Lotto Fantasy

By ALICE O’BRIEN Alice O’Brien Counselling, Newmarket

News reached the Rebel County last week of a substantial lotto win. We were all frantically searching for our tickets or wishing we had done the lotto in the first place. As it stands the winner has not revealed themselves, so maybe they are in Duhallow, reading this right now.

We all have ideas and plans for what we would do if we won the lotto- new car, extension, big holiday, and college funds- whatever takes your fancy with your hypothetical win. But would unlimited, sudden wealth be as easy as it might seem?

We would all love a chance to find out!

We might believe that an injection of funds would being us happiness and relief from stress, but studies show that we all have a base line of happiness, we can feel surges of happiness and elevation in mood, but we will return to our original base-line within a few months. We value contentment over happiness as it lasts longer, and money won’t bring that contentment.

There is also a concept of sudden wealth syndrome. Where feeling of guilt arise when wealth occurs too quickly or without the sense of achievement of earning it. Expectation and jealously can also be a factor that cause strained

relationships with family and friends. Also, another issue with the hypothetical lotto win would be the loss of routine. We crave routine, doing the same things daily and weekly except for the two weeks a year when we go on holidays. So, losing that routine can be very disruptive and may lead to depression, anxiety or isolation. So, to conclude, winning the euromillions would be amazing, and if the winner is in Duhallow and reading this, enjoy your winnings. As for the rest of us, we will continue to have the fantasy of endless money but also keep in mind that the grass is not always greener on the other side.