Money dysmorphia has nothing to do with being careless with cash.
It’s the growing disconnect between how financially secure someone actually is and how insecure they feel. The Saltus Wealth Index recently discovered, for instance, that 35% of men and 40% of women have money anxiety, even if they’re doing okay, financially speaking. Of course, it’s no surprise that even people with stable incomes, savings, or good jobs can feel like they’re constantly behind. It’s not just anxiety; it’s a warped lens that makes people question their financial safety, no matter what the numbers say.
1. Social media constantly resets what “normal” wealth looks like.
Scrolling through highlight reels packed with designer bags, holiday homes, and effortless luxury distorts what we think of as average. What used to feel like doing well now looks painfully mediocre in comparison. The baseline keeps shifting upward, and people start feeling like they’re always falling short.
Even when someone is financially stable, this constant exposure to curated success can make them feel like they’re not doing enough. It’s hard to feel secure when you’re comparing yourself to someone’s filtered version of wealth.
2. Comparison doesn’t care about context.
You might look at a friend who just bought a house and wonder how they pulled it off, without realising their parents helped with the deposit. Or, someone’s flashy lifestyle might be funded by debt you can’t see. Comparing without the full picture fuels feelings of inadequacy that don’t line up with reality.
Money dysmorphia thrives in these gaps. Without knowing the story behind someone else’s financial choices, it’s easy to convince yourself you’re failing when you’re not.
3. People earn more than ever but feel poorer.
Wages might have gone up, but so have living costs, often faster than income growth. Even people making more than their parents did at the same age can feel like they’re constantly behind. That disconnect makes progress feel empty. When you’re working harder, earning more, but still struggling to keep up with basic costs, it messes with your sense of financial stability. It’s no wonder people feel poorer than they actually are.
4. Financial wins are often hidden or downplayed.
Some people feel awkward admitting they’ve hit a savings goal or paid off a loan. They don’t want to come across as boastful, so they stay quiet. The problem is that when no one talks about their progress, it creates the illusion that everyone is struggling equally. Without visible examples of financial stability, it becomes harder to gauge what’s normal. People stop trusting their own success because no one else seems to acknowledge theirs either.
5. Guilt creeps in when you start doing well.
If you grew up around financial hardship, being comfortable can feel strange or even wrong. There’s often guilt about having more than other people, or worry that it could all disappear. That uneasiness makes people reluctant to fully enjoy their own progress. Instead of feeling secure, they stay braced, as if good fortune can’t be trusted. That tension feeds the belief that they’re not as safe as they should be, even when things are fine.
6. Past scarcity leaves emotional scars.
Even if your current financial life is stable, your nervous system might still be wired for panic. People who grew up with uncertainty around bills, food, or housing often carry that alertness into adulthood. The fear sticks, even when the reality changes. That kind of trauma can make you act broke, even when you’re not. It’s not about logic; it’s about survival patterns that haven’t been switched off yet.
7. Budgeting becomes fear-based instead of freeing.
There’s a difference between mindful spending and panicked control. When every purchase feels risky or guilt-inducing, you’re not budgeting—you’re bracing. Even necessary or affordable expenses can feel like mistakes. It creates a dynamic where saving money doesn’t bring peace, just more pressure. People end up constantly second-guessing their spending, even when they’re financially solid.
8. Overachievers tend to move the goalposts.
People who are naturally driven often struggle to acknowledge their own progress. As soon as they hit one milestone, they’re already chasing the next. That ambition can be useful, but it can also blur the line between growth and burnout. If you never stop to say, “I’ve done enough for now,” your brain starts believing you’re always behind. That mindset turns financial security into a moving target you never quite reach.
9. Inflation quietly destroys confidence.
Even if your income is steady, watching grocery bills rise or rent spike can make you feel like your money is shrinking. It’s not just an inconvenience; it messes with your sense of control. You feel like you’re doing everything right, yet still losing ground. That constant tension fuels money dysmorphia. It becomes harder to believe in your stability when your costs keep jumping unpredictably.
10. Self-worth gets tangled up in income.
We’re constantly told that how much you earn says something about who you are. So when income dips or savings stall, it doesn’t just feel like a financial loss — it feels personal. People start to equate money with value. That kind of pressure makes it hard to enjoy what you have because there’s always a sense that it’s not enough to prove your worth. It keeps people stuck in a loop of striving, even when they’re already secure.
11. The pressure to be “further along” is relentless.
Whether it’s homeownership, investments, or side hustles, there’s this constant narrative that you should be doing more. If you’re not financially “ahead of schedule,” you feel like you’ve failed, even if your actual progress is solid. That pressure doesn’t come from reality. It comes from unrealistic timelines and cultural expectations that don’t fit everyone. And when people can’t meet them, they assume they’re falling behind when they’re really not.
12. Calm feels suspicious when stress is familiar.
People who’ve spent years in survival mode often struggle to trust ease. When things finally stabilise, it can feel too quiet, like something must be wrong. The nervous system stays ready for disaster, even if there’s no reason to panic. This leads people to second-guess their security. If peace feels unnatural, it’s easy to misread it as fragile or temporary, which keeps money dysmorphia alive and well.
13. Saving doesn’t always feel safe.
Some people save aggressively out of fear, not peace. Even with thousands tucked away, they still worry it’s not enough. Every dip in the account feels dangerous, even when it’s for planned or necessary spending. It’s got nothing to do with being smart with money. It’s about not trusting that what you have is actually working for you. Saving becomes another way to manage anxiety, not a source of comfort.
14. Fear of losing it all never fully goes away.
Even with good habits and long-term plans, the fear that everything could collapse still lingers for a lot of people. They imagine random job loss, surprise bills, or emergencies that wipe out years of work. It’s a background hum that won’t turn off. That fear makes it hard to enjoy financial security when it’s present. You’re always looking over your shoulder, waiting for the next crisis, even when things are calm.
15. Achievements don’t land the way they should.
People with money dysmorphia often feel underwhelmed when they hit a milestone. Instead of feeling proud, they immediately focus on the next gap, the next flaw, the next challenge. The progress barely registers. This robs them of the ability to enjoy what they’ve worked for. When nothing feels like enough, no amount of success brings peace, and that’s when you know it’s not about money anymore, but mindset.
