Dubai: Slowly eating away at your peace of mind, financial stress can go beyond taking a toll on your physical and psychological being, said Dr Saliha Afridi, Clinical Psychologist and Managing Director of Lighthouse Arabia in Dubai.
While being in debt and struggling with your finances may very well be keeping you up at night, it can also affect your family and children in ways you do not expect.
“Financial stress can trickle down to the children where it can take a huge toll on their psychosocial development as they witness and experience their parents having stress,” explained Dr Saliha.
Living with so much fear, anxiety, and panic because of financial stress can signal to a human that their basic human needs such as food, clothing, and shelter are being threatened.
This results in the ‘survival-fight or flight’ mode kicking in, said Dr Saliha.
This burden can affect your physical health, psychological and emotional state and your social life and relationships.
Physically, unmanaged stress can not only lower your immunity, cause headaches, insomnia, and sexual problems, but it can also trigger some serious diseases.
With 80 per cent of all health diseases being stress-induced, it is critical that individuals learn to manage their stress and their finances.
“Stress can include anything from migraines to diabetes, coronary heart disease to hair loss, and depression to anxiety,” she said.
With financial stress dating back in time, increased consumerism, and a focus on acquiring and living beyond our means has resulted in more debt and financial stress in the society. “We are finding that more individuals are suffering from increased anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation as a result of financial pressures and debts. It is important that we learn to manage stress and find ways of mindfully decompressing from life’s pressures,” advised Dr Saliha.
