Money and Mental health TALKING ABOUT MONEY

Background Making Money Count is part of the Improving Financial Confidence Programme Reached over 1600 low income households in Fenland in last 4+ years Featured in a number of key research projects All work is face to face or phone Deprived area with high levels of social and economic exclusion Approx. 1 in 4 face ‘crisis’ in money High levels of mental health issues- diagnosed and undiagnosed Money and mental health are intricately linked. Mental health problems make it harder to manage your finances and living in financial stress can harm your mental health. Of nearly 5500 people with lived experience: 86% said their financial problems made their health worse 72% said their mental health made their money situation worse MONEY AND MENTAL HEALTH 2016

How are money challenges experienced? Feedback from co production workshops with Recovery College East Research and reports from the Money and Mental Health Institute Your experiences and feedback!

Experiences of money

“Sometimes the things that are too hard to talk about are the things it is important to talk about” FEEDBACK FROM RECOVERY COLLEGE PARTICIPANTS A tangle that a kitten has made – wrapped around other things and people – not simply a ball that you can throw to someone else A teddy stuck in a huge pile of rubbish - very hard to separate into parts – everything has something else attached An anthill that you burrow in and get lost in detail and lose sight of what trying to do Feels like a problem that is all around bothering me from all angles – above below and to the side Feel like I am on a tightrope – very narrow – whilst I am trying to balance new balls keep being thrown at me

What helps? TRUST – don’t make me feel as if I am not doing enough RESPECT – ask me what I am experiencing not ‘what’s wrong’ MY PRIORITIES – if I tell you something is a lifeline don’t ask me to do without REINFORCE – focus on what I am doing well and what is working DON’T COMPARE – not useful to know what others are doing – they are not me DON’T ANTICIPATE – don’t assume what I am feeling and thinking without asking DIRECT – ask questions clearly – don’t go in a roundabout way SAFETY MARGINS – help me develop ‘buffers’ and safeguards PACE – don’t make me feel slow if I am not getting it – just try again

Working better- Building resilience WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO RECOVERY Close and trusting relationships A positive view of yourself and confidence in your strengths and abilities The ability to manage strong feelings and impulses Good problem-solving and communication skills Feeling in control Seeking help and resources Seeing yourself as resilient (rather than as a victim) Coping with stress in healthy ways and avoiding harmful coping strategies, such as substance abuse Helping others Finding positive meaning in your life despite difficult or traumatic event

Money and Mental Health Institute www.moneyandmentalhealth.org

**ONLY 6% OF THOSE IN IAPT WERE REFERRED TO SPECIALIST HELP** Money and mental health Money and mental health are intricately linked. Mental health problems make it harder to manage your finances and living in financial stress can harm your mental health. Of nearly 5500 people with lived experience: 86% said their financial problems made their health worse 72% said their mental health made their money situation worse MONEY AND MENTAL HEALTH 2016 **ONLY 6% OF THOSE IN IAPT WERE REFERRED TO SPECIALIST HELP**

CARE! Impacts will be individual and unique to each person Example impacts from mental health challenges Problematic spending, manic, social value, comfort, depressed Motivation Hopelessness anger, turn against self Stress / anxiety Attention span, focus, processing CARE! Impacts will be individual and unique to each person Fatigue Concentration, low energy Isolation, shame, withdrawal, exclusion Paranoia/ delusions Communication Psychological barriers, e.g. Avoidance, denial, phobias Cognitive overload – memory, form filling, calculations For more detail SEEING THROUGH THE FOG Money and Mental Health Institute

Working with mental health challenges within money conversations How do mental health challenges impact on the work you do? What do you find difficult? What do you do that works well?

What next? What do you need? Blending money ‘know-how’ with emotional reality… Understanding how differing states of mind affect perceptions and behaviours Developing reflective / self awareness ‘resilience’ tools Making money conversations more normal – particularly in health settings Understanding more about the recovery model and developing resilience More co-production to develop resources and approaches And ? liz.stannard@clarionhg.com www.makingmoneycount.org.uk