means of stress relief (Carpenter, 2012). Going off of this, one of the more commonly known addictions is with alcohol. Nina Mulia discussed how women who are in poverty experience high stressors and psychological distress which drives them to drink in her study Stress, Social Support and Problem Drinking Among Women in Poverty. The particular study mentioned how having a lack of social support could be another cause for those with low incomes to drink (Mulia, 2008). Discussing both males and females in poverty, Mulia mentioned how individuals in poverty feel great pressures of economic struggle. Further, she stated how they are also faced with living in high-crime areas which have proven to affect individuals’ mental and physical well being (Mulia, 2008). The same that is said of alcohol addiction could be said for those who are in poverty and are addicted to drugs or smoking.

            It is important to understand the affects that addictive behaviors and substances have on individuals with low incomes. Often times, even when people are able to receive help, once the help stops being consistent, people are found to fall back into their old patterns. Being addicted to substances can cause people to spiral, become dependent on things that cost them. Although being addicted to sexual activities may not cost them money, it could cost them if they got a disease from someone, or ended up getting pregnant. Not only do drugs alcohol and smoking cost people money, their health becomes affected and potentially a job. On top of all of these things, being an addict affects the brain. Individuals start to lose sight of what is good and bad and how function on their own. People in poverty who are addicts are not the only ones at risk, family members are also affected. For example, a study titled My Mum and Dad said it Calms You Down’: Children’s Perceptions of Smoking as a Coping Strategy, found that people who have children and smoke as a result of stress, pass on the idea that smoking is a positive coping mechanism for stress. This gives children the idea that in order to handle stressful situations you must use something or in this particular study, smoking, as a means to cope (Milton, 2012). 

            Since society has access to understanding how individuals in poverty can easily be controlled by addiction, and how it is a viscious cycle, it seems that society should also take be working towards making chages. It could be argued that these individuals who have been affected have been offered help, however it is not enough to try, fail, and call it quits. Although people in poverty may be considered a different part of society to some, they still make up society. Stephen Magura took interest in this particular problem and responded an idea of having employment-based abstinence reinforcement in his article Commentary on DeFulio & Silverman (2011): Employment-based abstinence reinforcement: is there a next step?. In other words, he was commenting on how having employment opportunities could influence those in poverty to not become dependent on addictions. Magura mentioned how the current methods for helping addicts, counseling, social influence, and medication, do not work long term. By possibly allowing individuals to earn incomes, they may feel supported and less stressed (Magura, 2011). Another article addressed the idea of reframing global poverty. The article, Poverty, Politics and Aid: is a reframing of global poverty approaching? By Andy Sumner, addresses the concern with the rise of incomes resulting in the rise of taxes. In his article, he discusses how reframing of poverty might occur as a result of the changing low and middle income rates.

            It is important to not look past the people who are in poverty. The numbers have been high in the United States for some time and it seems that little has been done to change that. Based on past studies, people know that individuals who are in poverty are at high risk to becoming an addict of something whether it be sex, drugs, alcohol, or smoking. What people do not seem to know is how to help. It is important to understand the amount of stress that people in poverty have and how that causes them to continue being addicts. It is not something that should be ignored just because there is a belief that they are doing it to themselves. A large portion of society lives in poverty and there should be just as much concern for them as there is for the wealthy. If anything, the wealthy should have the most concern for those living in poverty, as their high incomes typically determine the tax rates for populations. Having job opportunities would be an incredible help to many who live in poverty. They would be able to make a steady income, it cannot be known that they would stop their addictions if this happened, but it can be known that if nothing is done, society will start to fall.

References

Carpenter, D. L., & Miner, M. H. (2012). Examining the Validity of Low-Income African   American Women's Responses to Items from the Compulsive Sexual Behavior     Inventory (CSBI). Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity,19(3), 181-198.

Luthar, S. (2014). Problem With Rich Kids. Psychology Today.

Magura, S. (2011). Commentary on DeFulio & Silverman (2011): Employment-based        abstinence reinforcement: is there a next step?.Addiction, 106(5), 968-969.

Milton, B. S., Dugdill, L., Porcellato, L. A., & Jane Springett, R. (2012). 'My Mum and Dad         said it Calms You Down': Children's Perceptions of Smoking as a Coping Strategy.     Children & Society, 26(2), 89-99.

Mulia, N., Schmidt, L., Bond, J., Jacobs, L., & Korcha, R. (2008). Stress, social support    and      problem drinking among women in poverty. Addiction, 103(8), 1283-1293.

Sumner, A. (2013). Poverty, Politics and Aid: is a reframing of global poverty approaching?.        Third World Quarterly, 34(3), 357-377.