ONE in five US workers say the recession is causing them mental health problems, as they battle anxiety and fear over the potential loss of their jobs, new research shows. — PHOTO: REUTERS
NEW YORK – ONE in five US workers say the recession is causing them mental health problems, as they battle anxiety and fear over the potential loss of their jobs, new research shows.
Among 1,068 employed adults surveyed, 215 said the economic situation has had a negative impact on their mental health, while another 359 workers said their on-the-job stress level has increased. The survey was conducted online for employment agency Adecco USA from Feb 25-27.
‘There’s certainly been a pretty severe increase in stress, and stress is a precursor to anxiety and panic,’ said Dr Elisha Goldstein, a Los Angeles-based psychologist who specializes in stress issues.
Workers are distracted as well, worrying about keeping their jobs, when layoffs might come or the fate of colleagues who already lost their jobs, he said.
‘Companies start to become less effective. It starts to become a downward spiral, where an economic recession starts to become more of an emotional and mental recession,’ Dr Goldstein said.
With job losses growing, company coffers shrinking and budgets tight, it’s no wonder workers’ mental health is taking a hit, public relations executive and lecturer Terrie Williams said.
‘What’s really difficult and very isolating about this experience is that people are walking around with that stuff inside of them. It’s pretending that you’re fine when you’re really worried sick,’ said Ms Williams, who suffered from depression and wrote about it in her book ‘Black Pain.’
She suggested workers repeat the following mantra to themselves – ‘Everybody else is losing their job, but I’m not that one. That’s for somebody else. I’m not going to be that one.’
Employees can handle workplace anxiety better if a company is frank about how it is faring and if managers are visible, said Bernadette Kenny, chief career officer at Adecco USA, which commissioned the mental health survey. — REUTERS
Kyith is the Owner and Sole Writer behind Investment Moats. Readers tune in to Investment Moats to learn and build stronger, firmer wealth foundations, how to have a Passive investment strategy, know more about investing in REITs and the nuts and bolts of Active Investing.
Readers also follow Kyith to learn how to plan well for Financial Security and Financial Independence.
Kyith worked as an IT operations engineer from 2004 to 2019. Currently, he works as a Senior Solutions Specialist in Insurance Start-up Havend. All opinions on Investment Moats are his own and does not represent the views of Providend.
You can view Kyith's current portfolio here, which uses his Free Google Stock Portfolio Tracker.
His investment broker of choice is Interactive Brokers, which allows him to invest in securities from different exchanges all over the world, at very low commission rates, without custodian fees, near spot currency rates.
You can read more about Kyith here.
- My Dividend Experience Investing in UCITS iShares iBond Maturing in 2028. - April 23, 2024
- We Invest into Popular Funds When They Are Popular, Exactly When They Started Turning to Shxt. - April 22, 2024
- Meal Prep 2.0 – Cooking Your “Go-to” Meal that You Look Forward to Eating Everyday. - April 21, 2024