Unemployment and Health

DISCLAIMER: THIS POST DOES NOT CLAIM TO REPLACE PROFESSIONAL HELP OF ANY SORT. IF IN DOUBT, PLEASE SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP

Unemployment and Health:

Unemployment occurs to many people and can be a stressful, disheartening and guilt-ridden period of one’s life. A person might be able, competent, keen to work, and be desperate for a job but still be jobless because in some places, there aren’t enough jobs to go around everyone for one reason or the other. Readiness to work with no job can have a major impact on a person, their choices and how well they’re able and willing to look after themselves. Unemployment is a health hazard!

How unemployment can affect health:

• Boredom
• Depression
• Stress
• Money
• Self esteem
• Loneliness/isolation
• Mental illness
• Drug, tobacco and alcohol use
• Physical health

What to do?

1. Position yourself well
2. Prepare yourself
3. Work on yourself whilst you wait
4. Learn a trade or handiwork or skill
5. Remind yourself how hard you have tried and its not your fault that there aren’t enough jobs about
6. Be aware of how unemployment can affect you and ask for help if need be
7. Do things you enjoy doing within reason and as prudently as possible
8. Eat healthy food and get some exercise
9. Consciously cut down on cigarettes and alcohol and stay away from drugs
10. Make some plans
11. Spend time with supportive family and friends
12. Get an income- no matter how small, find anything to do in the meantime
13. Think of using your talents and/or learned skills to start and enterprise either alone or with other person/people
14. Become a volunteer

Reference:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1646287/pdf/amjph00281-0056.pdf
2. http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=240&np=297&id=2132
3. https://psychologenie.com/how-unemployment-affects-mental-physical-health
4. https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/research/2012/12/how-does-employment–or-unemployment–affect-health-.html