Everyone has experienced one form of financial problem or another. But if there’s one thing that stands out, it is debt. Whether for personal or professional reason, debt is usually inevitable. The problem comes with repaying the loan with interest within a reasonable amount of time. According to a 2009 AP/AOL study, Americans are deeply stressed because of the amount of debt burden they carry. Their stress level has significantly increased from four years ago.

As if financial troubles isn’t enough, stress levels that results from debt is also known to cause health problems such as anxiety, heart problems, ulcer, back pain, headaches, and muscle tension. The health costs due to stress are oven overlooked but it should be given further attention. For example, studies show that people with moderately high to high debt stress-related problems are prone to the following:

• 7 times likelier to experience severe anxiety
• 13 times likelier to lose sleep at night
• 4 times likelier to have digestive problems including ulcer
• 2 times likelier to have migraines and heart problems
• Around 7 times as likely to unload their burden to others
• Around 6 times as likely to have depression

It seems that debt is not something you can just erase from your mind, body, and life. What lessons can be learned here? Well, it seems that while money can increase standards of living, it can also significantly lower it in important areas. Your quality of life suffers especially if you don’t know how to manage your finances properly.

Many say that money doesn’t really lead to happiness. On the other end of it, debt burden can actually cause a lot of unhappiness. Unfortunately, people don’t even realize what its effect is on their health. Surveys conducted in 2009 showed that world affairs is their second biggest concern. Health is placed last in almost all countries surveyed.

If you have a lot of debt, don’t overlook its effect on you. Identify how you cope with debt stress. If it is in a negative way, look for a healthy alternative. For example, you can relieve your frustrations at the gym, make a thorough plan about repayment, or take a part-time job to do something about your situation. Whatever the case, don’t let it get out of hand. It is important to your overall well-being.

• Graduates Struggling to Repay College Debt Burden
• What are Bank “Stress Tests”?
• When To Quit Your Job – How Much Money Do You Need?
• What is Debt Counseling and is it important?
• Should You Stay in a Job You Hate For Money?
• 5 More Everyday Tips to Save Money
• Unemployment News – May Take Years to Recover
• More Taxes in the Pipeline
• New Credit Card Laws – New Details
• $1 Million No Longer Enough for Retirement