I am a believer in social drift. I did not come for a poor background. My father was a diplomat. I got ill in terms of receiving treatment when I was nearly 17. I have never worked due to illness and have slid down the social scale.
I wonder how many here came from middle/upper backgrounds and how many came from poor backgrounds.
Do you believe in drift hypothesis or social causation thesis.? The latter seems to be more in vogue.
I used to like the stress vulnerability model! It explained things a little better for me.
I don’t see why these theories can’t coexist.
Those in higher classes drift, because they have room to fall and symptoms of mental illness are barriers to sustaining employment. The more disabling illnesses like sz and bpd often strike before they complete college, thus impairing the educational advantage many upper classes have.
Those in lower classes don’t have as far to drift, and have less resources to finance access to mental health care. So not as much drift, and the social causation thesis can fit their situation better.
1 Like
I come from middle upper class
1 Like
My full blown mental illness began during the early part of my college career - this affected me financially (personally) because I was not able to further my education and obtain more than what amounts to an Associates degree - I was going for a BA at the time, but because of my symptoms, was not able to complete college and receive a BA degree.
I was not able to become an executive, lawyer, doctor, etc… I was able to land a job in the Education field and became a special ED paraprofessional (Aide) but they dont make a lot of money - but I got by, and even was able to marry - now divorced.
Many people with severe Mental Illnesses have difficulty with employment - not too many of them are independently wealthy - but some are and are able to work high income/high stress jobs, but they are in the minority.
My folks are upper middle class, but I am in the lower income class personally.
My money will be handled by my brother, as he is my special needs trustee - everything has to be measured carefully
I was middle class as an architect before I fell ill. been on disability ever since and dirt poor. I was raised middle class so that was quite a fall for me. sad.
I was raised upper middle class, and I’d probably qualify as middle class nowadays. So not much drift here. I’m lucky.
Not to say that there wasn’t some drift due to my illness. I dropped out of college and was 15 years late finishing my degree. I also had to pay a substantial portion of the therapy myself due to lack of (or lack of parity of) health care insurance.
I’d probably be upper middle class now if I had a two income household. I’d say my illness figured into my lack of a spouse. Then again, I didn’t have a family and don’t have to pay for college tuition etc, so I probably catch up to my peers in my retirement and be upper middle class by then.
1 Like
I think that the drift theory is true, I learned about it in a couple of classes. I, however, refuse to be another statistic. I don’t want lots of money, just enough to live well and comfortably. I do not want a world class car or a huge house. I despise when people live to get more money when they have much more than average, it’s sick. I mainly care about research grants and my education.
I would not know what to do except give lots to research if I ever got a huge lump of money. I find science to be the number one concern in my life. Well, that is because there is a science behind my wellbeing. Lots of psychiatry and psychology.
4 Likes
Hopefully you’ll travel fast and far and leave many good things in your wake.
I grew up as a little lower than middle class. Our family lived a middle-class lifestyle but money was always tight. I actually grew up in an affluent city. LOTS of rich people lived there. It was normal to see Porches driving around and occasionally other nice or exotic cars. Some of our family friends were millionaires; ALL of our family friends lived comfortably. Right now I live in a very nice studio apartment. I’m lucky to be here. I still get SSDI and I work part-time but my yearly combined income still probably hovers around the poverty line but I live good with some luxuries, plenty of food, nice clothes, a car, and some staples like a TV, this computer, A DVD player, some fairly good furniture. I live in a nice safe neighborhood. It must be; I’ve walked around the neighborhood at all hours of the night by myself and nothing has happened to me. This is low-income housing for the disabled and senior citizens. These people act like they have money and a little power. I have no idea how well off any of them are financially actually. I know I didn’t tackle the social drift question. I think I may be the only non-senior person who works. I used to be friends with one of my neighbors who is disabled and worked. We used to go out to restaurants and he had many friends some who seemed pretty well off. So I was mingling with them. He got fired two or three years ago and hasn’t worked since. I stopped hanging around him but I talk to him in the hall and he still has many friends.
In my case symptoms of schizophrenia caused my decreasing abilities.
Post can’t be empty…
I am born in a upper middle class family where we can afford a lot of things.My older and younger brother flew to Europe for education,it shows we don’t have financial burden.We are wealthy because my parents are hardworking and they are motivated.I don’t think I can be richer and achieve more than them,but I hope I can maintain our financial state
1 Like
My parents are way more successful and capable then I am. For now I’ve got this illness. If I recover I might have a chance. I kind of like living a simple life though.
1 Like