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FINANCIAL
HEALTH

CAN The Federal Reserve has increased interest rates for the first time since the 2008 financial
FINANCIAL crisis began. The unemployment rate is at an all-time low in nearly eight years at 5 percent.
STRESS Gas prices have fallen below $2.00 in forty one states. Yet we are still financially stressed.
AFFECT
MY Whether you have a large amount of student debt, lost your job, or you’re simply irre-
HEALTH? sponsible with your money, you are the majority. According to a 2015 survey conducted by
Financial Finesse, 85 percent of Americans experience stress related to income, retirement
By Abbey Carnes, Ozona Bank planning, paying bills on time, and not having control of their financial destiny. In fact,
only 19 percent of men and 7 percent of women earning less than $60,000 in 2014 felt fi-
36 San Antonio Medicine • April 2016 nancially stress free. On the other end of the spectrum, only 22 percent of men and 15 per-
cent of women earning more than $100,000 reported being financially stress free, which
tells us that financial stress effects everyone regardless of income level.

Just as there are many causes of stress, there are many reactions to stress, both immediate
and long- term. For example, when you’re under stress your body experiences immediate
short-term effects, such as faster breathing, increased heart rate and blood pressure, memory
and concentration suppression, release of cortisol, and a reduction in metabolism. In the
long-term, stress is known to increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, digestive problems,
and sexual dysfunctions, just to name a few. Furthermore, it can lead to unhealthy weight
gain or loss, skin problems, sleep issues, increased pain and the aggravation of chronic diseases
like diabetes.

In addition to the physiological effects, the psychological effects can lead to a symbiotic
cycle of cause and effect. Chronic financial stress can lead to poor performance at work due
to external distractions and frequent absences to visit the doctor, which in turn can lead to
a demotion or worse—termination. Obviously, this would contribute to further financial
stress impacting your relationship with your family, and potentially change your lifestyle.

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