The Three Psychological Stages That The Unemployed Person Goes Through
The absence of paid work is a situation which affects not only the finances of the unemployed person and his family but also his emotions and his mind in general. The phenomenon has been studied at length. Thus, Professor Susana Arancibia of the University of the Pacific points out that there are three psychological stages through which an unemployed person passes.
For most of us, the loss of our job is a dire situation. Susana Arancibia reminds us that work links an individual to society by giving him a role. For this reason unemployment has important consequences which are reflected in different ways for everyone. However, there are often three major psychological stages in this process.
It is generally believed that a person without a formal job is “unproductive”. However, this is not true. Indeed, an unemployed person very often engages in domestic activities, associations or temporary occupations which are often poorly recognized. However, these activities still require effort. In any case, the lack of recognition experienced by the unemployed often leads the latter to go through the following three psychological stages.
Between doubt and optimism
At the beginning, the new unemployed person experiences a kind of shock, the degree of intensity of which varies over time. If he expected to be unemployed, the impact is less strong, but if it happened suddenly, the effect is more violent. However, the person generally refuses to assume their new status. He sometimes hopes to be recalled by his former employer. He still expects “something” to happen and everything to go back to how it was before.
It is the first psychological stage of unemployment. It is an ambiguous step. Indeed, while the unemployed want to find a job, they also begin to appreciate the fact of having time. It relieves him in a way. He tells himself that he will find a new job and that it will be done relatively quickly.
The second psychological stage of the unemployed: stagnation
The second psychological stage that the unemployed person goes through is the moment when he begins to realize that it may not be so easy to find a job. This phase usually occurs between 6 and 18 months after the job loss. The person has then put a lot of effort into finding a new job and nothing seems to be working.
The unemployed person begins to sink into the pessimist and he begins to display signs of anxiety. He begins to think that there might be something wrong with him. He may have episodes of insomnia and also signs of irritability and frustration. Feelings of guilt and shame are also common. Self-esteem begins to suffer, as does self-confidence.
Loss of interest and resignation
Within 18 to 24 months of losing a job, another psychological stage for the unemployed person begins. This is a phase characterized by resignation. The person experiences sadness, feelings of inferiority and apathy. It seems to the unemployed that there is no way out of his situation. He feels that all his efforts are in vain. A feeling of failure finally takes hold of the person.
Beyond 24 months, this situation worsens over time and this tendency to resignation increases to the point that the unemployed practically stops looking for a new job. He is skeptical of any possible work option and suffers from chronic frustration. The person feels less competent than others and is at risk of falling into depression. His level of motivation is then almost zero.
What to do to help an unemployed person?
The partner, family and friends play a very important role for an unemployed person. If he finds acceptance and support in his close social circle, the unemployed will certainly be better equipped to face this difficult period. It is important that the person understands that their value as a human being goes far beyond the job.
Likewise, it is important that an unemployed person makes the best use of his time. A good option is for example to train. Thus, there are hundreds of free and very good quality online courses. This will allow him to improve his professional skills and increase his chances of finding a new job.
In addition, if it turns out to be too difficult to find a job as an employee, it is always possible to consider working on your own. Today there are many professional activities that do not require large investments at the start. This is especially true in the area of service.
When looking for a job, it is therefore advisable to listen to yourself and others in order to find ideas for starting a business. When the job market does not offer us an opportunity, then it is up to us to create them.
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