Coping With The Stress Of Unemployment

Augusta, GA—“Nobody’s hiring right now. It’s just bad everywhere,“ says Tommy Randall. And he should know. He’s been out of work for a year, with only sporadic side jobs getting him through.

Now, his wife is joining the ranks of the unemployed. “It’s hard paying the bills and putting food in the house,“ says Annette Randall, who lost her job a month ago. She says it helps knowing they’re not facing this alone. “I’m looking around here, and there was lot of people just like us.“

Augusta State Psychology professor, Dr. Adrian Janit, says the number of people coming in for economy-related issues is on the rise. “Losing your job is one of the most stressful things a human being can go through,“ says Dr. Janit.

The stress of wondering how you’re going to get by and feed your family and battling feelings of hopelessness can lead to depression, which the psychologist says is a serious condition, especially if left untreated. “When people get depressed enough, perhaps thoughts enter their mind of ending their lives or hurting themselves. or you might hear things like perhaps it would be better if I weren’t here.“

Dr. Janit says you should be aware of behavior changes in a loved in the throes of unemployment. Urge them to seek treatment if it appears they’re dealing with more than the job-loss blues and offer plenty of encouragement. “I think it’s important to realize that the problem is being worked on aggressively. There is hope for a bright future,“ says Dr. Janit.

Annette says she and her husband, Tommy, depend on each other for support during this tough time and draw strength from their five children, including baby Blane. “I think one of us will find a job here eventually. ‘So you have hope? I do,“ she says.

“We’ll get it straight one day,“ says Tommy.