Depressed

I can understand, having alot of debt is stressful, what is sometimes helpful is to have a list and cross off what you paid off or completed. Also really look back at what you have accomplished so far you've already paid of 1/2 your debt in one year! That's amazing! A huge accomplishment! I do think about all my debt, quite a bit, but I don't let it get me down. Each day I'm making progress and I still try and fit in a little fun time or splurging every now and then. You need to still try and enjoy life while you go through this. I usually take the kids to the movies once a month, or we have movie night, I also just discovered I might be interested in visiting Italy, so I went to the library and picked up some books and a cd to learn how to speak Italian, the key is to find things you enjoy while you go through this. It doesn't have to be depressing, it's just one small part of your life. If you continue at the same rate as last year, you will be out of debt in just 12 months! Don't let it get you down. Life is much more than that!

Hi, i think a lot of people get depressed in debt. I'm depressed too, every single day i think abt it. But all i can do is to try to look forward. I've made bad choices and try to learn from the mistakes. Do not ever repeat the same mistake with cr cards. I think u are making very good progress with paying off your debt. U should think abt the happy time that u will have after you pay off just in another year. Good luck !!

Hang in there. There are times that I get overwhelmed and have to work hard to fight off the depression too. There is just one of me and it all falls on my shoulders. The debt I can claim to be unavoidable in some cases not even my fault. This gets me nowhere but frustrated and angry that I cannot focus on the actual debts that I did cause. That for me is just another avoidance technique which I do not recommend.
To cope - I look and plan to the future. Not specifically on how to clear up my debt. I plan for what I want to accomplish. My goal is to find the home of my dreams and move my family into it. This will take money and it will also require debts to be paid. So motivated by the happy goal in front of me I whittle away at my debt. Sort of like an artist sculpting a beautiful work of art out of an ooey gooey mess of clay. Or chiseling away at an ugly rock wall... I haven't had much sleep tonight. Anyway, I hope things get better for you. :) Keep smiling.

I have my bad days as well, how I cope and try to stay positive is I journal everyday about the things going on in my life and the progress I'm making. I set goals and rewards. I do special things for myself and my family on the weekends. I might just plan a special meal with a new recipe and serve it by candle light ... simple things to make me feel good.

Saving money is always a favorite past time for me as well. I take flyers out and plan my weekly menu for my family based on what is on sale and I love the buy one get one free deals. I purchased a small chest freezer (roughly $165.00) and I freeze sale items for future use. I look up recipes on cooks.com and plan special meals so we never feel deprived. It really is a great way to save money on the grocery bill and whenever I save money and am being creative, it lifts the depression because I'm making progress and digging out of debt and at the same time it gives me something else to think about besides my situation.

Debt is what it is, but your life could pass today or tomorrow and I just don't have time to sweat the small stuff. You have a plan and you've done well, just keep working at it and take pride in the fact that at least you can do it, you are proving that, and eventually it will all be over and you will have learned a valuable lesson.

Guest

I am very sorry you feel so depressed over your debt... please keep in mind that if worse comes to worse..it can be written off...charged off..b.k.'d on etc..

first of all in reference to debt..

look at our country's U.S. national debt and how it is growing at an alarming rate..so..are we as American's ashamed? No...I think we know it is because management of our money got out of hand and out of control..and if educated elected experts in charge have allowed this to happen..

guest..why on earth should you be ashamed because you as well have found yourself in debt?..

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass..it's about learning to dance in the rain..I hope you DANCE!!!!!!!
once again Good Luck I wish you the best !

I guess the main reason I am feeling the way I do is because I feel like the CA have control over my life. I always too pride in the fact that I was able to manage my money. Then circumstances came, which most of it was my doing, and I just got deeper and deeper into debt. And everyday that past, I felt more and more out of control.

I am trying hard. And I do thank all of you for such kind words. They even made me cry which is something I think I needed to do for a long time but would not allow myself. I know there are other people out there like me but I still have a very hard time talking about it.

I try to put things into perseptive by asking myself what is the worst that could happen:
1. I would be sued and my wages will be garnished
2. I will be able to work with the CAs so they won't take me to court.
3. They will put a lein on my house.
4. My credit will be really bad for the next 7 years at least.

I will still have my family and everyone will still be healthy.

I am going to try to dance even if I have a few tears while I am doing it. I truly hate the fact that I am allowing this to take away my time.

Thank you for all your kind words and if there are others out there with ideas, please continue to share. I am sure this will be help to more than me.

Guest--

You came to a place where people understand what you're going through. If you need to vent, do it. :)

Don't get yourself down. And dont' let the CA's run your life. They will try, but they don't have to succeed.

Get some cease and desist letters out. Work with them on YOUR terms. And with what you can afford.

You can do this, and you'll be better for it. And we're all here for you to rant and rave and cry with. :)

:)

im in the same boat... everytime my phone rings with an unknown number.. i dont feel so good.

i considered bankruptcy but dont qualify for chapter 7 and dont want to do ch. 13.

my dad, sister, best friend... all have filed bankruptcy at one point or another which made me think of that as an option.. when in reality.. i really want to make good on these debts.

almost everyone i know is in over their heads but they manage to split it up so many ways that they still have good credit. i maxed out 4 cards and have poor credit.

example.. one friend.. over 30k in card debt... another over 50... another 20... and i make more than them... yet they are living better than me with the credit available to them. hanging around that crap is what got me screwed in the first place.!

Although I take full responsiblity for the state that I am in right now, I agree. We are bommarded everyday with consumerism and it is hard to resist.

I think what we have to do is just admit where we were, were we are now, and move on. I hope we all can overcome our diffculties right now. I came to the conclusion that my time is too valuable and I am not going to let anyone take that away from me. I just count my blessings and tell myself that money is not everything.

spatterson

I sooo agree with you..the abundance of money is not a commodity on the road to happiness...

when I am questioning the money deal... R.E. life in general.....I think a good example would be..

just look at all the celebrity /stars/ ..and millionaires out there who have recently attempted suicide..

yes...having a butt load of $ makes things easier..yet it does not buy happiness or provide you happiness or satisfaction..

..as a matter of fact..some of the richest people I myself know..are also the most unhappy or have kids with the biggest problems..and are more unsatisfied with life in general..

debt..mistakes we might have made..are only just another obstacle in the path of life we have chosen..in an attempt to try and keep up with the people who end up being more unhappy than we ever were! doesn't make much sense..but life a lot of times life doesn't make much sense

and we can all move on...some of us feel better about facing the debts and paying obligations..some of us will simply walk away ignore mistakes and start over... because we don't have a moral conscious just like many debt collectors you all are dealing with ..

all I wish for members here... is for all here to be satisfied with your decisions and to know you can live with them in the future and not feel guilty..
and I hope that you don't let the collectors you are dealing with.. make you feel guilty or let them weigh upon your decisions you eventually make..

you are only person who has to live with it...
I hope all here will move forward with a sense of dignity and self worth that all human beings deserve to feel.....

I feel depressed too. It seems every time i take 1 step forward with my debt, i go back 2 steps. It's like going uphill in the mud.

I found that journaling and setting goals on paper work and help - stay positive - know that this too shall pass. Today I wrote out my whole debt settlement plan and then I affirmed this will work. It's hard to do but stay positive; if you can work with your creditors and get them paid off; it will be just a couple of years and then your credit will be better.

Tracking your progress is an excellent idea, this way you will feel that you are making some type of progress, debt can seem like an endless road, but tracking it will show you that little by little you can suceed in getting rid of it. You can also come here for encouragement and put your progress down in words to be encouragement for the next person who comes along feeling hopeless, I wish you luck in your goal to rid yourself of debt, know that you are not alone and that you have the support here. Please keep the forum updated on how you are doing. :D

I can fully understand debt depression. As stated, I believe we all have gone throuigh it at one time or another. You just have to hang in there and believe that things are going to work out for the best. I know that is easier said than done, because it is for me also, but we all have to try. The people here on this board more than understand what you are going through. Feel free to vent all you want, if it makes you feel better. We totally understand and are here to support you and help you try to find solutions for the problems, if you want it. As stated, you are not alone!

i understand your concerns. i too feel sad and depressed about my debt. i go through my day with it hanging over my head like a weight. i worry everyday that i wake up and my car is repossessed or that i get sued by one of my credit card companies. for almost 5 years i was making all my payments on time and had great credit. i couldn't stop getting offers for money but my mother got sick and i had to help out my family. and then my own bad decisions and now i'm behind on eveything. i even tried cccs but they told me i had to be up to date on my payments before i could enter into a debt management program. so i'm trying to work out something with my creditors on my own to get my accounts current but it hard because some of them won't budge. so i just try and send what i can each month and start paying off an account one by one until i get back on my feet. i feel like this, if my creditors won't compromise with me and cccs can't help then i just put myself on my own debt management program. try not to let it stress you out but that's easier said than done. because i haven't slept well in months.