How Mental Health Is Impacting Your Finances
How Mental Health Is Impacting Your Finances
You’re probably wondering what affiliation mental health has with personal finance but there is a lot of correlation. Poor management of your mental health can negatively impact your finances so it is important to invest in all aspects of your health including mental health. Read more to find out how your mental health is impacting your finances.
Therapy
Investing in your health is important and mental health is part of overall wellness. The cost of therapy can be expensive depending on where you live but it is vital. A good resource to find therapists and psychiatrists is Psychology Today. Many different providers accept various types of medical insurance or sliding scale depending on your financial situation which can make therapy affordable for everyone. There is also a benefit called the employee resource center (ERC) that many employers provide that offers assistance with finding a mental health professional and even providing a certain amount of free sessions.
Perspective
Perspective is everything when it comes to mental health. It is easy to be pessimistic but it can be more difficult to be optimistic. Acknowledging the full scope of things as well as consciously trying to change your perspective can make all the difference.
Perspective can also play a part when it comes to “getting away”. I’ve heard many people over the years say that they cannot wait until they can take a vacation to get away from the daily grind but a vacation is not the easy solution. The idea in itself that you need to get away from your consistently stressful life is a problem. If life is that stressful that means you are not prioritizing things and you are doing too much or allowing too many distractions in. Contrary to popular belief, being busy all the time means you have bad time management skills.
In the wise words of Thanos, all things should be “perfectly balanced”. Your home should be your safe, sacred, quiet, and comfortable environment. Create a lifestyle that you don’t need a vacation from and changing this “need a vacation” perspective from a need to a want. Being introspective plays a vital role in changing your perspective because it helps you to understand your own mind and find coping mechanisms rather than running away from your problems.
Meditation
Meditation is important because it implements mindfulness with the intention to achieve a calm and stable state of mind (which we could all use).
Sometimes distractions can happen but focusing on your breath helps you to return to your calm state of mind and not let your mind wander. Meditation can lower stress and improve focus. Anyone can practice meditation by finding a quiet space and setting a duration that works for you. If your mind does wander just acknowledge the current feeling and then come back to your breath.
To assist in meditation some people love the sound of Tibetan bowls (they go by various names) because of the relaxation and healing powers. Tibetan bowls can change your brain waves to types of waves (called binaural beats) to make you feel more relaxed. Auditory processing allows the brain to identify sounds and make an analysis of the sounds and attach a meaning to them. Since Tibetan bowls are instrumental, this white noise guides you to your own interpretation which helps with emotion regulation.
Invest In Your Living Space
It is important to stay close to whatever makes you happy to be alive. This includes making your environment a safe space because you reside there most of the time and you want it to be comfortable and reflect your personal interests.
Fitness, Nutrition, & Sleep
Fitness and nutrition also plays an integral role in mental health. Exercise triggers the release of dopamine and serotonin. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which is linked to the brain’s pleasure sensations. This chemical can help with motivation and satisfaction. Serotonin is another type of neurotransmitter that helps to regulate mood, feelings of well-being, and happiness. These brain chemicals can aid in emotion regulation. Rather than focusing on a specific amount of time, getting in some form of physical activity can make all the difference.
Medicine is no compensation for a healthy lifestyle. The healthier you are through diet and exercise, the fewer doctor visits you will have and this can also reduce your medical insurance premiums and claims.
Adequate sleep is also important because your body repairs itself while you sleep. Sleep allows your brain and body to slow down and engage in processes of recovery including reorganizing your nerve cells and removing toxic byproducts from your brain. Your body is quite literally an intelligent machine in its ability to heal itself – don’t abuse it.
Creative Outlets
Having creative outlets can help with emotion regulation. Some creative outlets are journaling, creating something artistic, or photography. Whether these things are personal projects or hobbies is it important that you explore and find your passions. These creative outlets also need to give you as much output as you are putting in so that it does not feel like work which would be counterintuitive. Doing things that you enjoy and things that give you purpose can positively impact your mental health.
Social Media Hiatuses
Social media can have a serious impact on your mental health and finances. You don’t have to live your life through someone else’s lens. Social media can display a false sense of happiness and a false sense of reality. Contrary to modern society, it is possible to enjoy your life without always broadcasting it. Memories can be captured using a camera and even shared but no camera will ever compensate for lived experiences and memories. Social media can be useful to keep in touch with others, to network, and to share moments of your life but it does not have to take over your life. For more information about the effects that social media can have on your health and finances, check out my previous post.
“You are the way you are because that’s the way you want to be. If you really wanted to be any different, you would be in the process of changing right now.”
Fred Smith
Ultimately, strive to have harmony and balance in all aspects of life and create the life that you want – one that is the same privately as it is publicly. A life that will positively impact your mental health. You caring for your mental health will make you better for you and a better contributor to society.