Debt is something that many people go through for various reasons, and it is nothing to be ashamed of. You may feel that there is a stigma surrounding the idea of being in debt, and that if you talk about it, people you care about will judge you. This can cause a significant amount of stress, over and above the panic and fear when you find that you can’t afford to pay your bills or buy essential things, and that stress can be very difficult to deal with.
Mental health and debt very often go hand-in-hand, and feeling depressed, anxious, or fearful about your debt is perfectly normal. What matters is how you deal with the way you feel. Here are some ways in which you can start dealing with your anxiety and stress surrounding debt, and get yourself on the road towards financial recovery.
Take a Good Look at Your Situation
Start by taking a good hard look at your lifestyle and situation, starting with your finances. This may seem like a daunting task, but it is an important one that will stand you in very good stead in your journey towards financial freedom. Have a look at your spending habits, and start to weed out unnecessary expenses and luxuries.
Once you have gone through your finances with a fine-tooth comb, make a very strict budget for yourself and teach yourself how to stick to it. Try using a budgeting app, or create your own Excel sheet that makes sense to your own unique situation.
Then take a look at other aspects of your life. Look at all the things you do have – a roof over your head, a supportive family, good friends, food on the table. Even if things are not perfect right now, we all have things to be grateful for, and noticing those things will help us to have a more positive outlook on life.
Look After Yourself
Being in debt is hard enough as it is, don’t allow yourself to compound it by getting into a panic and winding yourself up. Try to think clearly about your situation, and make logical choices about what to do about it. Reading this blog is a very good start.
Keeping yourself calm and clear-headed may not be an easy task, but you can help yourself by making healthy choices – eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise will both help you to balance your hormones and stave off depression. You should also be sure to try and maintain a good social life and a supportive network of family and friends.
Find Support
If your family and friends are judgemental or unsupportive while you are struggling to overcome your debt, try to find another avenue of support, like a psychologist or the National Debt Line. Sometimes talking about the problem to an impartial party is just what a person needs to get their thoughts in order, and figure out the best next step.
Tell Yourself You Are Not Alone
Many people have gone through problem debt and the stress that goes with it – you are not the first person, and you won’t be the last, to experience this. You may feel that your situation is absolutely unique, and that nobody can possibly understand, but this is not true.
If you put your debt into perspective and realize that people go through what you are going through all the time, it may make you feel a little better, and it will be easier to face the problem head-on.
Get Professional Advice and Assistance
It might feel like you are all alone in this, and that you are drowning in debt and stress, but there is plenty of help out there, and all it takes is a phone call to get started. Contact Debt Movement today to get a head start on clearing your debt, and take the first steps towards financial freedom.
If you are struggling with debt and it is affecting your mental health, please contact our non-judgmental team at Debt Movement for caring and understanding debt guidance and solutions.
