Financial Stress And Its Relationship To Mental Health

It’s normal to fall down sometimes. In fact, there are many situations in a person’s daily life that can make him feel defeated. However, one of the most common is financial stress. In times of crisis, worries multiply, but how does this relate to a person’s mental health? What strategies can help manage this situation?

On days of extreme concern about what is happening and what is to come, it is important to understand what is happening to the body, mind and emotions.

Financial stress : what exactly is it?

The dictionary defines stress as “tension caused by overwhelming situations that cause psychosomatic reactions or, at times, serious psychological disorders”.

Now, when we talk about financial stress, we are referring to that related to  assets and activities that make up the wealth of a community or an individual .

Financial stress can occur for many reasons. Following are some of them:

• Face new situations. For example, new investments, crises, among others.
• Financial problems. In other words, when a person cannot meet their financial commitments.
• Couple discussions. When finances are involved.
• Pressure. One of the most common scenarios in this case is owing money; perhaps the person does not know when he will be able to pay his debts.

Remember that the  stress is also a psychophysiological response to a demand environment. It is not only related to what the person thinks, but also to what he feels and his behavior.

Therefore, when someone is stressed, there are physical, mental and emotional manifestations. Even different patterns are seen in the interaction.

The impact of stress on mental health

Stress has a big impact on mental health. This happens because the person’s behavior pattern can fuel tension, and it manifests itself in conjunction with emotions, often loaded with negativity and frustration.

There is another very common scenario, which is when the person puts himself too far into the future, which ends up promoting anxiety. When it comes specifically to financial stress, some consequences can arise, such as:

• Difficulty to relax.
• Permanent feeling of being overwhelmed.
• Irritability.
• Sadness.
• Fault.
• Ruminant thoughts.
• Worry.
• Disorganization.
• Pessimism.

It is also possible to experience depression, mental exhaustion, shame, fear, confusion, excessive self-criticism, difficulty concentrating and making decisions. However, it is noteworthy that this is so different in each peopl to. Genetic factors, learning, social factors, life cycle, consciousness, among others, exert a great influence.

Furthermore, while financial stress has a strong impact on mental health, it’s not the only area it affects; it works together with other important areas of health, such as physical and social.

For example, changing one person’s emotions can cause discomfort in others around them and cause their social relationships to change; at other times, we can opt for isolation behaviors.

In fact, several studies are being carried out on the effect of coping strategies and social support on people with financial stress. According to A. Riquelme, J. Buendía and MC Rodríguez, in their article published in Psicothema , social support is positively and directly related to health, since its effect affects coping strategies.

• It is possible to observe stress in various physical symptoms, such as instability in blood pressure, muscle tension, increased cholesterol, sleep disorders, contractures, palpitations, fatigue, headache, among others.
• At a behavioral level, people may start eating more and exercising less, avoiding or putting off responsibilities, and exhibiting other behaviors such as fidgeting and nail biting.

As you can see, different factors influence financial stress.

How to deal with financial stress?

To deal with financial stress , you need to know yourself. If you know what you want, where you want to go, and what obstacles you may encounter, you will be closer to choosing what really benefits you. Stress often arises because you don’t feel able to meet all the demands you’ve set for yourself.

So, in order not to feel overwhelmed, it is necessary to set priorities. In this sense, desire is not synonymous with need. First, you must allocate your spending to what is really needed.

It is important to consider your toxic thoughts, emotions and behavior. Once you’ve identified them, you can start working to better manage them. This doesn’t mean you need to remove them from your life; you should just know when to stop.

Also, it ‘s essential to pay attention to what you’re exposing yourself to. Financial stress is often associated with crises that other people are also going through, or derived from a major change in the system. It’s okay to share experiences, but if it’s harmful to you, it’s important to stay away.

Taking a break can help. In addition, it is beneficial to consider what circumstances are causing the financial stress and organize them according to the degree of control you have over them. In that sense, making and following a smart plan can help you.

In turn, social support also plays an important role. Don’t be afraid to turn to and ask for help from those you trust.

Lastly, don’t neglect your physical health . One way to relieve stress is to exercise, which allows you to release endorphins.