Unemployment Costs
Our nation is facing unprecedented rates of unemployment as well as job insecurity and dissatisfaction. Recent figures put the national jobless rate at 10%, and rising, not including those who left the workforce or those staying in unsatisfying jobs. Our culture highly values the work role and external signs of status, wealth and achievement, the whole enchilada. It is not surprising rates of anxiety and mental disorders are increasing. More prescriptions for anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications are being written every day.
High rates of unemployment affect not only individuals, but families and communities. Foreclosures affect the property values of surrounding homes and limited money for home maintenance can lead to neglect. In households where one spouse was the major breadwinner, those who chose to stay home with young kids or work part-time may have to go back to work full-time. Families may lose homes or have to relocate because of changes in their financial status.
A spouse's job loss can also put strain on a marriage. Spouses may blame each other for not cutting spending, not going back to work soon enough, or not foreseeing this happening and appropriately finding alternatives in time.
Obsessing over finding a job, stress, increased responsibilities, can decrease desire and sexual interest. Increased stress can increase marital arguments or lead to lack of communication if one or both spouses shuts down & withdraws emotionally. Job loss can evoke shame and regret, which can lead to depression, with further negative relationship impact. Lack of money for babysitters or date nights can decrease opportunities for having fun, altogether, which is a key element of socialization, romance.
Many psychological variables are adversely affected by unemployment, including perceived control, belief in one's own competence or self-efficacy, self-esteem, identity, life satisfaction, and sense of meaning and purpose in life.
Studies have found that among the unemployed life satisfaction did not, readily return to pre-employment levels. Later studies among German workers, found that more than two thirds of workers coped well with job loss and most people returned to pre-employment life satisfaction levels within one year.
Staying mentally healthy and positive in the face of repeated disappointments and uncertainty is a difficult task. Yet this appears to be one of the keys to finding re-employment and regaining life satisfaction.
Psychology Today
No comments:
Post a Comment