Unemployment: dealing with emotions

If a change in life has been unplanned, such as the death of a loved or being diagnosed with a serious illness, then a person can sometimes feel out of control and can get frustrated and feel resentful at having to adjust to change.

Unfortunately there are events that occur in life that are not planned. For example, if a person who has worked all of their life all of a sudden becomes unemployed, this can have a serious impact of the person's well-being:

• The person may question their self-worth, self-esteem and self-confidence as they feel rejected by their employer.

• The person could feel resentment towards the employer as they feel it wasn't fair that the employer chose them to lose their job and not someone else.

• The person may experience feelings of guilt and sadness that they did not do a good enough job for the employer.

• The person may develop emotional health issues, such as depression, if the person was to sit around the house without motivation or if the person was not successful in getting another job.

Managing reactions and emotions to these changes allows the person to develop personally and also develop their self-concept as they understand how to manage and react to certain emotions.

How could a person deal with becoming unemployed?

A person could:

• talk to friends and family. Sharing and discussing what they feel could help them understand their feelings, manage and work through this change.

• talk to someone who has been through a similar experience as this can be comforting to the person that all will be okay and that someone has been through this before.

• seek professional support, by speaking to a GP, if the change is causing emotional health problems such as anxiety or stress. A GP could advise on the appropriate steps to take to help the young person.

• try to accept change and take the opportunity to re-train or take up a new hobby or start a new career/job that is different from what the old job was.

• enjoy the challenges and excitement of the change to see what other opportunities may happen as a result of this change.

QUESTIONS YOU COULD BE ASKED ON THIS

Describe two impacts that becoming unemployed could have on a person. (4marks)

One impact is losing a steady income, which can make it difficult to cover essential expenses like rent and bills. This financial strain can lead to increased anxiety and worry about the future. (2 marks)

Another impact is on mental health. The lack of daily structure and social interaction could contribute to feelings of isolation and depression. (2 marks)

Analyse the impact of unemployment on a young person's development. (6marks)

Unemployment can have a negative emotional impact on a young person, leading to low self-esteem, stress, and even depression if they feel like they are not achieving their goals or contributing to society.

Socially, being unemployed may cause a young person to withdraw from friendships or social activities because they may feel embarrassed or lack the money to take part. This can lead to feelings of isolation.

In the long term, unemployment can also affect a young person’s career development, as they may miss out on experience, training, and opportunities to build skills that are useful for future jobs.

You should also read:

How to positively manage change