College is an expensive venture, and trying to ace your exams while preparing to pay off student loans can be stressful. It also doesn’t help when many college students are on their own, having to pay for a home, food, and all the other expenses.
Financial stress is a common experience for a majority of college students that have some level of anxiety over money. So, how do you deal with those strong emotions while trying to get through school? Here’s a guide on five coping mechanisms to help you deal with financial stress in college.
What Are Coping Mechanisms for Financial Stress?
Financial stress can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as substance abuse, impulsive spending, or overeating. While these behaviors can help someone escape their anxiety for a short time, it’s not good for their physical or mental health that can lead to more stress in the long run.
Being a student is difficult, so dealing with financial stress isn’t ideal. If you’re equipped with the right coping mechanisms for financial stress, you can avoid it taking a large toll on you. Some ways to healthily cope with financial stress include:
- Scheduling time to get some exercise and let off steam
- Make a realistic budget and cut down on wasteful spending
- Find a non-stressful job to make some extra income
- Practice general stress-management techniques
- Reach out to family and friends for emotional support
These coping mechanisms will allow you to take time for your mental health and find ways to save money. Having extra money can help you decline the amount of stress that you have in your life. That can be a great way to decrease the chances of physical or mental health consequences due to high stress levels.
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