Can Counseling Help Relieve Financial Stress? by Sally W.
77 million Americans have delinquent debt. As well as being problematic for the economy, this is concerning as debt can have negative effects on your physical and mental health. A study from the University of Southampton found a correlation with debt and poor mental health. However, if your friend is in debt trouble and and you recommend counseling then they will probably immediately say, “Counseling costs money! When the source of my stress is money-related, how will spending more help?” Luckily, there are services that offer training in counseling skills, for free or cheap. These skills can help you address debt issues, for yourself or someone close to you. Read on for more information on debt and counseling.
The mental impact of debt
Regardless of the cause, stress can have a big impact on your health, both physical and mental. Financial stress can cause headaches, insomnia, unhealthy eating habits and increased susceptibility to infections. Often, seniors experience significant financial stress, more than other demographics, because their bodies are less able to repair and adapt themselves. However old you are, left unchecked, financial stress can lead to more long term conditions such as anxiety, depression and chronic health conditions. When it gets to this point, an intervention becomes necessary: this intervention can be counseling.
Self-help counseling
For those who are otherwise mentally healthy and think that their financial woes are probably the main cause of your stress and anxiety, self-help counselling could be a great way to deal with financial stress. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT techniques can help change negative thinking patterns surrounding your debt, as well as help you become more organized - very useful in managing your money. If you’re not ready for that, simple journaling can be a wonderful outlet, allowing you to release your emotions, freeing up your mind to make changes. Finally, setting yourself regular and realistic financial goals and meeting them will increase your confidence.
Everyone is different and different solutions will help your unique problem. But for many people, learning counseling techniques for self-help can be an effective strategy to tackle financial stress. As much of this study is free or cheap and can be done by yourself without complicated technology, why not give it a try?
The mental impact of debt
Regardless of the cause, stress can have a big impact on your health, both physical and mental. Financial stress can cause headaches, insomnia, unhealthy eating habits and increased susceptibility to infections. Often, seniors experience significant financial stress, more than other demographics, because their bodies are less able to repair and adapt themselves. However old you are, left unchecked, financial stress can lead to more long term conditions such as anxiety, depression and chronic health conditions. When it gets to this point, an intervention becomes necessary: this intervention can be counseling.
Self-help counseling
For those who are otherwise mentally healthy and think that their financial woes are probably the main cause of your stress and anxiety, self-help counselling could be a great way to deal with financial stress. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT techniques can help change negative thinking patterns surrounding your debt, as well as help you become more organized - very useful in managing your money. If you’re not ready for that, simple journaling can be a wonderful outlet, allowing you to release your emotions, freeing up your mind to make changes. Finally, setting yourself regular and realistic financial goals and meeting them will increase your confidence.
Everyone is different and different solutions will help your unique problem. But for many people, learning counseling techniques for self-help can be an effective strategy to tackle financial stress. As much of this study is free or cheap and can be done by yourself without complicated technology, why not give it a try?