How Your Student Debt Can Make You Sick And Depressed

The “Congratulations!” cards have stopped coming in the mail and the college discount and drink specials no longer apply. With graduation season over, now all you’re left with is a looming stack of student loans in a shaky economy. It’s no secret that mounting debt is bad for your bank account, but it’s worth considering the physical and psychological impact of student debt.

A 2013 study conducted by Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine found that 24- 32-year olds reported greater incidents of high blood pressure and depression as a result of high financial debt. Researchers asked 8,400 participants about their debt-to-asset ratio as well as how much debt they owed, not including a home mortgage. The results revealed that those with high compared to low debt reported an 11.7% increase in perceived stress, a 13.2% increase in depressive symptoms like increased irritability and lack of focus, and a 1.3% increase in blood pressure.

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