“I'm stuck in survival mode”

What could be going on

Survival mode: The popular name. Fits if you live week to week, can't plan, and rest feels unsafe.

Scarcity and the bandwidth tax: Could be the bandwidth tax: money worry leaves less room to think. Some of the early studies didn't replicate.

Financial strain: Fits if the strain is real: arrears, debt, not enough coming in. That may be a fact, not a mindset.

Stress response and allostatic load: Check whether months of stress show in sleep, illness and a body that never stands down.

Present bias: Fits if the nearest deadline wins every time, so the long-term plan never gets a turn.

Burnout: Could be work exhaustion. Check whether the depletion follows work hours more than money worries.

Also said as

• always in fight or flight about money
• living paycheck to paycheck and can't think ahead
• can't plan beyond this week
• just getting by every month
• exhausted from just surviving
• how do i get out of survival mode