Suicide Prevention After a Job Loss

Job loss is a chronic complication in the United States. While the loss of a job may result in an adverse reaction to your family finances, it can also take a toll on your emotional health. When losing a job, working adults often feel an increase in stress levels which can, ultimately, lead to feels of low self-worth and depression. If you are concerned about a loved one who recently lost a job, it is important to consider some key factors in how you can help to prevent a catastrophic emotional event from occurring, including the work in suicide prevention.

Grieving a Job Loss
When a job loss occurs suddenly, it is not uncommon for working adults to feel as if they have experienced the same level of distress as if a family member had passed away. Because our places of employment are so closely tied to our lifestyles, losing a job often results in a sudden change to lifestyle and a change to our daily routines. Grief, very similar to that of a family death, is not uncommon. If you are helping someone who has lost a job, encourage that individual to grieve as they deem appropriate as grieving now will often save the complications of holding back emotions later.

Role of Talk Therapy
If, after losing a job, you find that your loved one is extremely depressed and may be suicidal, it would be prudent to seek out mental health services from a psychologist. Because unemployment and sudden job loss is so common in the United States right now, many psychologists are working with patients who are in need of an outlet to discuss their fears, concerns, and obtain motivation to continue looking for new work. Talk therapy, in most cases, serves the key role in helping a suicidal unemployed adult feel hopeful again.

Support Groups
When a healthy working adult loses a job, it is not uncommon to feel some degree of shame and embarrassment. These types of feelings, even when discussed with family members and friends, often do not feel resolved as the unemployed person may feel as if the employed individuals can simply not relate. When feeling isolated in this manner, suicidal thoughts often creep in. To mitigate this degree of loneliness and isolation, seek out additional support through local organizations that provide support groups for unemployed adults. By encouraging attachment with those who are also unemployed, there is a common sense of purpose and understanding.

While unemployment is rampant in the United States, most healthy working adults can find new employment within a few months and restore some normalcy to their lives. During the time that unemployment continues to fester, there can be thoughts of suicide at times. When looking for ways to help a loved one who is unemployed, work to provide job leads and employment tips, but also consider these options to help mitigate the risk for suicide and other secondary emotional health complications.

Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2623116
http://www.labor.ny.gov/careerservices/findajob/handle.shtm
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/09/health/09suic.html