As much as Bear Stearns calling employee assistance professionals to help their employees deal with impending job loss or loss of life savings seems like a good idea, I am left wondering if this is far too little, too late.

Employee assistance professionals, who compare their work to grief counseling, told ABC News that the sudden shock of learning that you have lost your life savings or job is akin to the emotional jolt felt when learning you have a terminal disease. Symptoms of dealing with the trauma can include anxiety, depression, irritability, withdrawal, loss of appetite and sleeplessness.

And much like with a terminal disease, you probably wonder what would happen if you caught it sooner. Man. That’s tough news to bear.