depression

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  I Have Financial PTSD Over My Debt and I’m Physically and Emotionally Spent

  Question: Dear Steve, I am physically and emotionally spent. I earn $9.85 and hour and have $75k in Federal loan debt. Depression sinks in when I think about the private loan amount. I have had deferments however,...

  • Posted October 31, 2017
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  I Feel Self-Contempt, Depression, and Frustration Because of My Debt

  Question: Dear Steve, Previously full-time 26 y/o college student who dropped out of school because frankly, student debt and bleak job opportunities for my major outweighed its benefits. I work in nutritional meal prep now and it...

  • Posted September 5, 2017
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  I’m Feeling Paralyzed in Debt in NYC Without Hope or a Way Out

  Question: Dear Steve, I have a bank loan I failed at making small regular payments on, it’s at about $1000 and will be written off to collections end of next month. I have a lawsuit from another...

  • Posted November 14, 2016
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  How to Get Out of Debt. The Honest and Unvarnished Truth.

  As a student of the history of debt, having lived through debt problems myself, and having founded and run a credit counseling organization I have a very unique view from inside and outside the debt world. If...

  • Posted September 30, 2016
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  I’ve Got Debt Problems All Over My Life. Please Help. – Judith

  Question: Dear Steve, Well I have a 3 fold question or problem I guess you could say. First one is regarding my daughter, Sarah. Sarah has over $60,000 in student loan debt. She graduated, top of her...

  • Posted September 13, 2016
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  What Can I Do to Take Charge of My Horrible Finances and Get Out of Debt?

  Question: Dear Steve, I am a Navy Veteran, who became a stay at home mom, who came from a line of stay at home mom’s, who was an entitled child who didn’t have to earn or learn...

  • Posted August 9, 2016
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  My Boyfriends Boise State University Art Education Has Made Him Lose Hope

  Question: Dear Steve, So my boyfriend attended a Boise State University in pursuit of a degree in Art. He was using all of his student loans to pay for living expenses because he was going full-time and...

  • Posted July 26, 2016
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  My Art Institute Student Loans Have Left Me Feeling Hopeless and in Parent PLUS Hell

  Question: Dear Steve, Hi, I’m Jessica. I moved to other state 3 hours away from my hometown to go to AI The Art Institute International-Kansas City. I graduated with a Bachelor Degree in graphic design. I wish...

  • Posted June 30, 2016
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  Down in the Dumps? Your Credit Card Debt May Be to Blame, Study Finds

  A recently released study shows that people with credit card debt and overdue bills are much more likely to experience symptoms of depression than those who don’t have such debts, particularly if they are near retirement, unmarried...

  • Posted May 6, 2015
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  Should I Stop Making My Car Payments? I’m Depressed and Hate My Job.

  “Dear Steve, I’m 27 year old single guy, currently working in an IT company, however these past few months has been a depressing experience, the first few months were fine and assuming that I will stay with...

  • Posted January 22, 2015
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  The Fine Art of Getting Out of Debt

  Having helped people with problem debt since 1994 and having lived through financial problems myself in the late 1980s, I’m always amazed how badly people manage the art of getting out of debt. When I listen to...

  • Posted January 6, 2015
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  My Recording Arts Degree is Keeping Me From Love. – Ryan

  “Dear Steve, I am a college graduate with $30,878 in Stafford Loans and $50,932 in private loans. Now I went to a for profit college and I also do admit that I didn’t take as much time...

  • Posted September 18, 2013
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  My Major Depressive Disorder Let Me to a Lot of Private Student Loans I Can’t Afford. – Satasia

  “Dear Steve, The past three years have been difficult for me; I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder after a depressive episode that made me unable to attend school or work. Subsequent attempts to return to school...

  • Posted June 12, 2013
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  Bankruptcy, Depression & Suicide. The Most Avoidable Tragedy.

  People with problem debt are likely to be depressed. My own study in 2001 found that of those people who reached out for help 39.71% were clinically depressed and another 9.56% identified themselves as moderately depressed. Women...

  • Posted June 8, 2013
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  Debt Related PTSD and Financial PTSD Quietly Hurts Many

  We commonly think that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is something that only combat troops face. It’s thought of as an effect only of war. But that’s not the whole story. Through news reports and media coverage we...

  • Posted January 28, 2013
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  Between the Autism, Arthritis, Legal Bills, and Myasthenia Gravis We Are Drowning in Debt. – Jose

  “Dear Steve, I’ve been in custody battles for my stepchildren for the last 6 years. We finally got full custody of the kids last April, after 3 attorneys and about $30,000.00. We still owe about $20,000 to...

  • Posted January 11, 2013
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  Debt is the Symptom, Not the Problem

  Now here is a point many in the debt world get totally wrong. They assume that the debt someone has is the problem. That’s not true. In fact the debt is the byproduct of another event and...

  • Posted November 12, 2012
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• I Didn’t Get Paid and Have a Lot of Business Debt as a Result. – Alex

  “Dear Steve, I am a small business owner and last year I didn’t get paid for one of the project we were working, generating a debt of 180k liable to my business. I have a lawyer working...

  • Posted August 9, 2012
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• My Boyfriend is Helping With the Bills But I’m Still Drowning in Debt. – Lindsay

  “Dear Steve, — 30 Years old, unmarried, live with partner. — Sold car last year to pay off debts, but ended up having to use the extra cash for emergency expenses. — About $22,000 in unsecured credit...

  • Posted May 29, 2012
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  The Seven Stages of Debt. Which Stage Are You In?

  Many years ago I wrote my original Seven Stages of Debt, as modified from the Five Stages of Death and Dying by Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. Both experiencing the emotional loss of a loved one and the emotional...

  • Posted May 21, 2012
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• Spouse suffers from severe depression. Should I cash out IRA funds to get mortgage to a manageable amount? – Sue

  My husband suffers from severe depression and has lost 2 jobs in the last 2 years leaving me financially vulnerable. I need to plan my finances as if I were the only one bringing in an income....

  • Posted December 30, 2011
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• Bankruptcy right for me???

  I was out of work for almost a year and I also had an online smoking accessory company. Mostly lighters, ashtrays and cigar/cigarette cases but that went out of business this summer. My credit card debt went...

  • Posted December 28, 2011
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• My Son Just Returned Home From Active Duty in Afghanistan With PTSD and Debt. – Lori

  “Dear Steve, My son just returned from Afghanistan, and he is very messed up w/ PTSD! He was on the frontlines for 9 months, and now he is home and up to his ass in debt, the...

  • Posted November 28, 2011
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• I’m Paralyzed With Fear Over My Student Loans. – Deni

  “Dear Steve, Began 1 of 2 attempts at medical school 20 years ago. Am soon going to be 54 yo. After roughly 2-3 years of trying to make it work, I was dismissed due to poor grades....

  • Posted November 18, 2011
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• My Severe Depression is Preventing Me From Paying My Medical School Student Loans. – Sayta

  “Dear Steve, I went to college and then to Medical college and have about $190k in studnet loans. Originally it was 160K but I did not pay first two year so residency so the loans became 190K...

  • Posted November 9, 2011
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• Adult Baby Continues To Receive Social Security Benefits – Fraud Allegations Dropped

  Stanley Thornton, Jr. was featured, not too long ago, on an episode of National Geographic’s television show, “Taboo” where his life of living as an Adult Baby was showcased. When I first came across this news story...

  • Posted October 24, 2011
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• Debt Relief Service Did Not Mention Bankruptcy to Me But Debt Settlement Lawyer Did. – Patti

  “Dear Lewis, Have spoke with a local reliable debt relief service. They sent me papers on all my credit, debt/income ratio. Even though it’s grim, they did not say bankruptcy, but left it up to me. My...

  • Posted October 24, 2011
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• I Hate My Job, My Boss is a Jerk, I’m Stressed, And Want Out. – Jamie

  “Dear Steve, I am stressed feeling trapped in an employment contract that I signed for 3 years. In this contract states that if i am to resign before 3yrs, i would have to pay 6x of the...

  • Posted September 18, 2011
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• Debt With Dignity

  In all sorts of corners of life we now assume that it is wrong to not treat others well. For example, in the U.S. we no longer have separate entrances based on the color of your skin....

  • Posted July 27, 2011
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• I Suffer From Depression, Cashed Out My 401k to Pay Bills and I’m Now Being Sued. – Johnny

  “Dear Lewis, I have suffered from depression all of my adult life. I lost my good job several years ago, then got much sicker during the next year. I didn’t work at all for 3 years, now...

  • Posted July 11, 2011
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• I Often Think About Suicide to Ease My Pain of Debt. – Pete

  “Dear Steve, I lost my job in January. I never really saved outside of a two month rainy day fund. I’ve used most of my savings to pay bills until I can land a new job at...

  • Posted May 23, 2011
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• I’m Losing Control of My Sanity Because of My Debt. I’m Having Bad Thoughts. – Frank

  “Dear Steve, Wife and I both had decent paying jobs and able to spend as much as we wanted, she lost her job and soon after unemployement debt I no longer had the overtime,bonuses and other perks,...

  • Posted April 26, 2011
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• I Have a Sick Great-Aunt That Needs My Help But What About My Debt? – Amber

  “Dear Steve, I am a single mom who has gotten in over my head in debt. There are many factors which include loss of job for several months, living off credit while I went to school full...

  • Posted April 26, 2011
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• Debt With Dignity. Debt, the Modern Day Leprosy.

  In all sorts of corners of life we now assume that it is wrong to not treat others well. For example, in the U.S. we no longer have separate entrances based on the color of your skin....

  • Posted March 8, 2011
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• My Friend Can’t Afford Her Car. What Do We Do? – Vivian

  “Dear Steve, I am asking the question for someone else. I help people with setting up budgets and I do not know how to answer this question for this woman that I am helping. She is a...

  • Posted February 3, 2011
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• Gerri Detweiler and I Talk Honestly About Debt

  Gerri Detweiler and I talked recently via Skype video about debt for a video blog she did for DebtConsolidationCare.com. Below you will find our discussion which surrounded the issues I brought up in my article The Honest...

  • Posted January 17, 2011
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• I Need to Get Out of Debt But Not Let My Husband Know. It Needs to be a Secret. – Karen

  “Dear Steve, I am 51 year old woman with a husband and two kids 21 and 17. been married for 32 years. the last few years or more i should say things just have gotton way out...

  • Posted November 30, 2010
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• I Just Want to Run Away From This Financial Mess. – Denise

  “Dear Steve, My husband and I lived in a nice house with our five kids. He made six figures until his business went under in 2007. We filed for bankruptcy in 2008 thinking we could save our...

  • Posted November 6, 2010
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• I Was Trying Dave Ramsey But How Do I Get Out of Debt Without Hurting My Credit Score? – Susan

  Get out of debt w/o hurting credit score Consolidated 12,000.00 of credit card debt with revolving credit line a year and a half ago and still paying 401k loan I used to pay off my car. Then...

  • Posted November 4, 2010
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• I’ve Lost My Father to His Debt. – Nicole

  I am a senior at State University. I grew up with both of my parents my entire life with little to no financial difficulties. Over the past few years my father has hit rock bottom with...

  • Posted November 4, 2010
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• My Debt is Overwhelming and I’ve Had Some Very Dark Thoughts Lately. – Lee

  “Dear Steve, I am a single male, 46, with no children or other dependents, living in the San Diego California area. I was laid off and have been unemployed since Jan 2010. I have a monthly mortgage...

  • Posted October 19, 2010
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• We’ve Lost Three Parents and Had Eight Deaths in Three Years. – B4lee

  “Dear Steve, Since 2007, we have had the time of “Job”. From 2007 to Present we have lost, most, just one month apart, 8 deaths, including 3 parents. In the process the stress caused medical and marital...

  • Posted October 4, 2010
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• Back When I Was Good at Making God Behave I Was Making Good Money – Julie

  “Dear Steve, Back when I was good at making God behave I was a pharmaceutical salesperson making over $90,000 a year. I had no credit card debt and purchased a home that I could easily afford. I...

  • Posted September 29, 2010
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• I Have Some Debt Issues That Are Scaring Me. – Ryan

  “Dear Steve, My name is Ryan, I am 24 years old. I have some debt issues that are scaring me and I am hoping you can point me in the right direction because, honestly, I don’t know...

  • Posted August 30, 2010
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• I’m Depressed, Anxious, and in Debt. – Victoria

  “Dear Steve, Currently I’m not making enough to cover my bills. I am an independent self-contractor (not by choice – just happened) & my pay varies per customer service email I answer within One Week (1 random...

  • Posted August 24, 2010
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• I Am Unemployed and Can’t Pay My Charge Card Bills. – Fran

  “Dear Steve, I was laid off a year ago and apply to jobs/agencies daily to no avail. I am using up what little money I got from a slip and fall lawsuit that I had to accept...

  • Posted August 16, 2010
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• I’m Drowning Under the Pressure of Keeping Us Afloat When He Can’t Participate. – Deborah

  “Dear Steve, I’ve been with my husband for over 18 years. The first five years or so we were always able to work together on our finances, and be supportive of our situation as a team. We...

  • Posted June 29, 2010
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• I Have Mental Health Issues. How Can I Reduce My Debt? – Mel

  Mel “Dear Steve, I have a charged-off bank account, a charged-off cell phone bill, a charged-off credit card, and have not paid anything on another credit card for almost 6 months. The bank account received several overdraft...

  • Posted June 17, 2010
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• Money and Stress: How to Keep Your Money Worries From Killing You

  A recent study at Ohio State University found that people with financial problems, in particular credit card debt, suffered from more emotional problems than those who didn’t have money-related stress. When you stop and think about it,...

  • Posted June 3, 2010
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• Thu Wrote Me And Said “I’m Really Struggling, My Husband is Disabled, How Can I Get Out Of Debt?”

  “Dear Steve, I’m married, my husband is disabled. I have 3 growing children and a 6 year old disabled child. My payroll checks go straight to bills. I use the credit card for foods and miscellaneous household...

  • Posted April 10, 2010
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