The stock market's erratic behavior – an unpredictable incline followed by an unexpected decline – has adverse effects on investors in the Arab world – particularly in Saudi Arabia – which is considered to have the highest numbers of investors among Arab countries. Since October 2006 to this year, the stock market has declined approximately five thousand points, which has disappointed people and caused investors to lose all hope of recovering their wealth. Dr. Mohammad Al-Hamid, consultant psychiatrist at the Dr. Mohammad Center for Psychology and Behavioral Treatment in Jeddah, said that usually people who invest their wealth in stock markets suffer from anxiety and stress. “They become better or worse whenever the stock goes up or down, which means that their health depends on the current price index,” Dr. Al-Hamid said. Describing the symptoms of stress that some people experience, Dr. Al-Hamid said, “A person who is under severe stress suffers from sleep disorders,, nervousness, tension and rapid sensory reflexes. Sometimes, they could develop a permanent disorder like hyper tension. Hypertensive people get excited easily, can't put up with loud noises and generally a stressed person's personality changes for the worse,”said Dr. Al-Hamid. Al-Hamid stated that most patients who visit his clinic these days are suffering from depression because of the stock crisis. When people hear that the stock index has gone up, they decide to use the opportunity to invest although they might have lost money lately. “They do that to rebalance their budget, but it gets them trapped into a vicious cycle,” said Dr. Al-Hamid. Dr. Al-Hamid also advises people who want to invest their wealth in stocks to invest rationally and invest a sum of money which doesn't affect their budget. “Most people who recently lost in the stock market didn't have sufficient information about investment, so they were at a disadvantage in comparison to professional investors,” he said. In order to decrease mental stress, Dr. Al-Hamid recommends that family members extend complete support and avoid discussing the issue at home constantly, to help the affected persons get over their problems. “The wife should be kinder to her husband and aid him financially by reducing everyday expenditure and cutting down on unnecessary expenses. Family support can go a long way in soothing a stressed person and helping him overcome his worries,” said Dr. Al-Hamid. __
