Research shows that 77% of all adults in the UK are worried about money, with 17% of those surveyed describing themselves as “very stressed”. Some of these people think about money every day. They can’t sleep. They’ve lost their appetites, they are anxious and worried all of the time. These worries and concerns are affecting their relationships, their confidence and their performance at work. For a small percentage, these worries will lead to deeper mental health problems, and in some cases, money worries have even led to suicide.

Yet, we don’t talk about it. When we’ve got things going on in our own heads, we tend to internalise. We feel like we are completely alone. Like the thoughts that we are thinking are ours alone, and there is no one else that is going through the same thing. When it comes to money worries, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Your friends, family, work friends, people you sit next to on the bus, chances are, at some point in their lives, they’ve struggled with money. If you are feeling stressed out about money, here are some of the things that you can do to cope so that it can’t take over your life.

Assess Your Situation

A lot of us don’t know anywhere near as much as we should about our financial situation. You might see bills going out and your balance never going in the right direction and panic. But before you let yourself get upset, sit down and assess your situation. Look at your bank statements, see what is going in and out of your accounts and spend some time putting together a simple budget. Give yourself all of the information before you do anything else.

Explore Options

Another typical thought process for people with money worries is “There’s nothing I can do”. Well, there absolutely is. Whether you need to look at unsecured credit cards for bad credit to improve your credit score, balance transfers and consolidation loans, or cancelling contracts and finding ways to tighten your budget. You might even be able to borrow money from family. You’ve always got options.

Speak to Someone

Because we don’t talk about money, we don’t know how other people cope. Your best friend might have been through exactly the same and have loads of advice on what to do, but she won’t know you need it unless you ask. Talk to someone. If you don’t want to confide in someone you know, speak to a finance professional at Citizens Advice.

Do Something

The worst thing that you can do when you are worried about money is nothing. That’s how problems get worse and how anxiety builds. Start right now. Build budgets, speak to people, cancel contracts, ask your bank to help you; just do something. Remember, even tiny steps, like paying an extra £10 off your debts a month, will help.

Find Free Ways to Unwind

A big problem with coping with money stress is that most of the ways that we unwind cost money. You might be desperate for a holiday, but there’s no way that you can afford one. So find free ways to relax, like watching a DVD with a friend, taking a hot bath or going for a long walk.