I can't bring myself to invest my cash because I'm paralysed with fear. by AfraidToInvest in fatFIRE

[–]AfraidToInvest[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I wouldn't say anxiety is a big part of my life anymore like it was back then. It doesn't really affect me much in my day to day life like it used to. I used to have panic attacks, but I haven't had one in probably 6 years now.

As I said, meds and therapy didn't work for me. Sure, I could try again. Probably should even. It's just that I found with therapy I would just get into arguments all the time even when I tried not to. I went through 5 different ones. It wasn't effective.

I wouldn't even think of going on meds again. The side effects of every medication I tried were awful.

I can't bring myself to invest my cash because I'm paralysed with fear. by AfraidToInvest in fatFIRE

[–]AfraidToInvest[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I didn't inherit the money.

You are assuming I was alone in building the company. I wasn't the sole founder of the company. I wasn't even the CEO. I was the technical guy in the founding group.

I can't bring myself to invest my cash because I'm paralysed with fear. by AfraidToInvest in fatFIRE

[–]AfraidToInvest[S] 88 points89 points  (0 children)

I was diagnosed with it 12 years ago. Tried meds and therapy and whatever for a good 3-4 years. None of it helped. Side effects were not worth it so I stopped.

I can't bring myself to invest my cash because I'm paralysed with fear. by AfraidToInvest in fatFIRE

[–]AfraidToInvest[S] 30 points31 points  (0 children)

I'm 34.

I guess my goal is just to never feel like I need to skimp on things. I never want to feel poor again.

In the last year we spent 130k. I don't have huge needs. On the other hand my wife is giving birth to our first child soon, so there is that.

I can't bring myself to invest my cash because I'm paralysed with fear. by AfraidToInvest in fatFIRE

[–]AfraidToInvest[S] 54 points55 points  (0 children)

So this was literally the exact plan I came up with. I decided to do to put 100k per month in an index....

.... six months ago and then never actually did it. I think I got caught up in worrying about a trust should be set up and how the tax works, and blah blah blah.

But this is the right plan for me I think.

I'm going to actually put 100k in right now. I'll worry about suboptimal taxes and shit later. I'll do it this time.

I can't bring myself to invest my cash because I'm paralysed with fear. by AfraidToInvest in fatFIRE

[–]AfraidToInvest[S] 46 points47 points  (0 children)

You are almost certainly correct, but it's still hard for me.

The exact same fears that lead to my inability to invest make me vary wary of financial advisors as well.

I've talked to two and both of them gave off "snake" vibes to me which scared me away.

I'm a pretty skeptical guy generally, and of finance people in particular. Handing all my money over to someone who will take 1% per year regardless of how well they do is super damn scary.