About 20 per cent of people in Atlantic Canada say they feel overwhelmed by their debt load.

That’s according to a new poll conducted by Ipsos on behalf of the accounting firm MNP.

Greg Gosse, a licensed insolvency trustee with the firm, says while that number is a slight improvement from previous months, the overall debt load in the region appears to be increasing.

Gosse says the strain of the current fiscal situation is evident in the conversations he has with people daily.

He says many are often stressed out to the point that it is causing them physical problems, avoiding phone calls, and feeling like they cannot openly talk with friends about their issues.

Fiscally, Gosse says many are only paying minimum payments on credit cards, trying to find quick financing options, with no clear path to get out of their situation.