Money worries can affect much more than what is left in a bank account. Financial stress can affect sleep, mood, relationships, concentration and overall mental health. For some people, the worry can become so constant that even receiving a salary brings anxiety instead of relief. This is Faith's story.
How Financial Stress Affects Mental Health
Faith checked her phone and then checked the calendar, just to be sure she had the date right.
It was the 30th, the day her salary would come in.
For most people, payday was something to look forward to. It was the day you could finally breathe after working for an entire month.
Every month, as soon as she saw the date approaching, she was filled with intense fear and worry, and her heart would race for about 30 seconds. It was concerning because she was not always like this.
Her salary alert came in before she could finish the thought. She opened her account, looked at the amount, and started calculating. She knew how much would go to rent, how much she needed for transportation and food, the bills she had to settle, and the family responsibilities she couldn't ignore. She was already mentally dividing the money before she had even left the house.
On her way to work, she passed a shop and saw a pair of shoes she really liked. She had been meaning to get new ones because the pair she had was already worn out, but she didn't even stop to look properly. There were other things that needed her money. When she got to work, she planned to sit down and go through her budget again. Maybe there was something she could adjust. She just wanted to be sure she would get to the next salary without having to borrow.
She had barely settled at her desk when her favourite aunt called to check on her. They talked for a while, and somehow Faith found herself telling her that she was broke.
Her aunt laughed. “Broke? But your salary just came in.”
Faith laughed too, but then her aunt asked a question that stayed with her long after the call ended.
“So what are you saving for?”
Faith went quiet. She didn't know how to answer that.
She wasn't saving for a car or a holiday or anything exciting. She was simply trying to survive the month.
After the call ended, she stared at her computer screen but couldn't concentrate. She tried to focus on work, but her mind kept going back to the question.
By the time she got home that evening, she was exhausted. She ate, sat on her bed, and opened her banking app again. She wasn't expecting any money. There was no reason to check her balance, but she did anyway. She closed the app, picked up her phone again a few minutes later, and checked it once more. It had become a habit.
Her mood seemed to change with her finances. On days when she felt like she had enough to get through the month, she was lighter and more relaxed. But the moment an unexpected expense came up, she began to feel anxious, restless and irritable. She would feel guilty whenever she spent, even on things she needed. She had stopped enjoying some of the things she used to love because there was always a voice at the back of her mind reminding her that she should be saving.
She avoided outings because she didn't want to spend, and sometimes she avoided people altogether because she was afraid someone might ask her for financial help. At night, when everything was quiet, her mind became even louder. She would lie in bed thinking about bills, calculating what she had left and worrying about what might happen if something unexpected came up.
Feeling worried about money was not unusual. Unexpected expenses, bills and financial responsibilities can make anyone anxious from time to time. But for Faith, the worry had become constant. It was beginning to affect her mood, sleep, concentration, relationships and the things she once enjoyed.
That night, instead of checking her balance again, she searched online: Why am I always anxious about money?
She came across the term "financial anxiety" and started reading. What she found sounded uncomfortably familiar.
Money worries can affect sleep, relationships, and everyday well-being. Helpful ways to manage financial anxiety include identifying what triggers the worry, keeping track of actual expenses, and creating a realistic financial plan instead of constantly worrying about what might happen. IIt can also help to separate financial facts from fears, take things one step at a time, and talk to someone you trust or seek professional help when the worry becomes overwhelming. Constantly checking a bank balance may provide temporary reassurance, but it can also keep the anxiety going. Having a clear, realistic plan can make it easier to feel more in control.
Maybe that was what she had been missing.
She had been trying so hard not to run out of money that she had allowed the fear of running out of money to take over her life.
She opened her notebook and started writing down her actual expenses. She listed what had to be paid, what could be reduced, and what she could realistically set aside.
She decided to act on the advice to talk to someone she trusted and reached out to a close friend about it for the first time. The conversation was refreshing, and by the time they hung up, she felt a little lighter. She was beginning to understand that being financially careful did not have to mean living in constant fear.
Faith closed her notebook and put her phone away.
There was still a lot she needed to figure out.
But for tonight, she decided not to calculate anything else.
She would deal with tomorrow when it came.
