Belinda, 58, worked as a program manager for decades before being laid off in 2022. When she tried to return to work after taking time off to care for her sick father, she was faced with a concrete wall.
Despite looking for a job for about six months, Belinda received no offers, including jobs that didn’t require a university degree.
With proper planning and support from her family, she was able to support herself financially. But the process “just took away my ego and tore it apart,” Belinda said. She asked that only her first name be used for fear of negatively impacting her future job prospects. Now she’s afraid of people asking her how her job search is going. “It’s hard when everyone I know is working and I’m not working,” she says.
Losing your job is not only a big financial blow, but it also takes a psychological toll. Research has shown that unemployment can lead to depression, anxiety, increased marital conflict, and increased risk of substance use problems.
More people like Belinda are facing long-term unemployment. The latest U.S. employment report shows the percentage of unemployed Americans who have been unemployed for more than six months has risen to nearly 26%, the highest percentage in more than three years.
Ofer Sharon, a sociology professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who studies long-term unemployment, said the psychological impact of unemployment “is a huge crisis that doesn’t get a lot of attention.”
We spoke to Sharon and other experts about how to deal with the emotional impact of job loss.
recognize your emotions
Many people may be trying to put aside the difficult feelings that come with unemployment while they focus on writing a cover letter, updating their resume, and applying for jobs, Sharon says. But such feelings deserve “the same seriousness that you would treat the emotional impact of ending a serious relationship,” he says.
Mental clutter can distract job seekers from their ultimate goals. For Belinda, this meant “a lack of desire to network, to talk to people, to pretend to care,” she says.
Just saying what you’re feeling out loud can help, says Sharon.
Kelly Foster, a former administrative assistant, has been unemployed for about a year and is seeing a therapist to help deal with the stress of the job search. She once received “at least 10” rejection emails within 24 hours, and her application to work in a bookstore on Sundays was rejected in just seven minutes.
“On days like this, we need help to keep our spirits up,” she says.
Treatment can be expensive, but some therapists charge tiered fees based on the patient’s income. Additionally, some nonprofits have therapists who charge less per session. Community mental health programs are another option.
Try changing your perspective on the situation
Having trouble finding a job does not make a person any less valuable than someone who happens to be employed.
Still, says David Bluestein, a professor of counseling, developmental and educational psychology at Boston University, workers are more likely to blame themselves after losing a job than to consider the cultural and economic factors that greatly influence their situation.
She added that remembering that variables such as ageism and economic crisis are out of your control can reduce shame and self-blame, which are risk factors for depression and anxiety.
Editor Victoria Heuer, 56, has been out of work for almost a year, and her savings have dwindled to a few thousand dollars.
“My anxiety tells me that everything is about me,” says Heuer. Sometimes she gets stuck in a negative thought cycle: “No one wants to listen to me. No one wants to talk to me.”
To stabilize herself, she practices gratitude for the good things in life, such as a beautiful garden, adult children, and a boyfriend who helps her financially.
Practicing gratitude “also helps motivate yourself,” she says.
Find your support network
Emotional support is just as important as networking after unemployment.
Career counselor Amy Mazur suggests visualizing your support system by creating a relationship map that uses concentric circles to categorize the people who provide the most support and those who provide the least. She says you should rely on the people who can help you the most, your “inner circle,” and focus on expanding that circle by limiting the amount of time you spend with those who aren’t as helpful.
Jeff Lareau, 41, was laid off nearly a year ago along with more than 100 co-workers. Together they formed a support group on Discord.
Mr. Lareau’s severance ends in January, but he says, “Every day I have anxiety in my stomach.”
In October, he sent the following message to the group: “I’m feeling really bad right now because none of the jobs I was interviewing for are going to work out,” she added, “I’m open to all the positive vibes.”
Immediately, he received several supportive comments and more than 20 heart and hug emojis.
“I know it’s a very small thing,” he says. “But it means a lot to me.”
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