Losing the job that has guaranteed us economic and employment stability for years, or ending our studies and not finding a job, have consequences that go beyond not being able to pay invoices. Unemployment affects us psychologically. In this PsychologyOnline article, we talk about how unemployment affects us.
Index
- Psychological consequences of unemployment
- Unemployment and our personal identity
- Unemployment and our family
- Unemployment and our health
- Tips to cope with unemployment
Psychological consequences of unemployment.
Patricia Benito Castro, clinical psychologist at Help Psychology and specialist in cognitive-behavioral therapy, says that “psychological problems depend on the period that the person has been unemployed. That is, if it is a short period of time, unemployed people can use that time to recycling, learning languages, doing sports and other things that maybe when they worked they weren't possible".
The problem arises when the time in which we find ourselves without work
It is important to differentiate the effects of unemployment in a young person and in an adult person. The young person will realize that the lack of work will prolong being dependent on his parents and living under the same roof, and may feel ashamed about this situation.
Unemployment and our personal identity.
Lack of work can affect our personal identity. As Benito explains, employment not only gives us personal and financial stability but also helps us to have a good image of ourselves.
"Of course, if it is a job that we value and that we like," he clarifies. "Ultimately, being in a long-term unpleasant job can produce the same symptoms as being unemployed."
Unemployment and our family.
How does the lack of work affect the family environment? "Sadly from economic level of the family ”, says Benito. “That is, if my lack of work does not destabilize the status of the family, surely there will not be a notable difference, since the unemployed person can be relocated to the family role. It can go from the person who worked to the one who now picks up the children, fixes the garden or takes care of someone else.
The situation is different if the family is financially dependent on the unemployed person. “If, on the contrary, the family depends largely or totally on that income, the problems can be diverse. Speaking in emotional terms, which are no longer material, there would be sexual apathy in the couple, anxiety regarding the future of the children, and possibly irascibility and mood swings”.
Unemployment and our health.
What health problems are related to unemployment? Do people without work get sicker? “In general, a person who is in a constant negative emotional state has more likely to get sick since serotonin levels tend to decrease in the event of depression or anxiety ”, says Benito.
Serotonin regulates anger, aggression, body temperature, mood, sleep, vomiting, sexuality, and appetite. A prolonged negative emotional state “can increase the probability of suffering eating disorders or sleep disorders”He adds.
“As in a depressed mood, the level of platelets can decrease, the probability that we will get the flu. There are even studies that link cancer with negative emotional states ”.
Tips for dealing with unemployment.
People who do not have a job should keep the same routine they had when they worked. They will still have to get up early and eat early, and will be able to pursue job hunting during the hours they used to work.
"It is very important that they follow a routine and schedules with periods of rest and leisure," recommends Benito. “The job search has to consist of a job itself. Even getting dressed and showering in the morning and starting the day like any other person ”.
This implies preparing ourselves every morning as if we were going to take the subway or the bus to get to work. "Nothing to stay in pajamas all day, since seeing you like this does not help too much to self-esteem and self-confidence."
Another advice offered by the clinical psychologist is to strengthen our social relationships and do networking. "She can feel a bit isolated, so she has to force herself to socialize, go out and meet friends and old co-workers."
It is also essential take our ideas into action. Unemployment is an opportunity to reflect on what our ideal job is and what measures we can take to get this job. How can we gain experience in the job sector we have chosen?
Do not sit or stay at home: Go to the street. Many unemployed people create their own company, continue training, are filled with ideas that may serve them for the future, take advantage of job interviews To improve their ability to introduce themselves to a company, they organize the house, exercise and take advantage of any temporary or partial contracts that they can find.
Unemployment only means the end of one job and the beginning of another. Job hunting is just a state, and it does not define who we are or who we want to be. We must not lose the hope of finding the job that will improve our situation.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to How does being unemployed affect us?, we recommend that you enter our category of Emotions.
