Part 1 Financial Stress: The Costly Impact

If you find yourself under financial stress, you’re not alone.  Worries about money are more common than not.  In fact, a study by the American Psychological Association revealed that 72% of Americans report feeling stressed about money at least some of the time.  That means nearly 3 out of every 4 people struggle with financial stress.

Financial stress can cause a whole host of problems. From depression and anxiety to physical illness, stress can manifest itself in many different ways.  That physical manifestation of stress can cause even more financial problems.  You may incur increased medical costs due to health problems caused by stress.  Ongoing stress about money has been linked to migraines, heart disease, diabetes, digestive problems, & insomnia.  Or, you may delay seeing a doctor due to not being able to afford the cost. This can also increase stress and worry about your health.

Money worries can affect your social life, too.  Consciously or unconsciously, you may feel embarrassed or ashamed about your financial situation, which can cause you to withdraw socially.  You may not want to open up to anyone about your money troubles.  This self-isolation can lead to more depression and anxiety.

Your financial stress can also affect your work.  Money-related worrying can cause you to miss time at work or not perform at your best.  This can cause you to miss out on promotions or raises, causing more stress.

It may be tempting to avoid answering the phone or opening mail during times of stress.  However, what will ultimately reduce or stop the stress is facing your financial issues head-on.  This means you may need to open up to someone else about the financial trouble that you’re facing and get help.

If you’d like a non-judgmental professional to help you with this review, please consider our online financial review, IRIS.  A Financial Specialist will review your debt, your budget and help you create a plan to tackle your finances–all free of charge.  Our goal is to help reduce your stress and improve your mental health.

It may be difficult and scary to dive back into your finances.  This is especially true if you’re feeling overwhelmed and anxious by what you might find.  However, the stress of not knowing is almost always worse.  Financial stress happens to all of us and Apprisen is here to help!