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Debt Will Ruin Your Life

Debt can and will ruin your life.

It is not only about the money you owe. It is about the hidden things debt does behind the scenes that slowly squeezes you tighter and tighter.

It steals your peace of mind, robs you of options and the crushes the joy you used to feel in everyday moments. Most people do not realise how debt is already messing with them until they suddenly feel totally overwhelmed.

Here are five hidden ways that debt may already be negatively affecting your life.

1. Your Body Starts Showing your Secret Stress

Before you talk to anyone about your debt situation, your body is already reacting to the pressure you feel.

Long term money stress often shows up in little ways at first. Then it becomes part of your everyday life. You may grind your teeth at night and wake up with a sore jaw. You may find yourself awake at 3am with your heart racing. Migraines become more common. Your blood pressure starts climbing. Your appetite changes. You sleep less and worry more.

You will also probably hesitate to go and see a doctor even though you are not feeling great, because it is so expensive. So, you delay. This creates a painful cycle where stress causes health problems, and the health problems create more stress.

2. Debt Quietly Damages Your Mental Health

Debt affects your thoughts long before you realise it.

Financial stress is a leading cause of depression and anxiety. Depression can settle in slowly before you realise it. There are warning signs, of course.  Simple tasks feel heavy. Your energy fades. You stop doing things you once enjoyed. Anxiety becomes constant. Each phone call or sms l feels like bad news. Each message feels scary or stressful.

Shame makes everything worse. You start comparing yourself to others. You convince yourself (incorrectly) that you are the only one struggling. You pull back from friends and family, choosing silence over having to explain your situation.

NOTE: If you ever feel overwhelmed or have thoughts that worry you, please contact the South African Depression and Anxiety Group on 0800 567 567. You deserve support.

3. Debt Traps You in Your Lousy Job

Debt doesn’t only restrict your spending. It restricts your choices.

You stay in jobs that drain you because leaving feels too risky. You avoid career changes because you cannot possibly handle a pay cut. Even a better opportunity feels unsafe if it includes a temporary drop in income. You end up stuck in a job you hate, with people you can’t stand and you do this day, after day. Year after year.

You might end up working longer hours just to keep up. You fall into the habit of checking your bank balance throughout the day. You try avoid collections calls or sneak off to take calls from creditors during lunch breaks. You pretend everything is fine because you feel you have no other option.

Work becomes a place you cannot escape.

4. Debt Sours the Vibe at Home

Debt moves into your home long before you speak about it.

Your partner senses your tension. Your children see you checking your phone or sitting distracted at the table. You snap more easily because your mind is full of numbers and worries.

Family events become stressful when money is mentioned. You turn down invitations because you cannot afford to go. Even when you are there, your mind keeps calculating. If you skip one payment, maybe you can buy groceries. If you skip groceries, maybe another bill can clear.

The hardest moments are when your children ask for things other kids have. You smile and say maybe next month, while guilt sits heavy on your shoulders.

5. Debt Creates a Cycle That Pulls You Deeper

Debt feeds on itself.

Stress often leads to rushed decisions and rushed decisions easily lead to even more debt.

You use credit for emergencies. You end up paying late fees. You make minimum payments that barely move the capital. It leaves you exposed. Even one small setback can push you further behind. You feel stuck and the feeling grows stronger each month as your available balance shrinks and your debts grow.

Now, while credit providers may want you trapped so they can make a lot of profit off of you, you do have options and you can break the cycle.

Here are some small steps you can take to start to break free:

    • Write down everything you owe
    • Create a more realistic budget
    • Speak to a registered Debt Counsellor
    • Protect your mental wellbeing
    • Don’t rush. Take one small positive step each day

You Are Not Alone

Debt affects far more South Africans than you realise.

The truth is that most people simply do not talk about it. So, you don’t realise that you are not alone.

If any of these five points feel familiar, take it as your sign to take a positive step today. And remember: You do not need to fix everything all at once, and you certainly do not need to face it alone.

Don’t stay stuck dealing with the hidden effects of debt. Work with your family, friends or professionals to take this weight off your shoulders.

Thank you to DCASA for their help with crafting this article.