It’s not uncommon for us to all feel like our wallets are being a little more drained these days… rising prices on groceries and common expenses, the political climate and change of our dollar, and the lack of professional security and rise in layoffs. These changes can impact our mental health, including our sleep, anxiety, relationships, self-esteem, and our sense of safety.

Our brains are wired to detect threat, and understandably will focus on real and perceived financial concerns. Thinking about this for prolonged periods of time can put us into a fight-flight response, until we are emotionally exhausted. We can start to worry, feel shameful or embarrassed about our situation, feel like we are failing or losing control, and stress about having to give up things we previously enjoyed.

It is therefore important to separate our sense of Self from our financial situation — to be mindful of Self-Critical Parts that might have burdens or beliefs that one’s sense of value is attached to their income/debt/professional status and unblend from them. In other words, consider and remind yourself that YOU are not your Financial self, and importantly, your value as a person is not defined by or dependent on these factors.

It may be helpful to focus on what you CAN CONTROL and help your well-meaning Managerial Parts to identify small, manageable steps that you can take to better or manage your situation. This can also extend to, or include: keeping routines, spending time with supportive others, finding time for rest and activities that are friendly on the wallet, and limiting exposure to alarming messages that fixate on this topic. Try also to have adaptive, collaborative decisions with loved-ones that are less about pointing the finger or shaming anyone about their expenses and more about how you will manage the situation together.

If persistent anxiety, difficulty sleeping, hopelessness, and/or difficulty functioning in important areas of your life become the norm, remember that you can always seek out more help from a psychologist or other professional.

You don’t have to be financially ok to take care of your mental health :)