Tips for Overcoming Financial Anxiety

Oct 10, 2021

People's anxiety has increased due to the uncertain situation caused by the pandemic, one of which affects the financial aspect. If not recognized and appropriately treated, financial anxiety can be dangerous for our mental health. Financial anxiety is a condition when individuals show symptoms of being uncomfortable and unhealthy to engage with effective financial management. In short, this syndrome boils down to feelings of stress surrounding personal finances.

Recognizing Financial Anxiety Symptoms

If you have financial problems, it is not necessarily life-threatening. However, if these financial problems make you stressed excessively, there will be a different story to tell. Therefore, the first step in overcoming this syndrome starts from recognizing the stages of the symptoms, namely:

Constant feeling of stress

In the beginning, you will feel constant pressure that makes you want to get more, spend more, or achieve certain material milestones. If not managed, this will cause financial management vulnerabilities, just like in the late game of Jenga which can collapse at any time.

Overwork

The pressure you feel in the beginning eventually can cause anxiety when not achieved. Whether you want it or not, it pushes you to do excessive work to reach a certain point of financial condition. However, it can ruin your health if you do this kind of lifestyle continuously.

Difficult to prioritize things

Financial management requires an understanding of priorities in life. If you feel helpless and nervous when making financial priorities decisions, this could be an early signal that you are experiencing anxiety.

Averse to think about finances

Eventually, you will decide to walk away – not even thinking about finances at all. It is a wrong decision and can lead you to an extravagant lifestyle. You will feel that you have a terrible relationship with money, or that money management is arduous, or think that it is impossible to get rich today.

Feeling guilty

All of these symptoms will lead to guilty feelings. You feel that every penny you spend could be used for a better cause. On the other hand, if you save too much money, you are afraid to spend it and don't know where to allocate it.

Dealing with Financial Anxiety

If you feel any of the anxiety symptoms mentioned above, at any level, it's time to take action. There are some proactive steps you can take and develop into a routine to help deal with financial stress before it affects your mental health.

Calm Down, You Are Not Alone

Personal finance issues are a common problem for everyone. So, try to calm yourself first with relaxing activities such as walking or breathing exercises to keep your mind from getting out of control. After that, you can face the problem with a clear head.

Literate Yourself About Finance

After your mind is clear, try to change your relationship with money. The first step can start by improving financial literacy. Currently, information about financial management from various experts can be obtained easily on the internet, both free and paid. That way, you can rearrange your financial strategy.

Learn to Prioritize

Once you've improved your relationship with money, you can start making financial priorities. Allocate your finances for various needs such as education, health, retirement, marriage, daily needs, or as a reward for yourself. Try to be disciplined in allocating your funds according to the priorities you've made and the income you have.

Seek help from the experts

If everything you've tried doesn't work, consider seeking professional help. All the more needed if the anxiety you experience has caused physical disturbances in life. Examples are insomnia, easily tired, difficulty in concentrating, cold sweats, tense muscles, and often loudly arguing about money.

Anxiety is normal, as long as it's not excessive

Feeling anxious when faced with something is normal. It also applies to finances as long as it is not excessive. Financial issues are a common problem faced by everyone. The desire to earn more and be financially independent is definitely on everyone's mind. The thing that deserves attention is when these feelings of anxiety affect our lives negatively, both mentally and physically. If you are already at this stage, the best thing you can do is seek professional help. After all, we need a good mental state to face problems in life. That way, we can reorganize the life we are living. Ref:

https://www.idxchannel.com/economics/berikut-lima-tips-atasi-kecemasan-finansial-simak-yuk