Is Unemployment The Cause Of Rise In Mental Health Issues?

A report from the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health in America suggests that people who are unemployed are up to four times more likely to suffer from mental health issues, such as depression. 13 percent of unemployed people have stated that they’ve considered self-harming as a way to combat their emotions, with the inability to pay for treatment only compounding the issue further. With mental health issues on the rise whilst coinciding with the rise in unemployment as well, this could become a serious problem. Researchers have stated that this could highlight the importance of mental health and provide more coverage for the conditions, which currently aren’t publicised in the same way as other health concerns.

The study noted that those at the highest risk mentally are people with jobs in industries which may not resurface or offer employment after the recession, such as shipbuilders, automobiles or steel factories. Doctors suggest that this is psychologically worse for people than the Great Depression. The rise in people losing their jobs stems from advancements in technology which is putting a number of people out of work. According to reports, 1.8 million people have given up hope of finding a job, which shows an increase of 300,000 from the previous six months.

Depression stems from a variety of emotional traumas, from personal loss to strong levels of anxiety. With this condition, people often feel helpless, guilty and filled with despair – unemployment only causes these feelings to worsen, which makes looking for and finding work even more difficult for the individual suffering. There are many treatments available, so speak to your GP if you think you or someone you know may be suffering from mental health concerns, as they can provide the right treatment for the condition such as counselling or medication.