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Stress busting


                 HEADLINES

Increasing Debt Levels Are Reducing Self Confidence in Many People

Richard Fenton (MACP)
Channel M debt Doctor Breakfast show weekdays
Financial Professional with over 10 years experience advising banks and consumer in matters relating to debt.
Manchester Evening News Debt Buster
 
www.SurvivingTheCreditCrunch.org.uk has launched a new stress busting page to help point people in the direction for help and support.
 
We have all heard how confidence has been lost in the financial markets as a result of the recent events in the global banking sector, but how is that affecting the confidence of the individuals who are having to live with the consequences?
 
For the last ten years I have dealt with many thousands of people dealing with a personal debt crisis, and whether this is a result of action they have taken or through no fault of their own, one thing is clear there is a significant number of people who find that their confidence levels drop dramatically, much in the same way that people's confidence levels increase when they win or inherit a life changing sum of money.
 
Common themes and feelings include:
 
·         A sense of Failure
·         Loss of Control
·         Feelings of insecurity and foreboding
·         Defensive towards loved ones
·         Anxiety and Stress levels increased
·         Loss of Sleep
·         Weight Gain (Comfort eating) Men and Woman
·         Increased alcohol consumption
 
Men and woman both cope very differently with issues surrounding debt; Men will have a tendency towards hiding away from their problems and are far more likely to hide issues from their partners and family, they will become very defensive and look for others to blame. Women are far more likely to face the problem head and will seek advice quicker than their male counterparts, woman are better equipped to release their emotions allowing them to take faster more positive steps towards resolution.
 
My tip’s for re gaining your confidence,
 
Understanding your problems will allow you to take control of your problems, which in turn will give you back your confidence.
 
Sit down and take a stock of your full financial position and work out just how much debt you have, don’t be afraid of the results it is what it is, you will be amazed just how therapeutic it is to actually take stock of your situation, then simply work out how much money you have to spend on your debts each month, again don’t worry about how little you have, if you can spend hundreds of pounds clearing debts each month that’s great, but if you only have a few pounds that’s great too, the important thing is YOU are now in control of your money and not the other way round. You can then start to TELL your creditors what you can afford to pay each month. You can if you wish use our financial planner at www.SurvivingTheCreditCrunch.org.uk.  If you can share your concerns with your partner of friend, and remember you don’t have to battle through alone, get involved with Surviving the Credit Crunch’s forum and share your experiences with other people and work together to ease the stress.
 
Quick Stress Busting Tips
 
1.      If you find yourself becoming angry or upset you may find it helpful to take time out, even if only for five minutes. Try to relax your muscles and calm yourself down by slow, deep breathing.
  1. Try to identify the underlying causes of your stress. You may need to review your whole lifestyle. Are you taking on too much? Are there things you are doing which could be shared with someone else?
  2. A healthy diet will help prevent you becoming overweight and will reduce the risks of other diet-related diseases.
  3. Keep smoking and drinking to a minimum and try doing some form of physical exercise, even if it's only a daily walk to the park.
  4. Take time to relax. Saying `I just can't take the time off' is no use if you are forced to take time off later through ill health.
  5. Sleeping problems are common when you have stress, but try to ensure you get enough rest. Try not to take sleeping pills for longer than a night or two.
  6. One of the best antidotes for stress is enjoying yourself so try to bring some fun into your life by giving yourself treats and rewards for positive actions, attitudes and thoughts.
  7. Try to keep things in proportion and don't be too hard on yourself. After all, we all have bad days.
  8. Talk about your problems with friends and family, they will often be able to offer great advice and support.
 (18/3/09)