Are you in debt and anxious about it? Stepchange & Mental Health Foundation can help

Former_MSE_Andrea

Hi everyone!

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week 2015, running 11-17 May, we’re supporting Stepchange Debt Charity and the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) in highlighting how debt can be a key factor in mental health issues and supporting Money Savers feeling anxious about their debt.

You may know already that we have a free Mental Health and Debt guide available for anyone to download if you feel you need to.

We're holding a Twitter Q&A with StepChange and MHF at 11am today (Wed 13 May) and if you're reading this before 3pm on Monday 18 May MHF has given us 100 free online Bemindful courses to offer MoneySavers. You can try for one here: Mental Health Awareness online course giveaway

This year the MHF is specifically talking about mindfulness, as part of a prevention strategy to tackle the causes that increase the risks of mental ill health, and to equip people with practical tools that help prevent stress, anxiety and depression. It's re-launching bemindful.co.uk, featuring information on mindfulness, a UK teacher’s directory, and its online course.

MHF, along with StepChange, will be joining us on here to help with any more questions you may have after the Twitter Q&A. The Forum is completely anonymous so you can join and ask questions without feeling concerned friends and family will identify you.

To ask a question join here.

Just ask your question and MHF and Stepchange will reply if and when they can. We’re sure you’ll understand as MHF and StepChange are charities they aim to help with as many questions as they can but can’t promise to answer all of them or within a set amount of time.

If you’d like specific help from a StepChange debt advisor post your question on our dedicated thread: Ask a Debt Advisor a question

Former_StepChange_Rachel

Hi everyone, Rachel here.

Just a little bit of background on our Twitter Q&A today:

For several years now, StepChange Debt Charity and Mental Health Foundation have been working together to encourage people to talk about the stress they may be feeling as a result of debts they’re dealing with. Our friends at MoneySavingExpert have also worked tirelessly to help thousands of people take control of their money worries by helping them make more informed financial decisions and pointing them in the right direction for free debt advice.

So, today we want to talk about you, and the feelings that arise when you face something daunting such as debt. In addition to how debt worries might make you feel, we also want to know what steps you take to reduce your stress and feel better about the situation.

Do you:

• Meditate?
• Spend time with friends?
• Get lost in a good book or movie?
• Exercise?

What advice would you give someone dealing with debt related stress?
What words of encouragement would you give them?

MHF_Joanna

Hi everyone,

Joanna here from the Mental Health Foundation. We're so pleased to be part of this conversation- the impact debt can have on your mental health should not be taken for granted.

Thanks to our friends at Stepchange and Money Saving Expert, this Mental Health Awareness Week has been one of our biggest yet. We chose to focus on mindfulness, a mind body-based training, because it has a strong evidence base for reduction in stress, anxiety and depression. If you'd like to learn a bit more about mindfulness visit bemindful.co.uk.

Mindfulness is one way to manage your stress and anxiety about money worries, but there are so many ways you can take control of and improve your mental wellbeing. I look forward to hearing how you mange your debt-related stress, and help in any way we can.

Former_MSE_Andrea

Thanks StepChange and Mental Health Foundation.