Sickness Linked to Foreclosure Stress
If you didn’t already know it, foreclosures can literally make you sick. Several recent studies have confirmed the link between foreclosure stress and a wide variety of serious medical conditions from depression and insomnia to the increased chances of stroke and heart attacks. By understanding this connection, you’re more likely to recognize possible symptoms and take steps to reduce the impact to you and your family.
Don’t Let Foreclosure Stress Ruin Your Life
Foreclosure is Not Your fault – Blame the Banks
The relationship between stress and your physical and mental well being has been widely known for years. However, the risk of possibly losing your home and becoming homeless creates much greater pressure than most people are accustomed to and as a result increases the likelihood of physical or psychological harm.
Because of the huge numbers of foreclosures nationwide, there have been at least 5 major studies in the past year analyzing possible health effects. The findings, including prominent reports from John Hopkins University and the Bureau of Economic Research, show that people struggling with foreclosure have significantly more asthma attacks, incidents of high blood pressure and racing heartbeat, sleeplessness and longer and more frequent bouts of cold and flu.
The reports also document numerous psychological impacts from foreclosure stress including higher numbers of panic attacks, irritability, temper outbursts, hopelessness and dramatically increased levels of domestic violence. In fact, the Journal of Urban Health concluded that people involved in foreclosures were twice as likely as others to have depression and anxiety in addition to large increases in stress related drinking and drug use.
When the underlying medical conditions worsen, the risk of serious complications increases correspondingly. For homeowners involved in foreclosure this means a much greater risk of stroke, heart attacks, kidney disease and complications from high blood pressure and diabetes as well as other stress related conditions. These findings should serve as a red flag and warning to each and every individual involved in the foreclosure process to put your health first and make sure to get medical treatment at the first sign of trouble regardless of your financial condition.
We’ve listed some ideas below to help reduce foreclosure stress.
HOW TO BEAT FORECLOSURE STRESS
1. First and foremost, get your priorities in order. Your health and the well being of your family and loved ones are the most important things in life and far more difficult to replace than the bricks and mortar holding up your house. If you’re sick or have any of the symptoms discussed earlier, GET HELP and GET IT NOW! Don’t wait until it’s too late and you wind up sick or dead from something that could have been prevented. Don’t ever question whether you can afford health care as there is never a good excuse for skipping medical treatment even when you have no money. Don’t Let Foreclosure Stress Control Your Life.
If you don’t have health insurance and can’t afford to pay for medical care, don’t be afraid to use free and low cost federal programs like Medicaid or one of the many state and local services available to help. There are several free clinics in each state and many hospitals administer financial aid programs through state funding so take care of yourself first without worrying about the potential cost of treatment and making things worse by delaying.
2. The second step towards reducing and eventually eliminating foreclosure stress is to take action by developing a Foreclosure Plan specifically tailored for your situation. Rather than hiding from the inevitable, learn everything possible about your Foreclosure Options and develop a plan that works best for you. Using the resources provided by SavetheCave.com, learn about the Foreclosure Process itself, understand and evaluate each of the 10 foreclosure alternatives and then use our Sample Documents for help in completing your foreclosure plan.
Whether you decide on a loan modification, short sale or deed in lieu of foreclosure, having a plan and taking positive steps to move forward will help eliminate the fear and confusion you started with and provide fresh energy for a new start. The worst thing to do is doing nothing at all which will likely worsen your stress and overall health and limit your options for a positive outcome.
Tips to Get Your Short Sale Approved
3. The third and equally important tool in reducing foreclosure stress is not to give up hope and assume that all is lost. You probably have far more time and a lot more options that you ever imagined and SaveTheCavewill help you figure out what to do and how to do it. Whatever you’re trying to do, don’t give up trying. Even if you’ve already been denied a loan modification or permission for a short sale, try again as the rules and regulations governing your foreclosure options change daily and the information we provide should help give you an edge this time around!
Remember, you’ve been through tough times in the past and survived and you’ll survive through the foreclosure process as well, whatever the outcome. In future posts we’ll address other remedies to reduce foreclosure stress including exercise, yoga and mediation each of which can be a valuable weapon in your fight against stress and unhappiness. Stay tuned, stay healthy and never forget to enjoy every day.
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