The Vicious Loop
Debt makes you feel like a failure. That failure feeling crushes your energy. And when you don’t have energy, you avoid the debt. The shame builds. Rinse, repeat.
This isn’t laziness. This is survival mode. And it’s devastating.
Why Depression Loves Debt (And Vice Versa)
- 🧠 Cognitive fatigue: Making endless small money decisions drains mental bandwidth.
- 🚫 Avoidance becomes a coping strategy: Out of sight = slightly less panic. Until it’s not.
- 💸 Retail therapy backlash: Small highs from spending crash into long-term shame.
- 😶 Lack of safe outlets: You feel alone, so you go silent — which makes it worse.
No, You’re Not Broken
You’re not “bad with money.” You’re navigating emotional landmines with no map. No school taught you how to manage financial trauma. Most people don’t even recognize it exists.
But here you are. Reading. Naming it. That’s more than most.
Okay, So What Can You Actually Do?
- 🛏️ Start with your nervous system. Not your balance. Drink water. Breathe. Move for 3 minutes.
- 📓 Journal without strategy. “I feel __ because __.” Not a budget. Just your truth.
- 🌒 Check the numbers... eventually. But only when you’ve grounded yourself. Never during panic.
- 👁️ Find one person to say it to. “I’m in a hole. And I’m tired.” That counts.
You Don’t Owe Anyone a Comeback
You don’t have to be inspiring. You just have to keep breathing.
Debt shame and depression will try to convince you that you’re the problem. But what if you’re just one of the only ones telling the truth?
That’s not weak. That’s revolutionary.