Can Financial Stress Impact Your Health?
Whether physically or mentally, we are all aware that stress can impact your health. Stress, in general, can cause serious health problems all the way from things like heart attacks to strokes. So, the stress which your finances might bring is something which you should know about. Unfortunately, these health issues can affect your home life, career and make it feel impossible to turn things around.
Your health and financial stress
According to medical experts, the connection between financial health and mental health is quite large. Dr Moira Somers, a clinical neuropsychologist suggests that “Money is inextricably interwoven into all aspects of our lives, and managing it effectively is a modern survival skill. So, when things are not going well for us financially, we tend to use up a great deal of our brainpower finding solutions or ways out of our dilemma.”
Problems that can occur from stress
Along with anxiety, there are multiple other disorders and problems that financial stress can bring into your life. Some signs are as followed:
- Arguing with loved ones about money
- Difficulty sleeping
- Feelings of anger, withdrawal or fear
- Mood swings
- Loss of appetite / over-eating
- Increased use of alcohol or other substances
We need to recognise financial stress before it gets out of hand. So, whether you are just recognising it before it is starting, or even if it has gotten out of hand, there are plenty of ways to get help.
How does financial stress affect your health?
One of the most common effects of stress related to finances is anxiety. It can make it really difficult to do everyday tasks at ease. For example, to focus at work, spend time with family and friends, keep up with bills and payments. If you are behind financially and are feeling hopeless or have feelings of constant worry and poor concentration, you may be seeing signs of a disorder like anxiety.
In the UK 77% of employees say that their worries about money and their finances can impact them at work. As well as this, one in five employees worries about their finances either always or often.
Source: www.closebrothersam.com
The feeling of anxiety and panic caused by finances can a catalyst to kick-start problems with your lifestyle. It could be linked to the way you handle the stress or how you adapt your lifestyle to cope with the situation. Some adults in lower-income households handle stress through damaging and unhealthy habits. This is done by drinking alcohol, binge-watching television, smoking, or even over-eating.