General Chat

It's easy to suffer from depression, easy to get into debt... both combined is quite literally a waking nightmare, there may be something in this that can help someone.
a downloadable booklet on the moneysavingexpert site....

"Major new guide, first ever of its type, supported by key charities

Mental health problems can cause severe debt; severe debt can cause mental health problems - it's a marriage made in hell. The mammoth scale of this national problem is hidden, as both issues carry a stigma.

Debt isn't purely a financial issue. It can break up families, take the roof from over your children's heads, kill confidence, pile on stress, cause depression and even lead some to take their own lives.

New 40 page free PDF booklet

One in four have some type of mental health problem; those who do are up to FIVE times more likely to be in debt crisis.
For years I've had a passion to do something, as we see too many on the brink, but working out solutions isn't easy. Finally, with guidance from charities Mind, Rethink, CAB and CAP, we're launching this new publication.

Who's it for? Individuals, families, carers, and caseworkers of those with anxiety, depression, bipolar and other mental health problems.

What's in it? How to handle debts when stressed, work with banks, get free one-to-one debt counselling, specific tips for bipolar and depression sufferers, info on whether you should declare your mental health issues and more.

How do I get it? Simply download and print the free Mental Health & Debt Help PDF booklet "

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cards/mental-health-guide

Fantastic Rose!!
...and who's basically to blame- methinks the banks!!

Nudge for this Rose and thanks for finding the site

Teresa

Nudge

Thanks for nudging ladies :) if it only helps one person it's worth a try.

You get on the debt treadmill usually through no fault of your own, bills come in and there seems no way out and no one who can help. and it can happen to anyone, through losing a job, illness ( mental or physical) ,
divorce...you name it!

Good luck to anyone who is struggling at the moment.

xx

Strange how both debt and mental health are both considered something 'not discussed', when one in four people will suffer some sort of mental health issue in their lives.
As for debt - what sort of example have our government been over the past 20 years?
If they can misspend billions, think it's okay to fleece the public with false expense claims, because 67k a year isn't enough, and assume the unemployed choose to live on £67 a week (probably less than most MP's spend on a l unch) as a 'lifestyle', what hope do the rest of us have?!!

I have suffered with depression for years and so has my mum. It's not the easiest subject too confront . But I refuse to go to docs for tablets as for years I watched my mum being mongged out . My mum is now anti - depressent free after being on them since I was born . I applaud you RR for approaching this subject

Hi Bunny,
That was the problem-'monging' people out.
'Mother's little helper' in the1960's was Valium - a 'wonder' drug that hadn't really been tested in enough depth,and was given to women at any excuse (basically to shut them up!) without a thought to it's addictiveness.
Now they use cognitive therapy instead of drugs where they can- and the difference is amazing!!

It is still considered impolite ( embarassing?) to discuss money I think. Most of us are 'in debt' probably, though somehow having a mortgage is not considered as 'debt' in the same way as personal loans, credit cards, unpaid bills are.

Being "in debt", especially if you don't have much to start with, carries the underlying implication of being feckless, irresponsible with money, spending on luxuries. It smacks of 'failure'.

However if you start out with millions of someone elses money as the banks do and you lose it then it's 'the economic situation, bad investments' to blame...all very impersonal.

When it's Joe Bloggs who maybe bought a house that was a bit too expensive because he had a decent job at the time and now he's lost it...well then it's a case of 'he should have thought of that, living beyond his means, and now look at him no job, losing his house, he wants to get on his bike and find work!".

In the same way I think mental health problems are also perceived as a 'failure', especially depression ...because after all " we all have problems, why don't you just pull yourself together !" and of course if THAT worked we could all do it.

Put those two perceived personal 'failings' together and it is as the booklet says a marriage made in hell. Very hard to deal with one of those things let alone both at the same time.

my mum had bipolor, and she passed away in december 2010, since then i donated lots of stuff to the mind charity, because they need our help, and your rite, my mum was rubbish with money, always in dept, with the rite medication though she was alot better with her life. i wish my mum had of been helped a bit more. adie from leicester

I suffered postnatal depression with one of my children, well with all but particularly with one. I wasin the octors for 4 minutes maximum and came out with a presciption. I cannot remember the name of these ultra strong tablets but it began with C. I was to take 3 a day. By day 4 I was unable to do anything for myself and living in a twilight zone. Going down a very slippery slope. A very good friend took the tablets and ripped up the repeat prescription that he had already given me in advance. And thank God, otherwise my children would now be motherless. And this was only in 2002!

to romany star, my mum was and had tried lots of different drugs, like you, most ended up in the bin! and rightly so, but when the rite ones was found she was ok, she got addmited to hospital for 6 weeks about 4 years ago, and they forgot to give them to her, anyway, a few after that i noticed my mum went back to being strange and doing weird things, all related to bipolor, soon as i noticed she was back on them and she was fine, doctors at the hospital was craping them selves because i said i was going to sue, because of there neglagence! but i guess where all different, and we probly respond to the medication differently.glad your ok now though. adrian from leicester

Hi ya RR , my mum was give termazipam , her doctor also gave her the wrong prescription she didn't no until the doctor came knocking on the door , demanding that he saw my mum , that mistake could have killed her . Luckily it didn't but i think that's why I won't go to my docs , I have no debts luckily but I think it is I'n my genes . My friends recone I have ADHD because once I start on something I won't let it go . I had a servear breakdown last year but and I pray that it won't happen again .