There is no shame in feeling depressed.
Long-term job hunts often lead to feelings of despair on top of financial problems.
A recent study by the Pew Research Center confirmed that a loss of self-respect, strained or lost personal relationships and increased pessimism are common after job loss.
If you’re suffering from extended unemployment, there’s probably little comfort in knowing these are widespread reactions. What can help is getting or giving help.
*Anyone familiar with grief knows that recovery begins with recognizing the loss. So it is with depression related to job loss. Recognize how and why you feel the way you do.
*Then seek resources to tackle the problem, including counseling and prescription drugs — two things job hunters frequently shy away from because of stigma or costs.
Job hunters often are so angry, so depressed, so hurt that they can’t present themselves as energetic, emotionally stable employees.
That’s the “get help” part.
Here’s the “give help” aspect:
*If you can motivate yourself to volunteer with a nonprofit that helps others, you will feel better about yourself. It won’t solve your financial woes. And though it could lead to a job, that’s not the reason to do it.
Job seekers who volunteer say it kept them sane during extended unemployment, giving them a sense of self-worth and building personal relationships.
*Counselors also recommend a simple positive-thinking tool: Each day, write in a “gratitude journal” something for which you’re thankful.
