Living in a prosperous country doesn’t necessarily make people less anxious. According to a 2007 study by the World Health Organization, the United States had the highest percentage of anxious people, even though it is the world’s most prosperous nation. The study showed that 31% of people in the US will be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives, a number much higher than the 6.5% of people living in Nigeria or the 14.3% of those living in Mexico.
More about wealth and anxiety:
An anxiety disorder is a mental illness in which the sufferer experiences fear and dread that can become paralyzing. In some cases, an anxiety disorder can develop without provocation or any discernible threat.
Some professional financial advisers have observed that people who suddenly become wealthy often develop anxiety, triggered in part by changes in relationships and lifestyle, along with concerns about maintaining their wealth.
The term “status anxiety” is used to describe a condition in which someone is concerned about holding onto his or her socio-economic status, often to the detriment of his or her own happiness.