The Three Psychological Stages Of The Unemployed

Lack of paid work is a situation that affects not only finances but also emotions and the mind in general. The phenomenon has already been studied, and professor Susana Arancibia, from the University of the Pacific (Colombia), highlights that three psychological stages of the unemployed have been defined.

For most human beings, lack of income from work is a critical factor in life. The same expert indicates that work connects individuals with their society and assigns them a role. For this reason, unemployment has important consequences that manifest themselves differently in each of the psychological stages of the unemployed.

In general, it is common to think that a person who does not have a formal job is “ unproductive ”. This is generally not true, as it is more common for a person without a job to engage in household activities or temporary tasks that are not recognized but also require effort. That is why, when a person is out of work, he faces the different psychological stages of the unemployed, which are as follows.

Skepticism and Enthusiasm

At first, what the newly unemployed experiences is a kind of shock, which has different levels of intensity. If the person was already expecting to be out of work, the impact is not so great, but if it happened suddenly, the effect is greater. Even so, the person refuses to assume his new condition. She expects to be called back to her previous job, or for “something” to happen and everything goes back to the way it was.

This is one of the psychological stages of unemployment that is characterized by ambiguity. At the same time that the person wants to go back to work, he also begins to take advantage of the break to rest and this brings some relief. The person tells himself that he is going to get a new job and that it will happen relatively quickly.

Stagnation, the second of the psychological stages of the unemployed

The second psychological stage of the unemployed occurs when he begins to realize that getting a new job may not be so easy. This phase usually occurs between 6 and 18 months after job loss . The person has gone to great lengths to get a new job and nothing he has done seems to work.

The unemployed person begins to become pessimistic and signs of anxiety appear. He thinks maybe there’s something wrong with her. There may be episodes of insomnia, as well as signs of irritability and frustration. Feelings of guilt and shame are also frequent. Self-esteem starts to be affected, as well as self-confidence.

disinterest and hopelessness

Between 18 and 24 months after losing a job, another of the psychological stages of the unemployed begins. At this stage, there is a certain resignation in face of their condition. There is sadness, inferiority and apathy. There seems to be no way out. It’s as if all efforts are futile. The perception of failure takes over the person.

This increases over time and, after 24 months, resignation increases to the point where the person practically stops looking for a new job. The unemployed view any possible work option with skepticism and feel chronic frustration. The person feels less capable than others and may fall into depression. Your motivation is nil.

What to do?

The role of the partner, family and friends is very important for those who are unemployed. If the unemployed person receives acceptance and support, they will certainly be better protected to face this difficult ordeal. It is important that people understand that their value as a human being goes beyond work.

Likewise, it is necessary for the unemployed person to make the most of their time. A good option is to study. There are hundreds of free and very good quality online courses. This, in turn, helps to hone professional skills and increases the chances of getting a new job.

If the task of getting a salaried job is complicated, we can always consider the possibility of self-employment. There are many business ideas that don’t require a large investment to get started, especially in the service area.

Thus, when looking for a job, it is recommended that the person look for ideas that can be used to undertake. Often the job market may not offer us an opportunity: on these occasions, we will have to create it.