We often think of our problems as separate, as confined to one part of our lives. It’s so easy for us to forget how intertwined every part of our lives really are. Your financial stressors can bring out pain and stress in other parts of your life, even your health.
Debt and physical health
We literally hold stress in our bodies. Our muscles tighten, our shoulders get stiff and even our resulting higher adrenaline levels can mess with our immune systems, digestion, sleep cycles and reproductive systems. “Debt stress” quite literally damages your physical health, sometimes with life-long repercussions.
Stress can also lead to higher risk behaviors, like substance abuse, poor diets and unhealthy sedentary lifestyles. Feeling stressed out about your debt can lead you to making unhealthy lifestyle decisions.
Financial hardships will often lead to worries about money and a feeling that you cannot spend money, even on necessary things like healthcare. With such high medical bills, it can be daunting to go to the doctor to get the help that you need, which can only worsen physical health issues.
Debt and mental health
There is also a connection between financial stress and mental health issues. Psychology Today reports that having debt increases your likelihood of suffering from a mental health disorder by three times, including depression, anxiety and psychotic disorder.
Mental health issues can also hinder your ability to make difficult decisions, get your self out of debt and find employment opportunities. Similarly, mental health and physical health are tightly connected, both constantly affecting one another.
If you are suffering under the weight of debt, it’s time to do something about it instead of watching it damage other parts of your life. while every situation is unique, filing for bankruptcy is one way that you may be able to alleviate financial stressors.