Yes, I was trying to help him practice negative visualization, by imagining a worse outcome than his current situation. But stoicism can greatly help you with medical issues, many people have used its tenants to overcome debilitating circumstances.
I think using a catastrophic medical event, like a terminal illness diagnosis, is a good technique when trying to consider if a situation is really that bad. Of course, a terminal illness diagnosis is also something that can be accepted and overcome with stoic resolve, but it is a good yardstick for something like losing a lot of money with an investment.
Gee, almost every day, or multiple times a day, I read mention of Stoicism (usually M Aurelius, occasionally Seneca) on HN. And almost never any other type of philosophy (in the wisdom of life sense).. I guess Ayn Rand a few times. I wonder why that is. It's surprising because I don't think I came across anything about Stoicism more than once every year or two before I came on here.
I think using a catastrophic medical event, like a terminal illness diagnosis, is a good technique when trying to consider if a situation is really that bad. Of course, a terminal illness diagnosis is also something that can be accepted and overcome with stoic resolve, but it is a good yardstick for something like losing a lot of money with an investment.