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Money and Mental Health

At Jonathan’s Voice we understand the importance of developing better mental health and well-being both on a personal level and in the workplace.

Poor mental health may mean that both earning and managing money can be difficult. If this is the case then worrying about money can exacerbate mental health and then it can start to feel like a vicious circle. Mental Health UK has recently launched Mental Health and Money Advice https://mentalhealth-uk.org/blog/mental-health-uk-launches-mental-health-money-advice/ with its own dedicated website www.mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org . It contains some really good practical information and where to go to get further help. Mind also have a useful resource on their web site. This explores the link between money and mental health, how to organise finances, claiming benefits and getting more support.

For some people, especially those with Bipolar Affective Disorder, thinking about money can mean, they feel very emotional. This can be manifested in feeling guilty for spending money to being ashamed to admit there is a problem and maybe as result needing to seek help. It is often after a spending spree that someone who is feeling low does not want to open bank or credit card statements, knowing how much they have spent. Not dealing with the situation results in interest and charges being applied, further compounding the difficulty.

What can we do to help if someone is in a situation as described?  Listen to their difficulties in a non-judgemental way, recognising that there is often a lot of shame connected. Try and empower them to make their own decisions, possible by discussing options with them. This may mean you helping them to find out the best way to consolidate debt or helping them identify what might be essential items as compared to desirable ones or directing them to where they can get professional help.  Organizations such as Citizens Advice have trained and skilled staff who can assist. They have a debt helpline where people can get advice. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/help-with-debt/  Most importantly be prepared to listen, to encourage them to take care of themselves by eating and sleeping well.

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