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Money and mental health

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

Understand your money and mood patterns 

Working out your habits and thought patterns around money is a good place to start. It could help you start to think about things you want to work on.

  • Think about when you spend or save money and why.
  • Think about what aspects of dealing with money make your mental health worse. Is it attending appointments, opening envelopes, confrontation or being misunderstood? Or is it something else?
  • It could help to keep a diary of your spending, and your mood. Try and record what you spent and why. Record how you were feeling before and afterwards too. This could help you work out any triggers or patterns.

When you understand more about what’s happening in your life, you can think about what might help. Sometimes just being aware of these patterns can help you feel more in control.

For example, these are some common ways money and mental health can affect each other:

  • Certain situations might trigger feelings of anxiety and panic. Like talking to your bank, opening envelopes or attending a benefits assessment. Or you might feel very anxious about a decision to spend money, even when you can afford it. 
  • If you’re feeling low or depressed, you may lack motivation to manage your finances. It might not feel worthwhile trying.
  • Spending may give you a brief high, so you might overspend to feel better.
  • Going through a period of mania or hypomania may lead to some impulsive financial decisions.
  • If a mental health problem affects your ability to work or study, that might have an affect on your income.
  • Being in debt or dealing with the benefits system can cause ongoing feelings of stress. 
  • Worrying about money can lead to sleep problems. 
  • Money problems can affect your social life and relationships. You might feel lonely or isolated.
  • Having a mental health problem might affect your insurance premiums, so you end up paying more.
  • You might not be able to afford essential things we all need to feel well. This might be housing, food, water, heating, or treatments like medication and therapy.

“A big stressor for me is having to deal with major companies who get the bills wrong.”

If you can’t afford bills or food 

You’re not alone. Help is out there.

You may be able to claim social security benefits to help with your living costs. Start by finding out what you can claim, and get advice on making an application.

 The Social Welfare Department Hotline (Tel: 2343 2255) can provide you with information on welfare services.

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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

Understand your money and mood patterns

Understand your money and mood patterns 

Working out your habits and thought patterns around money is a good place to start. It could help you start to think about things you want to work on.

  • Think about when you spend or save money and why.
  • Think about what aspects of dealing with money make your mental health worse. Is it attending appointments, opening envelopes, confrontation or being misunderstood? Or is it something else?
  • It could help to keep a diary of your spending, and your mood. Try and record what you spent and why. Record how you were feeling before and afterwards too. This could help you work out any triggers or patterns.

When you understand more about what's happening in your life, you can think about what might help. Sometimes just being aware of these patterns can help you feel more in control.

For example, these are some common ways money and mental health can affect each other:

  • Certain situations might trigger feelings of anxiety and panic. Like talking to your bank, opening envelopes or attending a benefits assessment. Or you might feel very anxious about a decision to spend money, even when you can afford it. 
  • If you're feeling low or depressed, you may lack motivation to manage your finances. It might not feel worthwhile trying.
  • Spending may give you a brief high, so you might overspend to feel better.
  • Going through a period of mania or hypomania may lead to some impulsive financial decisions.
  • If a mental health problem affects your ability to work or study, that might have an affect on your income.
  • Being in debt or dealing with the benefits system can cause ongoing feelings of stress. 
  • Worrying about money can lead to sleep problems. 
  • Money problems can affect your social life and relationships. You might feel lonely or isolated.
  • Having a mental health problem might affect your insurance premiums, so you end up paying more.
  • You might not be able to afford essential things we all need to feel well. This might be housing, food, water, heating, or treatments like medication and therapy.

"A big stressor for me is having to deal with major companies who get the bills wrong."

If you can't afford bills or food 

You're not alone. Help is out there.

You may be able to claim social security benefits to help with your living costs. Start by finding out what you can claim, and get advice on making an application.

 The Social Welfare Department Hotline (Tel: 2343 2255) can provide you with information on welfare services.