Psychology: How to handle Job Loss | CBT Kenya

More often, a job loss is unexpected. It seems to come out of nowhere and can knock you off your feet. If you just lost your job, there are probably a lot of thoughts going through your mind. You may be angry at your boss, or whoever else you think could be responsible for your situation. Most of all, you are probably anxious about what will happen next. Will you get a job and how will you pay the bills until that happens?  Consequently, you might feel terrified, overwhelmed, and powerless. Your anxiety might be skyrocketing, and you feel depressed before you even get out of bed.

Ways you can cope

• Acknowledge that you are in a very stressful situation and your feelings are entirely a normal reaction to it. It is not uncommon to be upset or angry. While it’s okay to vent at your friends and family, do not act out toward your boss or coworkers.
• Take a short break to evaluate your situation. You don’t have to start looking for a new job the day after you get fired. Try to figure out what happened so you can learn from this experience. It’s easy to blame others, but it is essential to own your own mistakes. If you don’t, it won’t be possible to make the necessary changes to keep it from happening again.
• Determine how long your financial resources will last. If possible, don’t deplete your savings or increase your debt. Devise a budget that allows you to cut down on your expenses as much as you can.
• You define who you are, not your job or a company’s decision whether or not to employ you. Don’t take it as a personal rejection against you. It may well be due to economic forces far beyond your control that you found yourself out of work. Potential employers will be more attracted to people who have proven their ability to stay positive and confident despite a setback/job loss.
• Be intentional about taking care of YOU and doing whatever it takes to feel strong and fit. Get outdoors, go for a run, do some gardening, or just do something that lifts your spirits.

Bottom line

You might be wondering: When will this crisis end? Which jobs and businesses will survive? Will we even get back to “normal”? It’s also hard to job search when there are barely any jobs on the market.  The people around you impact how you see yourself, your situation and what you do to improve it. Be intentional about who you hang out with and don’t get sucked into the vortex of those who want a marathon pity party. Surround yourself with people who lift you up, avoid those who don’t, read positive books and watch inspiring movies.

Although this situation seems scary since there are so many unknowns, you will find employment again. It might look different from your previous job. It might even be an entirely new path. Either way, you will get through this. In the meantime, do whatever practical things you can like creating a routine, job searching and be gentle with yourself. Seeing a psychologist can be very helpful to cope with this difficult times. Are you having trouble finding one?

At CBT Kenya, we have friendly yet professional psychologists who are ready to have a talk with you. We encourage you to find out more about our services. We welcome any questions. Any questions related to psychotherapy, counselling, and psychology services are welcomed. Our purpose is to help you to achieve your therapeutic and life goals, to improve the quality of your life and to help you to build strong relationships in your life. Get in touch or book an appointment on +254 739 935 333, +254 756 454 585 or info@cbtkenya.org