Losing your job is one of the most stressful life experiences that many people face. Like other major losses, job loss comes with its own sort of grief — for your lost role or identity, your co-workers, your income, and your goals for advancement. Depression is a natural response, especially in tough economic times. 

Accepting those feelings and showing yourself some compassion can help make it more manageable. There are also things you can do to lift your spirits and keep moving forward during this period of uncertainty. Staying connected with friends and family and making room for the little things that bring you joy are powerful ways to stay grounded when you’re not sure what your next steps will look like.

In this article, we’ll share nine strategies you can try to manage feelings of depression after losing a job.

9 strategies for navigating depression after job loss 

The first week or two after losing your job may be especially hard. Try to be gentle with yourself and find safe ways to express your feelings. Identify people and resources you can lean on for support and prioritize your needs. Then focus on taking one baby step at a time. Remember that this feeling will only be temporary and that building toward the rest of your career is a long-term goal.

Job loss can sometimes lead to an adjustment disorder, which is a clinically recognized, short-term condition involving stress or depression after major life changes.

Try using the following strategies to get through depression after a job loss:

• Find emotional validation — Losing a job can take you through the whole roller coaster of grief. It’s totally understandable that you should feel shocked, depressed, angry or a mix of emotions. Resisting your negative feelings or keeping them bottled inside won’t help you resolve them and move forward. Find activities that help you express your emotions and feel them safely. This might look like journaling, talking with a friend or working on a creative project.
• Address stigma and self-judgment — Even if your job loss wasn’t your fault, it can be easy to blame yourself or feel a sense of guilt. You may need to remind yourself that the situation was out of your control and that it’s not a reflection of your performance. Try to come up with some affirmations or mantras to counter these negative thoughts. Talking with a friend or a therapist may also help you keep things in perspective.
• Create structure during the transition — Depression thrives when you don’t have any structure or routines to keep you moving. First, try to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day. Plan out how you’ll do basic self-care, like preparing meals and exercising. Decide how much time you want to dedicate to your job search or career development during the week. Make sure you also reserve some time each day for something that brings you joy, like reading or your favorite hobby.
• Build resilience through skill development — This one isn’t about skills to list on your resume. It’s about healthy coping skills and skills for emotion regulation. You may need different skills depending on what you’re feeling. Strategies that work for depression look a bit different than ones you might use for anger. There are plenty of free online resources you can look at to get started.
• Cultivate purpose through other activities — Finding a sense of purpose can help you get through this time of uncertainty. You might volunteer for a cause you care about or find ways to take political action. Or you might take this opportunity to help out a family member with household tasks. 
• Keep your friends close — If your depression makes you want to self-isolate, spending time with friends and loved ones is that much more important. Reach out to one person at a time and let them know you could use some company. 
• Find your motivation for the job search process — Searching for a new job takes a lot of drive and motivation. Spend some time thinking about what you want in your next position and what you want to accomplish in your career. Try to visualize yourself in your new role and see what energizes you.
• Maintain your professional identity — Just because you’re not working right now, that doesn’t mean you have to lose your sense of who you are as a professional. Besides sprucing up your resume and your LinkedIn profile, there are other ways to stay connected. Reach out to some old contacts and book virtual coffees. See if there are low-cost industry events you can attend or online trainings to work on. 
• Manage financial anxiety with concrete planning — For many people, financial stressors are one of the most difficult aspects of job loss. Take stock of your monthly expenses and other costs to plan for. Then prioritize them and see where you can make adjustments. Don’t forget to file for unemployment and explore other ways to supplement your income.

Finding balance and moving forward after a job loss

Trying to force a positive attitude when you’re reeling from a job loss may not be realistic or helpful. Recovering from this type of depression is more about finding a more balanced or neutral perspective. Acknowledging and accepting your feelings is an important step. Then you can take a step back and see a bigger picture that includes both positives and negatives. This is how you build emotional resilience.

At Lightfully, we recognize that your mental health is only one facet of your life experience. It has cause-and-effect relationships with many other factors, including your work life. Our licensed clinicians provide mental health care for the whole person. This means we provide holistic treatments that help you build your resources and care for yourself proactively. 

Are you recovering from depression after a job loss and looking for support beyond regular outpatient therapy? We can help. Contact us or reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team today.