Perhaps the most difficult aspect of trying to get control of your debt can be the stress and fear.

Many people - even people who come into debt through no fault of their own, through unexpected illness, injury, job loss or even tricky credit cards - feel shame at their debt.

They may try to hide their debt from friends and family, while at the same time trying to make a little income go a long way.

To anyone struggling with debt, know this: You are not alone.

Forbes has a report out that shows in the first three months of 2009 more than 330,000 people filed for bankruptcy. At this rate, more than 1 million people will file by the end of the year.

Filing Bankruptcy Becoming More Common

This doesn't count everyone facing economic hardship, but it does show that there are other people out there going through the same struggles and decisions as you are.

So know that filing bankruptcy doesn't make you a bad person. It doesn't mean you've failed. It only means that you, like so many others, are willing to take action against your debt.

Tags: bankruptcy, debt