Paying a high price for no job

Being unemployed for a long period can test marriages and friendships, erode self-confidence and strain your finances, writes CAROL RYAN

UNEMPLOYMENT LEADS to financial hardship, but what it can do to people’s health is equally serious. Long-term joblessness is particularly tough and increases the risks of physical and mental ill health, material deprivation and social exclusion.

Joblessness can touch every part of a person’s life. Recent research conducted by the US Pew Research Center into the emotional and health impacts of long-term unemployment found that it could test marriages and friendships, erode self-confidence and strain household budgets.

Nearly half of participants in the study had lost sleep due to stress; 40 per cent had lost contact with close friends; nearly half noticed decreased self-esteem and 42 per cent reported strained relationships with their families at a time when they probably most needed support.

Long-term unemployment, which is defined as being without work for more than a year, is fast becoming a problem in Ireland. Figures released by the Central Statistics Office in September show that 5.9 per cent of the population has been out of work longer than one year – and that number looks set to increase in the absence of any Government job-creation initiatives.

After a year without work, many people have used up redundancy payments or savings and are vulnerable to becoming totally reliant on their weekly social welfare payment. The stress of living in reduced circumstances and a lack of disposable income means that the unemployed are often not in a position to look after their health.

John Stewart, co-ordinator of the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed, says the demand for its services has never been higher. “It is much worse than the 1980s in terms of the actual numbers unemployed, the levels of personal indebtedness and the struggle people are encountering day to day.

“There are huge numbers of very disaffected people out there who are desperately trying to get work. Applying for every job they can see, they are either getting nothing back or they are getting rejections. That is the reality at the moment.”

Work is closely linked to self-esteem and it plays an important role in how we participate in society. This makes job loss difficult and it can have an immediate impact on a person’s demeanour and mental health. For those who have been gainfully employed most of their lives, claiming social welfare can be upsetting.

“We talk to people every day who say the idea of having to go to the social welfare office to sign on and collect a payment in their post office is something they find very hard . . . it doesn’t come easy to people at all. It is absolutely critical for people to see it as an entitlement. It is not charity, so they should go and claim their payment,” says Stewart.

The longer people are unemployed and dealing with rejection, the more challenging it is to stay positive. He encourages people to link in with their local employment service or training centre, which can support them in their job hunt.

“People who are long-term unemployed have their confidence down in their shoes. In many cases they begin to doubt their own ability. The good news is that, with the right support and training opportunities, people’s self-confidence comes right back. They just need a break.”

The link between unemployment and lower levels of psychological health is well established. In addition to the worry of paying the bills on a greatly reduced income, unemployed people have also lost their daily routine, their network of friends and colleagues from work and possibly their financial independence.

Spending the day alone while others go out to work can very easily lead to bouts of depression and can cause changes in health-related behaviours. It is common to become less active while out of work, and stress can cause people to eat more and increase their alcohol intake.

Ted Tierney, deputy chief executive of Mental Health Ireland, has no doubt that there has been an increase in mental health problems due to unemployment.

“People are really feeling the impact of the current economic downturn. When you lose the identity you have from being in the workplace, it is hugely detrimental to your self-esteem, and self-esteem is a big factor in our wellbeing.”

He advises people to make sure they do not spend too much time alone at home. “You get social interaction at work. If you lose that and are beginning to be on your own more, you are letting your thought processes become negative and that in itself is very destructive. Get involved, volunteer, actively pursue things that will help keep up social contact and gainfully use your time instead of that real possible situation where you become isolated.”

One of the more hidden aspects of unemployment is how it can affect relationships. Couples can struggle when one or both of them is spending all their time at home, especially when money worries are thrown into the mix. While the loss of financial independence can cause issues for both sexes, the concept of being the breadwinner is still strong for men and they can be deeply affected by not being able to provide for the family.

“Partners and friends have a huge role to play in being patient, being understanding and even just saying, ‘I know you are going through a difficult time, and I am here to help’,” says Tierney.

With less disposable income, it can be harder to maintain a social life and stay in touch with friends. There may also be an element of self-consciousness around those who are still in employment. People can keep this in mind and invite out-of-work friends over for dinner instead of going to the pub, which will take the pressure off them financially.

John Stewart is clear that, at a national level, the burden must be lifted from the long-term unemployed.

“The onus cannot be totally on the individual,” he says. “There is a huge onus on the Government to do something about job creation.

“We also have concerns in relation to the upcoming Budget, that money may be taken from people who desperately need it. The key thing is that people need to be given hope.”

Nearly 50%of participants in the study had lost sleep due to stress;

40%had lost contact with close friends;

nearly 50%noticed decreased self-esteem

'I HAVE LOST WHATEVER INDEPENDENCE I HAD'

Jane*, has been unemployed since January 2009

I’ve been out of work almost two years. When I finished college, I was working in retail on temporary contracts. My last contract ended just after Christmas 2008 and the work just stopped, no more phone calls. I retrained as a teacher at night, so that I would be available for work during the day, and am applying for everything from teaching jobs to retail jobs to temporary Christmas jobs – hundreds of applications and I have heard nothing back.

Today was the first day of subbing [teaching] work I have had since April.

It has affected my friendships in a lot of ways. If they go out for drinks on a Saturday night, obviously I am more restricted. It even stops you meeting a friend for coffee because you can’t afford the parking; you can’t afford the cup of coffee. Don’t forget your unemployed friends. You are easily forgotten when you are not working.

It has changed the dynamic a lot with my partner. When we first met, I was the one working full-time and he was still in college. Since then, he has found a full-time job and is handing out money constantly, which doesn’t help my confidence, and I have certainly lost whatever independence I had.

I spend a lot of time walking, using the library. It’s important just to get out, go visit relations for half an hour, go out and get fresh food for the dinner. Otherwise, you are stuck at home staring at the four walls. I got very bad at one stage and couldn’t even rouse the energy to go out.

When you queue for a couple of hours in the social welfare office, it is soul destroying, very demeaning. You are put on the bottom rung of the ladder. There are an awful lot of older men queuing up in the welfare office, and you can see that they couldn’t retire properly, or people in their 50s who won’t get work again. You can see some people who have just given up.

* Name has been changed

HEALTH TIPS

KEEP BUSY:Consider volunteering, spending more time with family or taking up a new hobby while searching for work.

GET HELP:Establish links with local support groups and employment services. They can help ensure you are receiving all your entitlements.

BUDGET TALKS:Discuss with family members how they can help in managing on a more limited household budget.

STAY ACTIVE:Many feel overwhelmed during an extended period of unemployment and fail to take care of themselves physically. Exercising daily will protect both mental and physical wellbeing.

EAT THE RIGHT FOODS:Reach for foods that will keep you in a positive frame of mind – healthy fats, good carbs and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Avoid refined sugars, junk food and too much alcohol, all of which can cause sluggishness and low moods.

GET A ROUTINE: Stick to a normal routine to give the day structure. While it is important to get adequate sleep during stressful periods, avoid lying on late into the morning.

SET GOALS:Set weekly job hunting goals to help stay focused.

STAY SOCIABLE:Socialise as much as possible. Make an effort to stay engaged with the world as it is easy to become isolated while unemployed.