Tradgedy After Winning the Lottery

Annotated Bibliography Topic: Tragedy after Winning the Lottery Emory McClard Nissle, Sonja, and Tom Bschor. “Winning The Jackpot And Depression: Money Cannot Buy Happiness. ” International Journal Of Psychiatry In Clinical Practice 6. 3 (2002): 183-186. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Jan. 2012. In the article, Bschor and Nissle claim that desirable or positive life events might influence the course of a psychiatric illness, just as the negative do.

The authors discuss how winning the lottery developed the depression of two patients, how hitting the jackpot made them consider suicide, and how receiving over one million dollars has only affected their life negatively. Bschor and Nissle go into a discussion involving ideas about how a positive desired event has hidden risks behind the newly won possibilities, which caused the outbreak in these two cases. Both cases recorded marriage problems, family conflicts, and financial difficulties. Suicidal thoughts were present because both patients felt a sense of guilt and inferiority.

Bschor and Nissle are organized, knowledgeable, and very clear about their key points. Annin, Peter. “Big Money, Big Trouble. ” Newsweek 133. 16 (1999): 59. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Jan. 2012. In this article, Annin states that “big money brings big problems. ” He discusses multiple negative outcomes from a particular case in 1998 such as friends no longer speaking to the jackpot winner, the new found millionaire being banned from particular areas, and former friends filing for law suits against him.

Annin discussed further about how the lottery winner has gone into hiding by removing his telephone number from the phone book, buying a shredder for unwanted mail, and doing his from inside his home. Annin is clear about his points, but not very descriptive. The author clearly stated his points, yet wasn’t as detailed about the winner’s story. Ellen Tumposky, et al. “The High Cost Of Winning. ” People 61. 10 (2004): 150-154. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Jan. 2012.

In “The High Cost of Winning,” Tumposky’s claim is how millions of Americans wish to win millions of dollars in a jackpot, but there are plenty of cases of the lottery winners have unfortunate cases. She discusses how this sudden burst of money can lead to ironic bankruptcy, nasty divorces, broken families, and even hiring hit men. One case describes how a 36 year old man’s lottery money was stolen, forcing him to file for bankruptcy. Another story talked about how her long term boyfriend took advantage of her. One man was drugged, robbed, and arrested. One man was divorced and eventually committed suicide.

Another married man sued his wife for not telling him about the win, she was stripped of her entire winnings. The final tale is of a family issue that resulted in the winner’s brother hiring a hit man. Tumposky’s article is interesting yet also very informational. Her summaries of the events told the story, yet cut out all of the unimportant details. Douglas, Geoffrey. “Fortune’s Fool. ” Yankee 62. 12 (1998): 76. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Jan. 2012. In the article, Douglas tells the reader even the luckiest people can lose it all in the blink of an eye.

He discusses the points of error in which this lotto winner was a victim. Things like his sexuality, alcoholism, relationships, and risk-taking personality got him into trouble after he won 5. 86 million dollars. As a boy, Mike Allen was very different. Even his (so-called) friends would tease him. When he won the lottery he began to give and give and give to everyone who asked. His husband ended up filing for divorce and suing him. His money was flashing before his eyes. He ended up in a $30 motel room, dead. All he was left with was a sweatshirt over his beaten face. They took jewelry, a wallet, a car, and his clothes.

Douglas’s story was entertaining, but he wasn’t clear about his thesis and main points. Helyar, John. “Cold Cash. ” Money 28. 4 (1999): 144. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Jan. 2012. In this story, Helyar’s point is that life after the lottery can be miserable. Helyar tells a story of a two people who tried to win the lottery. He discusses further about their past together, the fortune events, the sad events, and the miserable times that came after winning the lottery. Helyar is a good author and is very descriptive, yet he is extremely verbose. John did tell the entire story, yet he failed to take out the less important events.