Does Anxiety Cause Unemployment or Vice Versa?

Which came first the chicken   or the egg  ?????

We studied the issue in depth: 

Drum Role Please: egg, chicken then egg, egg then chicken

Gee thanks Mike, now things are clear!

Anxiety DOES NOT Cause Unemployment

Before you entered the frustrating state of unemployment or underemployment, anxiety probably did not cause your job loss, unless you have underlying anxiety issues.

Anxiety DOES Cause Unemployment

Once you enter the state of unemployment, anxiety most likely will cause or significantly contribute to your mental health, prolonging your unemployment. 

Anxiety causes:

• Loss of confidence since you never planned it to be part of “you”
• Lack of career clarity since you could question, what am I really good at?

When I got laid off from Wall Street in ’07, I was the sole breadwinner with a mortgage, child support spousal support and a big ego. 

I quickly entered depression since I needed to severely dip into savings and had nowhere to go but Starbucks.

Even ordered the  “Short” at Starbucks to save money and yelled at my spouse for not doing the same!

Hey, I used to do $billion deals: really, no joke.

Granted it was a major economic meltdown, but everyone could see in my face and hear in my voice the insecurity and fear.  People hire those with confidence; that was not me.

After 15 years on Wall Street, did I really have any skills other than:

If this is you, change now!

• Start or maintain a 3-4 per week exercise program 
• Meditate daily 
• Seek others to pump you up   (could not find free Hanz and Franz picture)
• See a shrink

except in August, when most go on vacation and the City expands

Unemployment DOES Causes Anxiety

• Duh!

Summary

Break the vicious circle that you feel horrible or anxious because you don’t have a full-time job and take some suggestions in this blog.  As I have written before, unemployment is part of your professional journey.

Of course, the real job of a consummate career coach is to help restore your confidence as you work your way back to full employment.

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