Can Losing your Job Affect Your Mental Health?

According to CBS news today, losing your job can affect you mentally in a number of ways. Dr. Sudeepta Varma, Psychiatrist at New York University Medical Center  said that people could end up lonely and depressed and that the consequences of the anxiety and depression could be worse than actually losing the job itself

Some quick tips to begin to deal with depression

1. Stay active – when you are depressed it is very common to feel so tired and exhausted that you cannot move. You can and you must. Being active is the quickest and most effective first step towards helping that depression. It also releases endorphins which are the bodies natural mood boosters and will help to lift your spirits.
2. Balance being active with having enough rest and relaxing time.
3. Express your emotions – don’t keep them bottled up. Having a good cry can be really beneficial
4. Get support from family and friends – or just be with those who love you.
5. Believe in yourself, make yourself the priority, give yourself treats (such as a long soak in the bath or feet up watching a favourite show on tv) and be kind and compassionate to yourself.
6. Take things slowly and gently and do not expect yourself to get better overnight.

More on dealing with depression in later posts.