The Psychology of Powerball

The chances of winning the $1.5 billion dollar jackpot are slim to none but most people think IF you win, you'll never have to think about money again. Experts say the opposite is true! Coming into such an enormous financial windfall means you'll have to think about money more than you ever have before. If past winners are any indication, beating the odds isn't necessarily a ticket to happiness.

"If anything there's some level of distress that comes along with it," says Emanuel Maidenberg, Ph.D and professor of psychiatry at UCLA. "Wealth of that kind comes with stressful changes as well. Not all of them are easy. Stress is likely to come with adjustment because people become, well, sort of a celebrity."

Instant celebrity status can be daunting. That's why publicist Roger Neal says hiring a PR team should be part of any winners plans.

"You can't imagine how they're going to be barraged," says Neal. "They need a gatekeeper to decide who gets close, who doesn't get close, who gets time with them who doesn't get time with them. It's really important stuff."

As for whether money brings happiness, Dr. Maidenberg says it depends on the person.

"Who are they before they came into wealth? Whatever they were before is likely to become more acute," says Maidenberg.

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