After the Covid-19 pandemic appeared in Wuhan, China in the first months of 2020, people were more worried about their lives. However, after 20 months of living with the virus, people were able to cope with that but started worrying about their financial future more. 

For instance, Chassity Jackson is a 42-year-old Air Force veteran who is currently financially secure, and this wasn’t always the case. Two years ago, Jackson was living in her car with an 11 year-old-son who had depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. 

 “I didn’t know where my next meal was coming from,” said Jackson, who lives in Destin, Florida.

“Finances were very sparse,” she added. “That is terrifying as a mom.”

Nonetheless, two years later now, Mrs. Jackson is a part-time graduate student and a proud president of Boots on the Ground International Ministries which helps homeless veterans. Additionally, she was able to make her fashion company Battle Beauties Fashion. 

 “I’m in a good place but I also have a residue of anxiety because I don’t want to revisit that trauma ever again,” said Jackson, who is combat-disabled. 

Trauma can be turned into success

The Trauma that Jackson had to live with had impacted her financial mental health said Dr. George James, a licensed marriage and family therapist and chief innovation officer, and senior staff therapist at the non-profit Council for Relationships.

“Sometimes we are on autopilot and we don’t even recognize we are making financial decisions because of some past injury or pain,” he said.

Several reasons might make people stressed and anxious. The Covid-19 pandemic is one of the biggest causes since the contagious pathogen appeared. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, more than 40% of U.S. adults reported symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorder during the crisis.