The Mental Illness Tax: What It Is and How To Avoid It
Having a mental illness can be expensive. Here’s how to mitigate some of that.
I want to open this piece by clarifying that there is no literal government tax on mental illness. At least not that I’m aware of.
No, what we are talking about today is the hidden costs of having a mental illness that causes you to be distractible, run low on energy very quickly, or go through mood swings. It is commonly known as the ADHD tax among the mental illness community, but I’ve found that it applies to many people with other illnesses, so I’m just using the term “mental illness tax” to keep it broad.
The mental illness tax is when you encounter a sudden cost that is the direct result of your illness. It’s when you forget that you bought a crown of broccoli two weeks ago and now it’s bad. It’s the late fees on the bill you meant to pay the other day and now you owe an extra $20. It’s that weight set you bought yourself to be healthier and used once.
There are many reasons for this tax. You may simply forget that you bought something because your illness causes you to have scattered thought processes. You may buy something when you’re motivated due to mania and then lose interest when your mood shifts. You may buy something in bulk…
