Study: Your Brain Thinks Money Is A Drug Options

[superstitious]

If you've ever thought of money as a drug, you may be more right than you know. New research shows that counting money — just handling the bills — can make things less painful.

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I listen to NPR almost all day long. This particular story really peaked my interest. I know so many people who are worried about finances, myself included. I never thought that the actual handling of money would calm me down. I'm ashamed to admit that I felt a little calmer after seeing a few dollar bills in my wallet.

I can understand the idea of financial security giving one a sense of calm, but the actual physical touching having an near immediate effect is interesting, but also alarming, in my opinion.

Researcher Xinyue Zhou, of the department of psychology at Sun Yat-Sen University in China, puts it in very human terms. "We think money works as a substitute for another pain buffer — love.

Perhaps The Beatles had it all wrong when they said, "Money Can't Buy Me Love."