Financial difficulties can be a burden on anyone's mind, but support organisations want you to know that help is out there. 

“Things continue to be tough out there and cost-of-living pressures are mounting as the holiday season brought new demands," Financial Counselling CEO Dominique Meyrick said. 

“We want people to know they are not alone and urge them to seek assistance sooner rather than later.” 

 Map of where financial counselling services are available in the Western Plains region. Photo: National Debt Helpline

According to Senior Support Worker for Catholic Care Wilcannia-Forbes Steffi Purdue, some of the most common financial concerns among people in regional and rural areas include housing, electricity, and low wages.

Small 'buy now, pay later' loans can also add up and contribute to financial hardship and gambling is another contributor that can quickly empty people’s pockets. 

“[Gambling] often leads to loss of employment, family breakdown, debts accumulate, bills not paid, not spending on essentials as they prioritise the gambling,” Ms Purdue said. 

Financial and mental stress often go hand-in-hand and lead to a vicious cycle, psychologist and Beyond Blue clinical spokesperson Dr Luke Martin said. 

“Financial stress can take a major toll on our mental health, and declining mental health can make it harder to manage our finances. It creates a downward spiral that can be difficult to break out of without support."

Beyond Blue released an online quiz earlier this month that encourages people to recognise their level of financial and mental stress. 

Over 70 percent of people who completed the quiz fell into either the 'struggling' or 'critical' categories. 

Participants who fell into the struggling category showed signs of feeling sad, worried, or unsettled while 'critical' participants expressed feeling desperate or hopeless. 

"Financial stress is often a major source of relationship problems/breakdowns and provokes physical and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, in some cases, leading to suicide ideation,” Ms Purdue said. 

People who are going through financial difficulties often have a hard time accessing mental health care. 

"They simply cannot afford mental health care or the ability to receive a diagnosis from a specialist who requires an up-front fee," Ms Purdue said.

Financial struggles also contribute to the difficulty of affording medication and not being able to take time off work to go to specialist appointments. 

Catholic Care Wilcannia-Forbes has financial counselling available in Bourke, Brewarrina, Cobar, Coonabarabran, Gilgandra, Gulargambone, Lightning Ridge, Nyngan, Walgett, and Warren.

Family Carers, Rural Financial Counselling, and the National Debt Helpline are also available to people undergoing financial and mental struggles. 

The link to the Beyond Blue quiz can be found here.