Job Loss: The Emotional Toll On Health and Relationships

By Rachel Stockton

Job loss happens, unfortunately, and during economic downturns like the one we’re currently in the midst of, they have far reaching affects – not only on the breadwinner who’s lost the job, but on his or her family members as well.

A study conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation underscores just how devastating losing one’s source of income can be.  Of those surveyed who lost their jobs through circumstances beyond their control (think GM and the banking industry), those likely to report that their health is fair to poor rises 54%.  And, of those who already have preexisting health issues, the likelihood that they will develop another one increases to 83%.

The stress from job loss has a ripple affect through the family and into the school room.  Glen Elder, professor at the University of North Carolina told the New York Times that a parent’s job loss profoundly affects the child’s performance at school, particularly if the job loss causes marital strife at home.  Adolescent boys who come from families that suffer sudden unemployment are more likely to become delinquent, while girls are more likely to turn their stress inward, in the form of depression. 

This is nothing new.  Dr. Elder discovered through research that during the Depression, the harsh, economic reality people experienced led to a “deterioration” of child rearing practices.  Discipline became more punitive, and physical punishment was more likely to be used on a daily basis. 

Floyd Norris, chief financial correspondent  to the New York Times and the International Herald Tribune speculates that one reason stress levels are reaching debilitating proportions is because losing a job in the current economy is a scary proposition.  Many workers do not have an expectation of recovering those jobs once the economy recovers.  In the case of plant closings and corporate takeovers, simply riding out the storm until it clears isn’t a realistic strategy.

ING Survey

Earlier this year, ING Group (Dutch financial services company) sent out surveys to 8,000 people in the United States, Canada, Britain, Australia and 4 European Countries.  According to ING, Americans three in 10 Americans "say the recession has stressed, strained, or even ruined their marriage or relationship."  This was a higher quotient than any of the other countries that responded. 

ING Direct president Arkadi Kuhlmann  thinks he can explain why:  "People will talk about politics, sports, intimate relations, but not about money," he contends. "It's a very quick acid test about who you are. We're very optimistic. We don't want to think about the harsh realities of health and jobs and money and savings. We shield our loved ones from those conversations. We don't talk about money because we think that's difficult (allbusiness.com).”

Although Kuhlmann has been oft criticized for being “blunt,” he may have a point.  One of the ways we can diffuse some of the stress IS to talk about it; not doing so won’t make our children and spouses think there’s nothing wrong.  Body language and voice inflection tells all. 

The powerlessness employees feel in such situations is indeed, devastating.  And, as the Institute’s study clearly reveals, this lack of control takes its toll on the physical body.