ROCHESTER, N.Y. — As Mental Health Awareness Month ends, Wednesday’s Consumer Alert examines a genuine correlation that researchers now acknowledge. People suffering financial strain are often suffering mentally and emotionally as well.

When News10NBC Consumer Investigative Reporter Deanna Dewberry talks to people who are under extraordinary financial strain, she often leaves the interview concerned about their mental and emotional well-being.

When she met Yalitza Galan last month, Galan was buckling under financial stress. “I’m powerless because it’s only one. I’m the only person working,” Galan said. Her husband had been injured at work, and while paying the bills was tough before, it was almost impossible with one income.

“What is there out there for a family like me to make it? Because I work. I work six days a week. Nonstop. And I can’t make it. I can’t make it,” Galan said. She admitted she was losing sleep, was constantly anxious, and near her breaking point. And she’s not alone. In a recent Bankrate study, 47% of respondents said money matters impacted their mental health.

“And that was actually more than any factor we asked about. So more than people’s health. More than their relationships with family and friends. More than current events. People put money as the number one stressor,” said Ted Rossman, Senior Industry Analyst at Bankrate. The study found day to day expenses have the greatest psychological impact – grocery prices, filling the gas tank, and paying rent.

“It’s to the point where paying rent is a luxury. You can’t think of maybe giving your kids a summer vacation. You have to think 12 months how do I pay this rent with my current situation,” Galan said.

Her situation is echoed by so many of Rochester’s working poor, most of whom rent their homes. A National Institute of Health study also found that those struggling financially suffered a greater degree of psychological stress, and renters are more stressed than homeowners. When Dewberry interviewed Galan, her landlord had given her 90 days to find another house.

“Seeing my kids ask me will we have a home? That’s the worst thing that can happen to a parent,” Galan said. And it was taking a serious toll on her mental health.

So what are some solutions? “The biggest thing is coming up with a plan. A lot of times when we’re worried about things, it is because we feel out of control. But you can take some of that control back by putting a plan together,” Rossman said. When we have a plan, we feel more in control.

And that’s certainly the case for Galan and her family. After Dewberry’s first story with her aired last month, a great landlord saw her story and offered her a home. She’s now making plans for her financial recovery.

If you’re having trouble making a plan, start with a financial counselor. You can do that at little or no cost at Consumer Credit Counseling of Rochester.