It’s no doubt that student loan debt in America is now a crisis. The total amount of debt is absurd with now $1.5 trillion. This creates a very difficult scenario for millennials who are putting a hold on things like buying homes and starting families because of the financial burden of their loans.

Almost 1 million borrowers default on their loans every year.

But there is also a topic no one likes to talk about when it comes to student loan debt consequences. And it’s the impact it makes on borrowers’ mental health.

That’s definitely not something that has been discussed with a recent high school graduate as they prepare to take out a student loan.

1. Stress

According to a survey made in 2018 by the American Psychological Association, money is the primary cause of stress among Americans naming student loans as their number one stressor.

Student loan borrowers are suffering from stress because of the lack of control and understanding of their student loans. Student loans are complicated there are many details in them and they fear they will make a wrong decision. The majority of borrowers worry about fixed vs. variable interest rates, fees, federal vs. private student loans, type of repayment plan, length of the repayment term, delinquency, default and a lack of transparency.

Getting to process all the information around student loans make borrowers overwhelmed, which contribute to stress levels. This creates a feeling that their loans are out of control.

Borrowers are also aware that they already made a few mistakes by borrowing too much money to pay for their education and is causing them to fear about making their next move. They feel embarrassed by their student loan debt and keep it to themselves because they feel lenders will laugh at how much money they owe or their income, and that an application for refinancing will get denied.

2. Depression

Debt depression, many graduates have the expectations of starting a job as soon as they graduate and start earning that high salary based on the Ph.D. they worked so hard for. But they come to find a struggling Job marketplace with very little pay and a lot of work to do.

Depression, lead to loneliness and make borrowers think they are alone with their student loans many think they can’t accomplish things in life like having a family, travel and buying a house.

3. Anxiety

The feeling of never getting out of debt also makes borrowers experience anxiety. Student loan borrowers worry about money all the time obsessively checking their bank account and waiting for an emergency to happen to declare bankruptcy.

A recent survey made by student loan hero shows that almost 67 percent out of more than 1,000 surveys from student loan borrowers experienced anxiety with physical symptoms like headaches, muscle tension, upset stomach, rapid heartbeat, fatigue, and more.

4. Suicide

A survey made by Student Loan Planner shows that 1 out of 15 borrowers has considered suicide due to their student loans. The survey also mentions that respondents had between $100,000 and $500,000 in student loan debt and that 90% were between the ages of 20 and 39.

During researching the suicidal rate for people with student loans we found that doctoral-level professional is two times that of the general population.

Dentists experience a difficult situation when it comes to student loans they can rank up to 300k in student loans plus business loans and because of the prices and people usually going abroad to get service they feel frustrated. Dentists are about two times as likely to kill themselves on average compared to the nation at large.

Another scary number comes from veterinarians they struggle with some of the highest debt to income ratios of any profession. And According to The Veterinary Record , veterinarians might have the highest rate of suicide of any profession, at over 4 times the national average.

You Are Not Alone

While it may look like you don’t have a way out to get out of your student loans, you should stay positive with the help of friends, financial planners this student loan battle can be conquered.

Research what options you have for a repayment plan depending on your financial situation and if you are in default or collections there are steps you can take to slowly make your way out.

Don’t feel embarrassed to talk about your loans share your situation with trusted friends, family, financial planners, or even your lender. Keep your self-active exercising, running, and going for a walk it’s important to be kind to yourself.