Understanding the impact debt can have on our mental health, as well as how best to support people struggling with both their finances and their mental health, can better prepare us to deal with the repercussions it can have.
Now, our partners at PayPlan – one of the UK’s largest free debt advice providers – have studied how the two are closely linked, as well as sharing insight from one of their advisors who went through a difficult time himself.
Debt and mental health
“I gave myself sleepless nights, from trying to ignore the problem.”
Sam
Debt problems and poor mental health can often be closely intertwined. According to Payplan, 82% of people contacting them for help with their debts said money worries were impacting their mental health at the time. So, as you can imagine, helping people to improve their mental health is a subject very close to the team’s hearts.
Sam – who now works as an adviser for PayPlan helping others – explains how he struggled with debt himself in the past, as well as how he managed to clear his debts and improve his mental health:
“I gave myself sleepless nights, from trying to ignore the [debt] problem and not doing anything about it – which quite honestly was due to pride and embarrassment,” Sam explains. “My mental health was affected too as the situation caused me to suffer from severe depression, anxiety and stress.
“My life had changed in just a few months, and I was really struggling – especially as my nan passed away during this time too. I approached the doctor and started getting help. I’m well on the road to recovery, but I think it’s really important to encourage people to speak about their mental health.”
The following could be signs someone is suffering with their mental health:
- Feeling sad, down or like nothing matters
- Not able to perform daily tasks
- Eating too much or too little
- Frequently tired, low or no energy
- Smoking, drinking or using drugs
- Extreme mood swings, yelling, fighting
- Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on-edge, angry, upset, worried or scared
- Thinking of harming yourself or others
- Hearing voices or believing things that aren’t true
How can you support somebody who might be facing mental health struggles? *
Express concern and offer a helping hand
Letting someone know you’re worried is a good way to open up a conversation – it shows you care about the person, have time for them and that they do not have to avoid things with you. Listening is an important skill. Ask open questions that start with “how”, “what”, “where” or “when”. This can help people open up.
Act as you usually do together
Do what you usually do – behaving differently can make someone feel more isolated. Do not be afraid to offer kind words and a space to talk, whether by phone, messaging or in person. You will not always know the full story. There may be reasons why they have found it difficult to ask for help. Just being there can be helpful for someone who may want to open up later. Do not force someone to talk to you or get help, and do not go to a doctor on their behalf. This may lead to them feeling uncomfortable, with less power and less ability to speak for themselves.
Understanding the support available
If you need help or are concerned about your health, then get in touch with an expert. You can find information about support pathways here.
Look after yourself
It can be upsetting to hear someone you care about in distress. Be kind to yourself and take some time to relax or do something you enjoy. You can also be there for them in other ways, like cooking for them, going for a walk or watching a film together. A chat may come more naturally if you are doing something together first.
If you’re worried about your finances or struggling to keep up with debt repayments, remember PayPlan’s there to help. You can access its help in a variety of ways including live chat via its website or by freephone on 0800 072 1206 or www.payplan.com/the-fire-fighters-charity.
Explore our wellbeing hub
We have a number of online health and wellbeing courses available, exclusively for members of the UK fire services community. These five and six-week courses can be taken completely at your own pace, to fit round work and home commitments, and cover a range of different health and wellbeing topics in-depth – with the aim of providing techniques and tools to help you move forward positively.
From a course on gambling addiction, to another on stress at work and ones on either social or general anxiety, there are a number of topics that could prove beneficial for you.
Available through the Charity’s new Wellbeing Hub in MyFFC, there are also five-minute Bitesize sessions and 10-15 minute Find Out More sessions available on everything from stress and anxiety to low mood, menopause, resilience and debt management.
