Your Mind Your Body

You have probably seen the headlines heralding the economy’s recovery from the recession  and mentioning all the positive numbers, like a rising stock market or a slow increase in job numbers.  Despite some good news, you might still feel down in the dumps and discouraged about your own family’s economy. Guess what, you’re not alone.

 While things are improving for some industries, the hoopla about the end of the recession obscures the reality that, for many people, the recession is alive and well and continues to cause long-lasting damage. It’s not just damage to individual financial security but to people’s emotional well-being. What began with a burst of uncertainty and mild anxiety has now continued for so long that our collective negative mood is now referred to as “the new normal.”

As a clinical psychologist, I’ve been seeing a significant increase in the numbers of stress and mood disorders in my practice, caused in part by the long-term effects of this two-year-old recession. It seems to have affected everyone but especially those who were laid off and are still unemployed.

While it seemed more acceptable, even if disappointing, to have lost a job in early 2008, some unemployed workers and their families are feeling even more depressed and discouraged as they watch many of their friends return to work. This breeds an intense sense of humiliation and embarrassment.

Here are some positive strategies for the still unemployed.

• Mourn the loss of an old job and recognize that, even though it’s not your fault, life has changed.
• Accept the fact that you and your family may need to craft a new vision for the future, such as adapt to a new financial situation. Letting go of the “must haves” may free your family to consider what is really essential in life.
• Focus on what you still have (a family, friends, your health) rather than what you don’t. Emphasize connections with friends and family and local support groups for the unemployed.
• Focus on what you can change as well as what you can’t (the economy, others moods).
• If you find yourself down in the dumps for two weeks or more and unable to find the energy to look for work, or to even function, consider getting help from a psychologist or other mental health professional.  There are ways to get therapy to help you get through the difficult times even if you are unemployed.
• Finally, don’t give up … no matter what.    

Photo by Ed Yourdon (flickr)

Filed under: Resilience, Stress, Work/Life