Feeling Unneeded After Work, and the Money Decisions That Follow
When work ends, some people feel unneeded. What the research says about loneliness, helping grown kids and scams, and one money decision to make this week.
Mental Health Related
The Four Stages of Sexual Financial Domination: How Debt Becomes a Feeling
Financial domination is real, and it’s the clearest example I know that debt is math wrapped in emotion. Here are the four stages — and the way out.
Why Depression and Debt Feed Each Other — And How to Break the Loop
Debt causes depression. Depression causes debt. I ran a debt relief org for 12 years — here’s the clinical feedback loop nobody in personal finance talks about.
Is Your Debt Making You Depressed? What the Research Says — and a Free Way to Find Out
Is Your Debt Making You Depressed? What the Research Says — and a Free Way to Find Out Quick Answer: Research consistently shows that debt is strongly associated with depression. A screening my organization Myvesta ran in 2001 found that 49% of 136 debt counseling clients screened positive for depression symptoms on the CES-D — …
Why Did I Go Into Debt Trading Options?
The debt from day trading isn’t the problem — it’s the symptom. Steve Rhode explains the dopamine cycle, cognitive biases, and ancient psychological patterns that turn trading into debt, and what to do about both.
Debt Equals Depression: The Research That Explains Why Debt Advice Fails
Quick Answer: Original Myvesta research found that 49.3% of 136 people in debt crisis screened positive for depression symptoms on the CES-D, and 39.7% scored in the severe range. This page long compared that to a 9.5% general-population figure and called it five times the rate; that comparison was wrong and I have corrected it …
Mental Health and Debt: When It Helps to Ask
Quick Answer: Mental health issues and debt create a destructive cycle, with 9 out of 10 people in problem debt reporting worsened mental health symptoms. The advice recommends closing credit cards and freezing credit reports as extreme but necessary measures to break spending patterns during depressive episodes.Question:Dear Steve,I am currently diagnosed with PTSD, depression, anxiety, …
Student Loan Forgiveness for Mental Health: Myth vs Reality
Quick Answer: Student loan forgiveness for mental health conditions like bipolar disorder is possible through federal disability discharge programs, but private student loans typically don’t offer mental health accommodations. The ability to work sporadically may complicate qualification for total disability discharge, which requires demonstrating inability to engage in substantial gainful activity.Question:Dear Steve,I have severe bipolar …
Bipolar and Debt: Why I Can’t Get Ahead
Quick Answer: A person with bipolar disorder struggling with $80,000+ in debt should consider bankruptcy since their mental health episodes prevent consistent debt management and they’re currently homeless. Bankruptcy won’t affect an ex-spouse after separation, and Chapter 7 could provide the fresh start needed when traditional debt reduction methods fail due to mental health challenges.Question:Dear …
Student Loan Debt With PTSD: What to Do
Quick Answer: Students with PTSD may qualify for federal student loan discharge if the condition is deemed totally and permanently disabling, but the doctor must certify it as debilitating. With $80,000 in debt and mental health conditions, the borrower should explore income-driven repayment plans and disability discharge options through federal loan servicers.Question:Dear Steve,My husband has …
