Financial Stress and Mental Health

1. How Money Stress Affects Emotions

• Financial uncertainty can trigger fear, shame, irritability, or guilt.

• Money problems often worsen anxiety or depression.

• Stress is reduced when the financial picture becomes clearer—even if the numbers don’t change yet.

2. Common Financial Stressors

• Job loss or reduced income

• Increased medical or repair costs

• Debt or unpaid bills

• Cost of rebuilding or relocating

3. Practical First Steps

• List your essential monthly expenses.

• Identify unnecessary spending during recovery.

• Contact creditors or service providers for payment plans.

• Check for community resources, assistance programs, or NGO support.

4. Building a Simple Budget

• Track daily spending for at least 7 days.

• Separate expenses into needs and non-essential.

• Set small savings targets—even ₱50–₱100 counts.

5. Emotional Tools for Money Stress

• Practice self-compassion: financial crises are not moral failures.

• Use grounding techniques during financial discussions.

• Avoid avoidance—small consistent actions lower fear.