How to cope with a job loss: Strategies and support

Why Does Losing a Job Hurt So Much?

Losing a job can cause a significant amount of distress because it is often an unpredictable circumstance, or one that feels out of our control. 

If you lost your job because of poor performance or an action you took, it can be very emotionally impactful—like you failed or fell short. You might feel emotions like guilt, disappointment, or embarrassment. It’s absolutely okay to feel this way. 

When something happens that comes out of nowhere or seems to have no specific reason, it’s common to blame yourself, perhaps unfairly, due to a desire to regain some sort of control over the situation. Coping tools like journaling and connecting with your support system can help.

How Does Losing a Job Affect Your Mental Health?

Losing a job can affect mental health in numerous, often negative, ways. 

Job loss can cause economic stress, financial strain, strained relationships, and more, each of which can have a significant impact on one’s levels of stress and anxiety. 

Further, the negative ramifications of losing a job can also trigger depressive symptoms. This is because the body reacts to the perceived stressors in one’s environment and can engage in “shutting down” behaviors as a way of protecting itself from more harm. Men can be especially impacted in this way, as they are socialized to be the provider for the family in many cultures.

These behaviors can range in intensity, and may include: 

• Hypersomnia
• Apathy
• Withdrawal
• Self-isolation
• Thoughts of suicide

If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or harming yourself, resources like the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline have experts who can provide support and guidance. 

Is Losing a Job Traumatic?

Losing a job can be a traumatic experience for some, though it is not always the case. Trauma due to losing a job can occur for some when the conditions are “just right”—that is, there is a combination of high risk factors and low protective factors. 

For example, maybe this job loss makes it difficult or impossible to pay rent, causing the threat of eviction and limited access to healthcare or food. These factors would increase the likelihood of a traumatic experience developing. 

Further, emotional experiences or verbal interactions in the workplace that are negative, harassing, or abusive could also contribute to a job loss being potentially traumatic. 

Are Job Loss and Depression Connected?

Depression and job loss can absolutely be connected. Though it’s important not to equate correlation to causation, in individuals who may be predisposed to depression or have pre-existing conditions, losing a job can serve as an activating event for the expression and/or intensification of depressive symptoms.

How to Deal With Anxiety After Losing a Job

A commonly recommended way to manage levels of anxiety after losing a job is to receive professional counseling. This ensures that you are staying on top of your mental health and doing everything you can to heal and nurture yourself during this period of intense stress. 

Outside of counseling, you can make sure to regularly engage in healthy activities that are aligned with your core values. This can help you feel anchored within your identity and give you some self-care. Other helpful self-care activities include making preferred foods and drinks, getting massages, working out, sleeping well, and maintaining a healthy diet.

Finally, try to avoid isolating yourself. During times of distress, it’s important to rely on your support network and stick with your regular routines as much as you can.

How to Survive Financially After Job Loss

One of the most practical ways to survive financially after losing your job is to sit down and take time to do a monthly budget. Write out your expenses each month (rent, bills, etc.) and then explore all of your current streams of income. 

Then, look at any gaps in bills that need to be paid and explore any short-term ways that you can make sure your bills are paid, such as doing contract work or any part-time work in between jobs, etc. 

It’s also okay to remind yourself that you can ask trusted people in your support system for advice on ways that they generate income or revenue. They could help you find resources or maybe even some gig work that they find helpful.

How to Grieve the Loss of a Job

An important thing to do while grieving the loss of a job is to remind yourself that you are allowed to grieve. Try not to fight or suppress the strong emotions you have. It’s normal and expected to feel a wide range of emotions as you process this unexpected and difficult event—allowing yourself to identify and feel them is an important step toward a healthy emotional resolution.

Part of the grieving process is identifying all the things you liked and disliked about the job. Grief is not often a clean or clear-cut process, and that’s okay. It is normal to cycle through feelings of relief and gratitude to be out of a toxic environment while still grieving the parts of the job you did like.

How Long Does It Take to Get Over Losing a Job?

Most people who see a mental health professional after losing a job see a significant decrease in the severity of distressing symptoms within the first 4-6 weeks of treatment.

However, finding closure after job loss is a personal experience, and for some, is an ongoing process. To get started, work to identify what “closure” looks like to you. What is it? How will you know when you’ve reached it? What will it feel like? 

Thinking on these questions can be especially helpful before speaking with a mental health professional, as it can help you set clear, defined goals with your provider for healing and moving forward. A mental health professional can help you process your emotions, move past your feelings of loss, and create an actionable plan on how to find fulfillment and purpose in the future.