# Bear Markets 101: Why Crashes Aren't the End of the World
When major indexes drop 20%+ for an extended period, that's officially a bear market. Sounds scary? It's actually just part of the game.
**The facts:**
- Average bear market lasts ~10 months (trending shorter lately)
- They hit roughly every 3.5 years
- 9 out of 12 bear markets since 1948 were followed by recessions
- COVID crash was fastest on record: -20% in just 19 days
**What triggers them?** Investor pessimism → mass selloffs → economic slowdown. But here's the kicker: 2022 had a brutal bear market while job market stayed strong
When major indexes drop 20%+ for an extended period, that's officially a bear market. Sounds scary? It's actually just part of the game.
**The facts:**
- Average bear market lasts ~10 months (trending shorter lately)
- They hit roughly every 3.5 years
- 9 out of 12 bear markets since 1948 were followed by recessions
- COVID crash was fastest on record: -20% in just 19 days
**What triggers them?** Investor pessimism → mass selloffs → economic slowdown. But here's the kicker: 2022 had a brutal bear market while job market stayed strong

