How to cope with losing your job
Losing your job is no doubt one of the most stressful, overwhelming, and challenging times in your life. The thought of being unable to support your family, fulfilling your own needs and wants, watching your savings depleting by the day can adversely affect your mood, your motivation, and put a strain on your relationships. All these combined can become a severe cause of anxiety and depression.
According to research, people who have recently lost a job, downsized, or they are in-between jobs, are more prone to mental health issues than those having a relatively stable life due to job security. The reason for this is losing a job is almost similar to losing your identity. It is as if you are no longer able to perceive yourself the way you used to and also the people around you stop associating you with a certain persona. By virtue of this, losing a job brings the kind of uncertainty in life that your future seems all dull, and falling into a dark abyss becomes inevitable. You really cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel!
For times like these, when your self-esteem and self-confidence are beyond shattered, you are advised to take certain measures in order to get back on your feet, search for hope, and start pushing yourself again to find your purpose and identity. The right coping techniques and developing some new, healthy habits can help you overcome these setbacks and assist you in focusing on what truly matters; You!
Here are some healthy mechanisms to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression that your unemployment has brought you:
- Seek therapy: Talking about your feelings and what goes through your mind every day to a professional in the field of psychology/psychiatry is not only a way of catharsis but also makes you realize that it is okay to not be okay. You do not have to carry the burden of the entire world on your shoulders. Unemployment depression is real and must not be ignored at any cost. Also, there are so many platforms now offering online and in-person therapy sessions. Get help, get better!
- Start meditating: As you may have heard before, meditating brings a myriad of eminent benefits in your life. One of them is increased focus. Meditation is proven to help you achieve peace of mind and in turn, enhance your focus on the tasks that you are set out to do. For instance, you are able to set new goals for yourself, the ones that are specific, measurable, achievable, time-bound, and realistic. Perhaps you are planning to write down a new cover letter. If you have started your day with meditation, your flow of ideas when you sit on your desk to work will be smoother and you will feel more productive.
- Learn new skills: While losing a job is the kind of adversity that triggers a lot of negative emotions, at the same time there is some silver lining as well; a lot of free time at your hands. You can use it to hone your existing skills and learn new ones. The job market is ever-changing and demand for people who are experts in a certain field is increasing by the day. So do not rely on the skills and capabilities you needed in your last job, rather equip yourself with those highly sought after by employers.
- Reach out to friends and family members for help: You must realize how important this is! Albeit being moody is a natural outcome of job loss and you may not help getting frustrated from time to time, however, it is crucial to speak to your friends and family members who have stood by you during the toughest of days when you felt lonely and desolated. Leaning onto your close ones is a great way to blow off some steam and lighten up your mood.
- Find who you are outside your work identity: As mentioned earlier, losing your job pretty much feels as if you have lost your identity as well. While that may be true in many cases, you must affirm yourself that you are more than your career. One of the ways can be to spend more time with your family, which can be truly wholesome. You may be able to identify yourself through the eyes of our children who see you as a loving father, or your spouse seeing you as a caring husband/wife, etc. Besides that, finding new hobbies like learning to play guitar or getting connected with your interests from the past will help you see things from a wider lens and make you realize that your career identity is only a small piece of the puzzle in your life.
References:
4 science-backed ways to cope with depression if you've lost a job and feel like you also lost your sense of purpose. Business Insider. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-deal-with-unemployment-depression-depressed-psychologist. How to Deal With the Stress of Being Jobless During Coronavirus. Verywell Mind. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/coronavirus-job-loss-4802632. How to Deal With Job-Search Depression (Published 2019). Nytimes.com. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/27/smarter-living/how-to-deal-with-job-search-depression.html.
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