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Did you know that spending time with people who love you can reduce the risk of an early death by up to 50%? Research suggests that strong social connections are as vital to longevity as quitting smoking or regular exercise. So, if you needed an excuse to call a friend or hug a loved one—there you go.

Now, let’s get into today’s topic: mental health and credit.

Credit is one of those things that doesn’t seem like a big deal—until suddenly, it is. For years, I didn’t even think about my credit score because, honestly? Survival came first. When I was moved to a safe house due to domestic violence, financial stability wasn’t my top priority—getting out and rebuilding my life was. But when I got my first credit card, I had no choice but to max it out in order to get through that situation. Thankfully, the company understood and erased the debt. The catch? It meant waiting two to three years before I could apply for another card from them. Fair enough, I thought.

Fast forward, and I finally got approved for a new card—a moment of pure joy because, for the first time, I could start building credit instead of fearing it. Seeing my score climb felt like proof that I was getting somewhere. But with that excitement came a new kind of stress—now, every tiny thing could bring my score down, and the list of ways to ruin it was never-ending. Financial security isn’t just about numbers—it’s about mental health, stability, and dignity. When that security is threatened, especially by something out of your control? It’s frustrating, unfair, and straight-up exhausting.

Enter: The Mastercard fiasco. A glitch on their end messed up my automatic payment—the one I had set up specifically to keep things smooth, because let’s face it, ADHD and bill tracking are a nightmare combination. That payment was recorded on the wrong billing cycle, leading to a missed payment that should not have been possible.

Now, onto the battle itself—and the rollercoaster of persistence, advocacy, and the ridiculous back-and-forth that followed.

Anyone who’s ever dealt with customer service knows that some days, you just need pure patience and the ability to recite facts like a lawyer in court. This was one of those days.

For years, my automatic payment was set to come out on the first of every month—not for the card’s minimum, but my personal minimum, which helped me manage my finances. It had worked perfectly for six out of the seven years I’ve been with them. Then, something changed—not on my end, not in my settings, but on theirs—and suddenly, I got a call saying I had missed a payment.

That made no sense. ADHD means I need systems like automatic payments to avoid forgetting bills—so how does a system that’s run smoothly for years suddenly fail?

Their solution? Move my payment date to the third of the month. I was assured this would fix the problem, so I did just that. Problem solved, right?

Not even close.

The next month, I made a second payment because my tax return came in, meaning I was finally caught up. That should have been the end of it—until the next month, when I got another call saying I had missed another payment.

At this point, I was done playing nice.

I was told I was right, that they would fix the error, and that this wouldn’t happen again. Then came this month’s call—and the guy who answered? Absolutely out of line.

I started the conversation by mentioning that I have an auditory processing disorder, which means I can’t always hear my own volume or tone and sometimes sound louder than I intend. I let him know to flag it if needed, but instead of acknowledging that, he ignored everything I said until I confirmed my identity.

That’s when I made a decision: This conversation wasn’t going anywhere.

“Look,” I said, “It’s obvious we have a personality clash or something. I’d like to speak to a supervisor.”

His response? “I don’t need to take this.”
Then, he hung up.

At this point, there was an argument to be made that he had crossed a human rights duty to accommodate. In Canada, under the Human Rights Act, organizations have a responsibility to accommodate disabilities to the point of undue hardship. While this varies case by case, blatantly dismissing a reasonable accommodation request—especially one related to a communication disability—is crossing a line.

Here’s the thing—what he didn’t realize? I record my calls.

Tip: Alberta, Canada follows a one-party consent rule when recording one’s own protected information under Section 184 of the Criminal Code. This means that as long as one participant consents, the recording is legal—but only for that individual’s protected information. This rule does not allow someone to record another person’s private information without consent.

It also applies medically—in doctor’s offices and emergency rooms, as long as you are recording your own medical interactions and not another patient’s private information. If you’re in a private room, you can legally record for self-advocacy purposes. However, in a setting with curtains instead of walls, recording risks capturing other patients’ private data, which would not be protected under one-party consent.

And that, my friends, would be the lovely ADHD “Ooo, shiny distractions!” effect kicking in mid-rant.

So today, I stuck to it—three hours of escalation, supervisor after supervisor, climbing the chain until I finally reached someone who could actually fix this mess.

Now, before that? Three hours of hearing about my billing cycle.

Come on, seven years with these guys and they think I don’t know how my own payment system works? I could recite their process back to them—which is exactly what I did. See, my phone transcribes conversations as it records, and let me tell you, nothing rattles customer service quite like cutting off their broken-record response with a word-for-word playback of what they said two minutes earlier.

That? That was when things finally moved forward.

They reviewed the situation and admitted this was a technical glitch, entirely on their side. The first issue? They changed my billing cycle without telling me—expecting me to just notice on my bill instead of sending a proper notification. Legally speaking, companies must provide clear communication when changes impact billing, so this raises serious transparency concerns.

The second glitch? Somehow, instead of the usual 3-5 business days for payment processing, my payment on the 3rd hit their system the same day. That never happens—processing times always landed on the other side of the 4th before, so why the sudden anomaly? They couldn’t explain it, which means that’s on them—not me.

I fought for three key things:

1. No impact on my credit score or standing with them.
2. A note on my account explaining the issue and ending these ridiculous calls.
3. A resolution that acknowledged their fault.

The first two? Locked in. The third? A compromise—instead of wiping the missed payment, they gave me a good faith credit to my balance. Would I have preferred it to apply to the payment due so I wouldn’t have to make another double payment somehow, again? Absolutely. I also made it very clear that I made the movement of my automatic payment to the 4th and would not change it again. Period. Right there on the call I made the change and stated that. This will not happen again, if it does I will raise a complaint to the regulatory body that deals with keeping these guys in line.

But sometimes, you win by getting them to admit they were wrong and ensuring your credit isn’t affected. And trust me—when I hit my anniversary with them, I’ll be moving up to a better card level.

Because if you’re tenacious and have the facts? Companies bend.

Money isn’t just numbers on a screen or cash in a wallet—it’s security, autonomy, and in many cases, mental survival. When financial stability gets shaky, it’s not just our bank accounts that take the hit—our mental health feels it too.

The stress of debt, credit scores, surprise fees, and the constant pressure to stay ahead can be suffocating. Financial anxiety is real, and research backs it up—studies show that people experiencing financial hardship are more likely to struggle with depression, anxiety, insomnia, and even physical health issues like headaches and high blood pressure.

But let’s talk about the hidden layer—how this stress hits especially hard for those with disabilities, neurodivergence, or chronic conditions.

For anyone managing executive dysfunction, staying on top of bills, due dates, and fluctuating balances can be an exhausting mental task. Take ADHD—working memory struggles mean recalling which bills have been paid versus which still need attention is a battle in itself. Auto-pay? A lifeline. Until something goes wrong—like a payment failing for a reason completely out of your control—and suddenly, your brain is spiraling through worst-case scenarios.

For those with anxiety disorders, financial uncertainty creates never-ending fear loops. What if I miss something? What if my score drops? What if I can’t recover from this mistake? Even when things are fine, the threat of financial instability lingers.

And then there’s CPTSD, depression, and OCD, where financial stress adds layers of emotional weight—fear of losing control, spiraling self-blame, compulsive checking, or avoidance behaviors.

Now, here’s where things get complicated—credit itself is both a blessing and a curse.

I’ve seen firsthand how credit can be a lifeline in an emergency. When I had to run—literally flee for survival with my son—I didn’t have time to plan finances or stockpile savings. We needed the basics: food, baby supplies, clothes. The credit I had? That was our safety net.

Now, I recognize how rare my outcome was. I was incredibly lucky—the company understood the situation, erased my debt, and gave me the chance to recover. Most people don’t get that. The odds of it happening again? Lower than winning the lottery.

Credit can save lives, but it also creates traps. If you max out a card in crisis, but don’t get the kind of understanding I did, you’re now buried in debt that builds, interest that compounds, and a credit score that tanks.

And once your credit score suffers? The system makes everything harder—higher interest rates, fewer financial opportunities, and an uphill battle to rebuild trust with lenders.

But credit isn’t just a survival tool—it can also be empowering.

There’s something comforting about knowing that if you need a new computer, you can buy it because you have the room on your credit card to do it without panic. Credit allows for big purchases over time, spreading out costs so you don’t drain savings in one hit.

It also helps with financial flexibility—whether it’s handling car repairs, booking a last-minute flight, or covering an unexpected medical expense, having credit means having options instead of scrambling for resources.

And then there’s building financial trust—keeping a low balance and making payments on time strengthens your credit history, meaning better lending opportunities, lower interest rates, and doors opening for bigger financial goals—a mortgage, a car loan, even business funding if entrepreneurship is in the picture.

The truth is, credit isn’t the enemy—but it has to be controlled. When you manage it, it can bring stability, security, and opportunity. But when it controls you, the stress alone can wreck your mental health.

That’s why knowing your rights, setting boundaries, and standing firm matters. Because these companies? They depend on our business—we don’t belong to them, and they don’t get to dictate the terms without accountability.

Financial health is mental health. And just like setting boundaries in relationships, setting boundaries with financial institutions is not just possible—it’s necessary.

Look, dealing with credit stress is a circus, and frankly? Some days, it feels like I’m out here juggling flaming debt statements while a customer service rep insists the billing cycle is actually my fault.

So how do we handle this without losing our sanity?

1. Question Everything

Companies love it when we just nod along and accept their policies without digging deeper. That whole “Oh, you should have just noticed the billing change on your statement!” nonsense? Nah. If a change affects your payments, they should tell you directly.

When in doubt, ask:

• “Can you confirm exactly when this policy changed and where I was notified?”
• “How does this impact my credit report, and how will it be corrected?”
• “Can I speak to your supervisor? I know the higher up the chain I go, the more buttons they can push, so I totally understand if you aren’t able to resolve this directly.”

2. Document Everything

Receipts? Keep them. Emails? Screenshot them. Phone calls? Record when legally allowed (hello, one-party consent). My personal favorite? Live-transcribing calls on my phone—there’s nothing quite like catching them mid-script and throwing their own words right back at them.

3. Stand Your Ground

A customer service rep telling you something does not make it law. They’ll insist their system is never wrong—meanwhile, here’s your payment magically disappearing into the void. Be firm. Keep calm. And if the conversation hits a brick wall, escalate. Companies bend when they realize you won’t back down.

4. Use Your Credit Wisely

Credit can be a lifeline or a landmine. Used well? It’s comforting—that ability to get a new computer, book an emergency trip, or cover a sudden bill without panic. Used recklessly? It’s a trap. Keeping your balance low, paying consistently, and knowing when to fight back keeps you in control—not the other way around.

5. Remember: They Need You

Credit companies depend on your business—but they’ll act like they own you if you let them. They do not get to dictate every rule without question. So the next time they start playing games? Ask yourself:

• Am I in charge here, or are they just hoping I won’t notice the nonsense?

Because at the end of the day? You are more than a number on a credit report. You are a person with rights, logic, and the ability to fight back.

Financial health is mental health—and knowing how to push back when things go sideways? That’s power.

Now I want to hear from you!

What’s been your experience with credit?

• Has it ever saved the day in an emergency?
• Or has it thrown you into an unexpected mess?

Drop a comment and let’s talk—because if there’s one thing credit is never, it’s boring!

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