Winning Powerball Jackpot Could Be More Than Most Bargain For
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Powerball jackpot has climbed to a record-shattering $1.5 billion for Wednesday night's drawing. As you dream of all the fun you'll have with the winnings, remember, there's always a down side.
If you think people will be happy for you when you win all that money, think again says Angela Cantwell, Clinical Director of Nursing for Behavioral Health at Einstein Medical Center. Maybe you plan to hide. Pennsylvania and New Jersey will give out the winning name, Delaware will not.
"Privacy and anonymity will be a thing of the past," Cantwell says. "Anyone who has known you in a good or a bad way now knows you have these riches, which then can lead to an issue of personal safety."
And don't forget about those obvious trust issues.
"You may need to be asking yourself which relationships in my life are genuine and authentic," Cantwell says. "If someone new is coming into your life, you may wonder are they in it for you or are they in it for the money."
And she warns it could get lonely at the top.
"While you are no longer anonymous, feelings of loneliness will creep in because you may not be working at the job anymore that you love," Cantwell says, "and that will decrease your social interaction and it could cause isolation and loneliness."
Don't forget that now people know you're rich, and want a piece of the pie, so you'll need to change phone numbers, move and get bodyguards.
"There are going to be those stresses," Cantwell adds. "People are going to be watching and say 'oh where does that person live' and 'do I know them' and 'do I see them everyday' and 'is there a way I can get in on them.'"
But at least your friends and family will be happy for you, right? They might be jealous wondering what's in it for them, and if you want to keep that job you love, coworkers may be secretly wishing you'd quit, opening up a spot for someone who needs a paycheck.
