‘I’m a Therapist, and Here’s How to Protect Your Mental Health if You’ve Recently Lost Your Job’

So, if you’ve found yourself suddenly unemployed, here are a few job loss mental health tips to help you navigate the emotional roller coaster and stay grounded through it all.

How losing a job can affect your mental health

Not only can the experience of losing a job be scary and stressful, but it can also be traumatic, both psychologically and financially, according to the American Psychological Association (APA). Meaning, it can be an extremely distressing event that overwhelms your ability to cope.

It’s no surprise, then, that getting fired can have “a significant impact on mental health,” says Michelle P. Maidenberg, PhD, LCSW-R, a therapist and author of ‌ACE Your Life: Unleash Your Best Self and Live the Life You Want‌‌‌. While the effects will be different for everyone—with some people responding better (or worse) to job loss—here are just a few ways it can affect your mental health:

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It may lower your self-esteem

For many of us, our jobs are more than just how we make money. Often, what we do is closely related to who we believe we are. In other words, our work and identity are intertwined.

When you get let go from your job, it can be a major blow to self-esteem or rock the foundation of your sense of self. “Job loss can increase self-doubt in one’s abilities and worth,” Maidenberg says. Without a career to define you, some people may even “question their identity” and life’s purpose, she says.

It may contribute to anxiety and depression

When you get fired, especially suddenly, you not only grieve the loss, but you also face an uncertain future. You may feel like your life is spinning out of control, your professional identity is in flux, and your sense of security is threatened.

This stressful state of loss and limbo can take a real toll on your mental health and tax your coping skills. Case in point: Research shows that unemployment is linked to anxiety and depression, according to the APA.

While it’s normal (and expected) to feel down or worried after a job loss, if the feelings hang around for a few weeks and/or get worse, they could be developing into a more serious mental health issue. Keep an eye out for the following things, which may mean you're anxious or depressed, per Maidenberg:

• Change in appetite
• Irritability
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep
• Difficulty focusing and concentrating
• Feeling dread about daily activities
• Feeling a lack of purpose
• Intense feelings of helplessness and hopelessness

It may lead to social isolation

Even if you don’t love every coworker (who does?), work provides a place to socialize. You might not realize how much you miss those small social interactions (like chatting around the watercooler) until they’re gone. For many, job loss leads to feelings of loneliness as people “lose [friendships and] connections with colleagues and social networks,” Maidenberg says.

Adding to the isolation, some unemployed people may “distance themselves [from others] because of feelings of sadness, anxiety, and worthlessness,” she says. Sadly, this self-isolation just deepens the level of social disconnection, making you feel even more alone.

Risk factors for mental health issues triggered by job loss

While being unemployed is a stressful experience for anyone, some people have a higher risk for mental health challenges after job loss. This includes people with fewer financial resources, people who are out of work for six months or more, people who live in countries with high wealth inequality and weak unemployment protections (like the U.S.), those who are older (in their 50s and 60s), and those with a history of mental health disorders or trauma, per the APA.

10 ways to protect your mental health after losing a job

While losing a job is often out of our control, we do have power over protecting our mental health if it happens. Here are a few things you can do to take care of yourself during this difficult time.

1. Face the feelings

You might want to bury your head in a pillow and forget about getting fired. We get it. It's okay to let yourself have a day (or two) to regroup. But avoiding your feelings for any longer won't help you move forward. Sometimes, when you stuff your feelings down, you end up turning to unhealthy habits that are counterproductive (think: drinking too much alcohol or binge eating), Maidenberg says.

Though it might be uncomfortable, the healthy way to cope with job loss is by dealing with those sad, angry, and confused feelings head on. “Facing—rather than denying, avoiding, or distracting from uncomfortable or negative emotions”—is key to healing, Maidenberg says. Even if you’re not in the mood to talk, journaling is a great way to get those feelings out, she adds.

2. Be kind to yourself

When you lose your job, you may feel ashamed or as if you've failed yourself and your family. But beating yourself up won’t lead to anything good. People who blame their job loss on their own shortcomings tend to have more negative feelings about themselves, per the APA.

This harsh self-criticism can be harmful to your mental health. Instead, try to give yourself a break. Try “exercising patience and self-compassion,” Maidenberg says. Mindfulness—the practice of becoming more aware of your thoughts—can be really useful here. As you notice any negative self-talk, acknowledge it and let it go. This method “can help with integrating less criticizing and blaming and more self-belief, self-love, and self-compassion," she says.

3. Practice gratitude

When you’re feeling low, “attempt to look for moments of gratitude,” Maidenberg says. Sure, finding something to be grateful for might be challenging during tough times, but that’s exactly why you should do it. In fact, people who practice gratitude on the regular report higher happiness levels, according to a May 2017 meta-analysis in ‌Basic and Applied Social Psychology‌.

4. Reframe the loss

If possible, try to see your job loss through a lens that gives it new meaning. Maybe there’s a valuable life lesson or a silver lining that can come from this unexpected or uncomfortable situation, Maidenberg says. This tweak in perspective can be pretty helpful. For example, people who can reframe their job loss experience tend to feel more satisfied, per the APA.

To be clear, though, reframing isn't meant to dismiss all your negative feelings about losing your job (you're totally entitled to those). Rather, both things can be true at once: It sucks to be unemployed and the loss might actually lead to something positive.

5. Pull strength from the past

Odds are, life has thrown you other curveballs in the past, and you survived them all. Use those past experiences to draw strength in the present. “One can remind themselves of other situations where they may have felt similarly and were able to successfully cope with these challenging times,” Maidenberg says.

Whenever you need a confidence boost, say this to yourself: I can do hard things, and I have a track record to prove it. I will get through this tough time, too.

6. Establish a new routine

With nowhere to be, it can be tempting to binge Netflix or sleep all day, but your mental health may take a hit. Work provides a built-in structure and purpose to our day. Without it, we can feel a little lost.

That’s why it’s important to create a daily routine. And it doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. It could be as simple as taking a shower, eating a balanced breakfast, going for a walk, and researching job prospects. The key is just sticking to it. Research shows that people who follow a set schedule respond better to job loss, according to the APA.

7. Stay connected

As we learned, losing a job can be very lonely. “Interpersonal connection is pivotal during this time,” Maidenberg says. Try to be proactive about connecting with people. “Reach out to supportive family and friends who can nurture you," she says. Having someone to lean on and to listen to your feelings can be extremely validating and therapeutic.

8. Explore new things

Always wanted to get into gardening or learn another language? There’s no time like the present.

Use this time to explore new interests and consider picking up a hobby, volunteering, or making art, Maidenberg says. Not only will it fill your cup (and your free time), but it can also make you a more interesting, well-rounded person with a new skill set, which can be a big advantage as a prospective job seeker.

9. Join a support group

Job loss is isolating, but you don’t have to go through it alone. In-person and online support groups (like this virtual one through the National Alliance on Mental Illness) can be a lifeline. These groups can offer peer support and professional guidance. People “in a similar situation can be invaluable sources of encouragement, motivation, inspiration, support, and job leads,” Maidenberg says.

10. Create a concrete plan for finding another job

It can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the tedious task of job searching. The best strategy is to create a plan of action. From here, break your goals into small steps and prioritize what’s most pressing. If you need help with the search itself, the U.S. Department of Labor has a wealth of free resources, including:

• Contacts to your local American Job Center, to talk with a counselor and learn what resources are available to help in your search
• Apprenticeships that may pay you while participating in training
• Resume help
•  Informational interviews
• Networking contacts
• Potential employers research help
• Job fair opportunities
• Access to online job banks

When to get mental health help

While there are many things we can do to protect our mental health after a job loss, the adjustment can still be really hard to handle (and rightfully so). If you feel like it's all too much, don't be afraid to ask for professional help.

Here are some signs that you could use the support of a therapist, according to Maidenberg:

• Prolonged and chronic sadness and anxiousness
• Intense emotional highs and lows
• Difficulty coping with, managing, and regulating emotions
• Psychosomatic symptoms like headaches, gastrointestinal/digestive issues, shortness of breath, back aches, chest pains, muscle tension, skin rashes, and fatigue
• Loss of interest in activities that you previously enjoyed
• Social withdrawal/isolation
• Increased drug or alcohol use/addictive behaviors
• Profound changes in sleeping and eating patterns
• Marked changes in personality
• Thoughts of self-harm or suicidality

People with a history of trauma may also notice post-traumatic stress symptoms “getting kicked up by this stressor,” Maidenberg says. Some PTSD symptoms to watch out for include the following, per the American Psychiatric Association:

• Intrusion: Intrusive thoughts such as repeated, involuntary memories, distressing dreams, or flashbacks of the traumatic event
• Avoidance: Avoiding people, places, activities, objects, and situations that may trigger distressing memories
• Alterations in cognition and mood: Negative thoughts and feelings leading to ongoing and distorted beliefs about oneself or others (e.g., “I am bad” or “No one can be trusted”); feeling detached or estranged from others; or being unable to feel positive emotions (a void of happiness or satisfaction)
• Alterations in arousal and reactivity: Being irritable and having angry outbursts; behaving recklessly or in a self-destructive way; being overly watchful of one's surroundings in a suspecting way; being easily startled; or having problems concentrating or sleeping