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Anxiety and Stress over Money -- Are the Issues Really being Addressed? |
By Steve Slimm
 'Money stress' and 'money anxiety' can at times be overwhelming for certain people -- especially those who don't have a fixed income, e.g. self employed, but also for many others who do. Stress levels over money can easily escalate to cause most of the usual symptoms of anxiety prevalent in other recognised forms of anxiety disorder. It has both surprised and perplexed me that 'money' as an issue in itself is not readily recognised as a major factor in the causes of stress and anxiety. Neither do money issues seem to be being given due consideration along with other forms of anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety, social anxiety, anxiety over phobias, post traumatic stress disorder, et cetera.
From personal experience, there was an almost two year period in which my life was plagued with symptoms of anxiety due to the stress I was experiencing over money issues. If I had needed to approach the UK National Health organisation for help, for example, I would have been offered only basic assistance directing me toward debt counselling agencies, to which and I had already gone
myself, with practical help being readily forthcoming. However there was no specific counselling available that gets below the surface to reach those issues really being faced with anxiety and stress over money, the kind of issues that don't tend to get addressed until you are more comfortable with a practitioner/counsellor.
Fortunately, with my life coaching experience, along with a propensity for asking deeper questions, I was able to get near to the root for myself, a root that came to be known (affectionately) as 'the not-enough syndrome'.
When considering the lack of specific help regarding 'money anxiety' and finance-related stress through public healthcare channels, it crossed my mind that anyone working in that sector might not personally relate to the specific problems surrounding the thought of having 'no fixed income', therefore could find difficulty empathising with a suffering client. On further reflection, I don't think this is actually the root of the problem. Having spoken to one or two counsellors, I realised they definitely had their own issues around money, were also inclined toward stress and anxiety when under threat of the possibility of there not being enough ready cash at the appropriate point -- but also seemed hesitant to talk about it.
I wonder is it possible that many more people than we realise actually have misgivings about money and avoid talking about it? Is it also possible that many of us hold hidden fears surrounding that impending sense of doom -- of 'not having enough', (which fear is at the root of all anxiety and stress about money), and tend to run from it? Food for thought!
With this in mind I continue to pursue a variety of channels of inquiry into the deeper aspects of money issues, and how they dovetail closely and inextricably with the very core of our oftimes delicate human psyche. I believe that we still have much of benefit to discover for ourselves about the relationship between the self and what we call 'money', and that fragile cord that connects us to our own sense of security.
My name is Steve Slimm. I am an artist and musician living in Cornwall, UK. Having suffered tremendously with anxiety and stress over money for almost 2 years, I have put together an insightful ebook publication: "How to Let Go - and Let the Cash Flow!" designed to assist anyone struggling with money issues to gain personal awareness of money processes & recover speedily from stress and anxiety. I speak about my experience at MoneyStressAnxiety
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