By Cheri Lewis, Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Stress. We all have it. It is especially prevalent this time of year with the impending April 15th tax deadline. It is no wonder that financial stress is one of the leading causes of stress in the U.S.
The experience of feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, anxious, or threatened by the demands of daily life occurs in varying degrees for all of us. The natural response to stress can be very useful to catalyze us into action, but it also can become destructive when it damages the body and the mind.
Daily stress, for the most part, is more damaging than the stress resulting from major short-term life events. This is attributed to the chronic exposure of chemicals designed to help us "fight or flee" an impending threat.
When hormones are released, the digestive and immune systems' responses are delayed. The resulting consequences are poor fat metabolism, lowered immunity and delayed muscle repair. Chronic activation of the hypothalamic-adrenal axis (HPA) results in exhaustion and potential mental health difficulties as the person's chemistry is denied the opportunity to recover.
Mediating factors such as recovery time, play time, social supports, a good diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and understanding the concepts of "good enough" and "I could use some help with this" all reduce the experience and/or effects of stress in the body. Of course, there are times when stressors are more complex and professional help is appropriate.
In general, the price tag of unchecked chronic stress is obesity, poor health and mental health problems. Specific to stress brought on by financial difficulties, consequences include:
- Less money for self care. People may cut corners in perceived "non-essential" services like mental health care.
- Sleep loss. A sleep deficit brought on by financial concerns can impair immune functioning and cognitive abilities, causing additional moodiness.
- Unhealthy emotions. People can experience anxiety, frustration and a sense of hopelessness as the debt piles up and increasing amounts of money are needed just to pay the interest.
Please visit the Tips section for helpful strategies to deal with stress.