Money anxiety is the new black. Right now, the country is in the midst of an economy that causes many people to fear that they cannot afford basic things like rent, groceries, and medical care.
Renewal Oasis recognizes that money anxiety can cause tremendous stress and poor mental health. We offer treatment for anxiety related to any kind of stressors, including financial ones. Our outpatient and residential programs for anxiety disorders provide structured and compassionate care that helps people develop tools to diffuse their anxiety.
What is Money Anxiety?
Money anxiety, also referred to as financial anxiety, causes a person to feel anxious about their personal finances. While money anxiety is not an official diagnosis, it is often found as one of the symptoms of an anxiety disorder. Constantly worrying about money and bills eventually takes a toll on a person’s mental health and can even cause poor physical health.
Symptoms and Causes
Because so many people worry about their finances these days, it can be easy to overlook the fact that someone has a serious amount of money anxiety. This condition causes specific symptoms to happen and is jump-started for a variety of reasons.
What Are the Symptoms of Money Anxiety?
Common symptoms of money anxiety include:
- Obsessively going over bills and financial needs
- Avoiding opening bills or checking them online
- Medical symptoms with no explanation, such as headaches, nausea, body aches, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Stressing out over how every penny is spent
- Working overtime or a second job to help meet the person’s financial needs
- Feeling guilty over buying anything “extra”, no matter how small the item
- An inability to relax
- Panic attacks
What are the Causes of Financial Anxiety?
Financial anxiety can stem from any number of sources. These include:
- Being late on paying bills
- High balance or overextended on credit cards
- Fear of losing a person’s home
- Inflation
- Food insecurity
- Past financial trauma
- Unreliable income or not earning enough
- Being able to pay for children’s college
- Difficulty sticking to a budget
- Calls from creditors trying to collect debts
Effects of Money Anxiety
Someone struggling with money anxiety typically suffers from negative effects. This only compounds their anxiety, causing them to feel like they are digging a bigger hole. Money anxiety can lead to a person abusing drugs or alcohol to try to forget their financial difficulties. It can also lead to conflict with a partner or family members.
Moreover, some people may turn to gambling in an effort to try to win a large sum of money that will cure their problems. Unfortunately, this just compounds the problem. If the individual does not already have an anxiety disorder, worrying so much about money can contribute to developing one.
How to Stop Worrying About Money and Start Living
A person can help reduce their financial anxiety by engaging in some helpful activities. They can set a budget by putting it in writing on their computer or in a notebook. Understanding exactly what bills they have each month and how much they cost can help ease money anxiety. Additionally, the person can also set a time limit for thinking and worrying about money. For example, they can work on their budget for an hour and then put aside the subject for the rest of the day.
Some basic tips for reducing anxiety in general can also help when it comes to lowering a person’s money anxiety levels. This includes setting a sleep schedule, eating a healthy diet, and getting regular exercise. In addition, meditation and yoga can also help reduce anxiety. Finally, the person should stop focusing on blaming themselves, accept where they are, and think of their finances in terms of what they can control.
How to Seek Help for Money Anxiety
Someone with an anxiety disorder needs to seek formal care from a mental health treatment program. In particular, they can benefit from attending therapies known for helping people with anxiety. For example, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people draw a correlation between their emotions and thoughts and reshape how they affect their behaviors.
Mindfulness-based therapies help the individual live in the moment instead of staying anxious about future events. Moreover, group therapy can also help due to the beneficial give-and-take of peer support. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy also helps by teaching people how to tolerate stress and lower their anxiety levels.
Finally, prescription medications can help ease symptoms of anxiety. The prescribing clinician will help determine which meds to try first and monitor the person for the effects. If needed, any necessary changes in dosage or type of medication can be made.
Contact Renewal Oasis to Treat Money Anxiety
Do you experience money anxiety and feel overwhelmed by the constant feeling of fear and dread? Renewal Oasis offers several types of programs that treat anxiety-based disorders. In addition, our skilled team of clinicians helps you learn ways of reducing your anxiety so you can feel more in control of your life. Moreover, we also provide options for prescription drugs that help minimize symptoms of anxiety.
Contact us today to find out more about how our team can help you feel less anxious. Furthermore, we can answer any questions you have and get you enrolled in the right program to fit your needs.
Published: 10/28/2025
