Are you finding it hard to cope with your debt?

Are you struggling to pay for your household expenses, travel expenses and everyday costs?

Are your Creditors constantly writing to you and/or ringing at all times?

If you have little money saved, lots of debts and the unexpected happens, you lose your employment, you or your partner are ill, now is the time to take specific and specialised action to avoid any further trauma or heart ache. There are many ways that you may receive help and advice.

There are many and varied solutions which would help you get to grips with your debts and move forward in a calm and disciplined way.

An example of some of the debt solutions available are:

Your debt and mental health

If your mental health fluctuates, being in debt can bring on a bad episode. If you experience anxiety or depression, you may feel tempted to ignore the problems. You may become too afraid to open the mail or answer the phone.

If you are in financial difficulty, you may feel ashamed and feel unable to talk to others about it. There are sources of help that will allow you to regain control and will not be judgmental.

Warning signs of mental health

The physical warning signs of adverse mental health can manifest in many ways, they include:

Headache
Back Pain
You can become snappy with friends, family and colleagues
Lack of Sleep
Mood swings

The warning signs of mental health and debt can vary hugely from person to person.

The age old adage of ‘sticking your head in the sand’ is a very common problem for people with debts, the only problem being that the problem will not go away! It will only become worse.
Not opening mail or in fact hiding mail from a partner.
Ignoring the phone calls
Putting off the inevitable

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Debt and bipolar disorder

People with Bipolar Disorder experience severe mood swings which can last several weeks or months. These include feelings of intense depression and despair to manic feelings of happiness and mixed moods such as depression with restlessness and/or over activity.

The disorder can lead to impulsive spending, usually during manic episodes. These spending sprees can become out of control very quickly and can extend to cars, holidays and computers, as irrational decision-making becomes the norm.

If you are dealing with debts alone

Being in debt and alone can have devastating effects on your mental health, you go to bed thinking of the debt, you wake thinking of the debts; there is no one to share the burden or alleviate the pressure you are under. You have to carry on your everyday life with a smile on your face pretending that all is well with your world, when in fact you are struggling inside to deal with the ongoing issues of debts and how to clear them. You can become so lonely that sometimes life just doesn’t seem worth the effort that you put in.

Speaking with someone, whether it’s a friend, family member or a debt counsellor can help you to feel less alone and may release tension, you may also discover that other people are also struggling and have their own issues and this may help them in the long run also.

Approaches to treat mental health distress

There are many ways to treat mental health issues and distress, it may be a case of trial and error as to which works for which person.

There is self-management, or cognitive therapy, counselling or a more direct approach of taking medicines to combat the stress and mental health issues that many suffer from. All or any of these can be invaluable to the sufferer.

Mental distress can be very difficult to recognise or diagnose by its very design, most people try to put a ‘happy face’ on, to not let the outside world know what is happening. The first approach is for the sufferer to realise they have a problem and to know where to turn to for support and advice.

There are many benefits you can claim as a disabled person, they include:

Disability Living Allowance for both Children and Adults
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Attendance Allowance
Employment and Support Allowance
Blue Badge Schemes
You can also apply for exemption from paying vehicle tax
Council Tax reduction
Reduction in TV Licence (if you are blind, or live with someone who is registered blind)

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Help and support available

There are many ways of getting help for those with mental health issues who are in debt.

Firstly, the client would need to admit there is a problem and then they can seek advice, from either there mental health team, or contact their local CAB, Samaritans, Rethink Mental Illness, or even the NHS.

If then they need further specialist help with any form of debt repayment plan, informal arrangement or need help going down the bankruptcy route, they will be referred to a company like PayPlan, who will achieve the best possible plan for the client, treat them with respect and care. They will lend a supportive ear and go the extra mile to ensure that all plans run smoothly for the client, to ensure they become either debt free or able to manage their ongoing commitments.

At PayPlan we aim to fully understand a client’s situation, in order to manage debt arrangements better. Our staff proactively ask clients about their personal circumstances, including health, so we can tailor our service to their needs

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