August 6th, 2020
“I can’t stand it — these money worries are making me ill.”
You may have had thoughts like this in recent months.
Understandably, money anxiety has been on the rise during the Covid-19 crisis.
At the time of the UK’s lockdown, the Office of National Statistics reported that close to half of Brits felt high levels of anxiety and stress.
But what are the symptoms of a money anxiety disorder? And how can you relieve such uncomfortable symptoms?
In this article, we’ll cover a few of the main signs to look out for. We’ll also discuss strategies that you may wish to try for reducing money worries.
WHY IS MONEY ANXIETY MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER?
First, some context.
Covid-19 has been an economic disaster as well as a health crisis.
The Bank of England issued a forecast in May 2020 that the Covid-19 crisis will cause the worst UK recession in 300 years.
Their update in August 2020 predicts the UK economy’s output won’t recover to pre-Covid levels until the end of 2021.
This economic strain on individuals and families has further tested the nation’s mental health.
Anxiety levels have been highest for the approximated 8.6 million Brits whose income has fallen during Covid-19.
Money matters when it comes to mental health. There’s a strong link between our financial wellbeing and how we feel.
And a survey by the Mental Health Foundation found that over a third of UK adults fear they’ll lose their job.
If you feel like money worries are making you ill or stressed, review the money anxiety symptoms (listed below) to see how many sound familiar.
SYMPTOMS OF MONEY ANXIETY: 10 PHYSICAL & SOCIAL WARNING SIGNS
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Lying about money
You may or may not have heard of financial infidelity. A person can get into the habit of lying to loved ones about money when they are under stress.
44% of people lie to their partners about money, according to a study by CreditCards.com. This includes withholding information about debt, overspending, credit cards, and bank accounts.
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Sleep difficulties
Personal finance is one of the four biggest factors that affect sleep health, as found by this State of America’s Sleep study.
People who rated their sleep as poor are 1.4 times more likely to be living paycheck-to-paycheck and be dealing with money worries than those with high-quality sleep.
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Social withdrawal
Withdrawal from friends, family, and other social circles is a common symptom of money anxiety disorders.
Feelings of shame can cause a gradual or sudden withdrawal from social activities.
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Mood disorders
Meta-analyses show that the financial anxiety associated with personal debt significantly increases the risk of mental health issues.
This risk includes depression, psychotic disorders, and drug dependency.
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Overspending
Overspending is a classic example of a vicious cycle. A shopping spree may serve as stress relief, but positive effects are temporary.
Guilt is likely to set in soon after, along with possible feelings of anxiety or depression.
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Fatigue
A survey by the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) found that the most common way money anxiety was affecting people at work was tiredness.
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Inflammation
Links have been discovered between financial stressors and inflammation.
When the body is under long-term stress, inflammatory markers get raised.
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Extreme frugality
As discussed by Experian, being “frugal to a fault” is a potential symptom of a money anxiety disorder.
Not allowing yourself to take rest breaks, or struggling to spend the bare minimum on yourself, could be a warning sign.
HOW TO DEAL WITH FINANCIAL ANXIETY
If you’re thinking, “money worries are making me ill,” there are several strategies that you can try to feel more in control.
We’ll list a few of these strategies below.
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NHS guidance
We recommend you review this NHS page on how to cope with money worries.
The NHS promotes include staying active with exercise, limiting alcohol, and keeping to a daily routine.
These can all help you feel more structured during times of financial stress.
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Track your finances
Tracking your finances may not be the most entertaining task, but it can allow people to feel more organised.
Useful strategies are to create a budget and to educate yourself about debt.
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Seek help from money advice services
Organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau can support you with getting out of debt. They can also inform you about benefits that you may be entitled to.
Also, you can use the government-backed Money Advice Service for free, financial advice.
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Hypnosis / Hypnotherapy
At City Hypnosis, we offer a range of hypnotherapy services. The technique of hypnosis used in this therapy can help people break free from anxiety loops in the subconscious.
If you’re experiencing money worries, you may find that your mind gets stuck in the “stress response.”
Symptoms such as burnout, panic attacks, and worst-case scenario thoughts are common when the stress response is overactive.
Hypnotherapy supports people to enter a deeply relaxed state and change the thought loops that make money worries worse.
Hypnosis is a calming process, which involves prompts, suggestions, and visualisations to reduce anxiety.
Thank you for reading!
(This article is co-written by Declan Davey, Health Copywriter)
HYPNOSIS FOR MONEY ANXIETY
If you want to find out more about how hypnosis can help you manage money worries or symptoms of financial anxiety, feel free to contact the UK’s most recommended hypnotherapist.
Aaron Surtees — the director of City Hypnosis — has almost 20 years of experience.
He has featured on TV, been in magazines, and won awards at his London-based practice.
City Hypnosis has more client reviews than any other London-based hypnotherapy practice. As of August 2020, there are over 90 client reviews on Google.
We can also offer online hypnotherapy sessions if travelling to London is not possible.
Book an appointment with Aaron’s team below.
Email: info@cityhypnosis.com
Phone: 07732 888 397 (Please leave a voicemail or text message if busy and we will reply asap, usually within 2 hours)
The team is happy to answer any queries you may have about hypnotherapy for money anxiety or schedule an appointment for you.
City Hypnosis
