Massive loss of jobs contributes to significant increase in depression
In this survey carried at Rutgers, two thirds of the respondents who lost their job expressed feelings of depression. Most surveyed were laid off with no advance notice. Living on a paycheck, most borrowed money from family and friends. Most responders experienced increased relational problems with their partners and family members, had trouble sleeping or increased their alcohol or drug consumption.
What can you do if you lose your job?
1. Get organized to bounce back as soon as possible: Most of those who were laid off did not have any retraining or company-sponsored smooth transition. Although you may expect this from your employer, this is ultimately your responsibility. Update your résumé, write a list of all your best skills, write down each and every work-related positive experience or “win” that you have had and, once prepared, start searching for other positions where you could incorporate transferable skills from your previous job into a new job opportunity. Even if you had years of experience in one industry, keep an open mind and search in other industries.
2. Talk with your spouse: you are in this together: remember, together in good and bad times? Address your own concerns and acknowledge the fact that this is, indeed, a very stressful time for you and for your family: you cannot do this alone. Brainstorm about immediate ideas or possibilities about improving your situation and think of other possibilities that may be helpful in the long-term. Assess your financial situation. Make sure that you are not spending in some areas where you could cut down your expenses and look at additional ways in which you can increase your income.
3. Talk to your kids: our kids have been brought up in greater affluence than we were raised. Tell them you are in a tough situation and discuss ways in which everyone can contribute to improve the challenges even with the little things. May be they can help by taking on additional chores, may be they can help with their brothers and sisters, may be they can help with each other’s homework and so on.
4. Socialize with others: one of the biggest challenges is people tend to isolate from family, friends or other business colleagues out of feeling down, unsuccessful or just embarrassed. Acknowledge these feelings but avoid dwelling on them: whatever is lost is lost and the faster you can move on the more resilient you will become.
5. Stay healthy: smoking, drinking, using drugs, eating junk food or avoiding exercise won’t help you in any way. Use my Managing Work in Life® with LOVE formula to increase your resilience as you move on into your next opportunities.
