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When Lucy Rogers* finally opened a letter she had been ignoring for months, and told it was hers utilities Bill Growing up, this was the last straw. “I remember I just went in Work And started crying bitterly… I said: ‘I am no longer physically able to survive,
“At the time, I was very tired and exhausted, and functioning as an adult was very challenging because of my adhd,
In loan For most of her adult life, Ms. Rogers entered her flat every day and avoided eye contact with her mailbox, unable to bear the pile of letters demanding she pay her bills.
Some of them were marked red, meaning urgent, and they were usually only opened when his mother came and asked him to do so.
The pressure was relentless, and with each unpaid bill, Worry Collected. She kept taking on more debt and got stuck in a cycle that she couldn’t find the mental space to escape. As the cost of living increased and her direct debit increased to £100 every six months, the burden became unbearable.
“I finally broke down, and I finally couldn’t bear the burden of that relentless terror and the pressure of meeting all those obligations,” she said. Independent,
“To be honest, that day I thought about killing myself, I just thought: ‘I can’t handle this anymore, I can’t face people asking me for so much money.'”
according to monzoImpulsive spending, missed bills and difficulty sticking to a budget can cost individuals with ADHD an extra £1,600 each year.
A survey of more than 500 people commissioned by YouGov found that 80 percent of women and 71 percent of men said that money problems caused by their ADHD caused them anxiety.
Ms. Rogers, 38 years old devonWas diagnosis With ADHD three years ago. She also has Graves’ disease, an autoimmune condition that affects the thyroid and can cause weight loss, fatigue, excessive sweating and anxiety, among other things.
“I struggled through early adulthood, not knowing I had ADHD and wondering why I found everything so much harder than my peers,” she said.
“Even with automatic payments, I couldn’t pay the bills. I struggled with budgeting, and I struggled with making sure there was enough money left at the end of the month.”
He had disposable income of about £200 per month, which usually ran out about 10 days before payday. Too tired to cook due to her autoimmune condition, she would often order takeaway, which would drain her money.
NHS It is estimated that about 2.5 million people England Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
For many people, debt is pushing them into crisis. Tasks like managing money, spending wisely, completing financial forms or even opening bills are difficult and can affect mental health.
Many of Ms. Rogers’ money struggles were caused by executive dysfunction, a common ADHD symptom that affects the brain’s ability to manage thoughts, emotions, and behavior.
Professor Barbara Sahakian, ADHD Expert Cambridge UniversitySaid: “The major core cognitive and behavioral symptoms are impulsivity, hyperactivity and/or inattention.”
Many people with ADHD will impulsively buy something they can’t afford, even if it might cause them trouble later, he said.
For Ms. Rogers, her main impulse purchases were books. “I would get sucked into a story and forget what my life was like,” she said.
Professor Sahakian said executive dysfunction also includes problems with planning, problem solving and making risky decisions, which can make it difficult to think about how a decision will affect the future.
“For most of us, paying our bills is something we would be worried about if we didn’t do it,” Professor Sahakian said.
But everyday tasks, such as paying bills, can be difficult for people with ADHD. “They don’t have the ability to keep things in mind as much as other people,” he said.
“It may be that these things fall out of working memory, and something more interesting comes up.”
Ms. Rogers believes there is a need for better support and financial education in school, and she wishes she had been taught more about budgeting and money management from a younger age.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Through our plan for change, we will ensure that young people leave education with a good understanding of how to manage their finances.”
She also thinks banks should intervene more proactively when people are struggling to pay bills or repeatedly going into overdraft.
The Financial Conduct Authority said: “People struggling with debt don’t have to face it alone. If you’re worried about keeping up payments, contact your lender – they have a range of support options and will work with you to agree the best option for you. You can also get free debt advice money helper,
When Ms. Rogers hit her breaking point, she moved on Christians against povertyA debt-counselling charity, which helped him develop a plan to tackle his debt. After getting help, she decided to leave her one-bedroom flat and move into shared accommodation.
She said being able to save for the first time was a “great feeling”, adding: “It was the education process of paying off my debt that gave me the confidence and experience and education to handle my debt.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or struggling to cope, you can speak to Samaritans in confidence on 116 123 (UK & ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit Samaria website to get details of your nearest branch. If you live in the United States, and you or someone you know needs mental health support right now, call or text 988, or go to 988lifeline.org To access online chat from 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to anyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country then you can go www.befrienders.org To find a helpline near you.
*name has been changed