Fit for Christ Daily Dose of Love: 8 Ideas for Coping With Job Loss and Avoiding Depression

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Jeremiah 29:11 - 'For I know the plans I have for you,'
declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you
hope and a future.'

When Job
Loss Leads to Depression and Jeremiah 29:11

Learn strategies to cope with being unemployed, plus steps to avoid or treat depression.

Losing your job can be a traumatic and unsettling event, especially in tough economic times when the prospect of finding new work seems slim. With unemployment rates rising and stories about layoffs, downsizing, and cutbacks in the news every day, the stress from losing a job may build to the point where your mental health suffers and you experience depression.

A job loss means a major change in your daily routine, losing contact with
people from work, and perhaps a change in how you see yourself. For some people, losing a job may be as devastating as losing a loved one or going through a divorce, and you might even experience the same type of feelings, including anger, denial, and depression.

Depression can be the result of many contributing factors that can sometimes be difficult to distinguish, but if you are unemployed and living with financial insecurity, your situation may be serious enough to bring about depression.
Research has shown that job loss may be related to depression not only
because of the financial burden it brings, but also because it affects your
social status, self-esteem, mental and physical activity, and the ability to use
your skills. How well a job loss is handled depends on many factors: age,
financial situation, your ability to deal with stress, and any emotional
disorders you might already have. Here are ways to help you cope, as well as
what to do if you can no longer cope on your own.

8 Ideas for Coping With Job Loss and Avoiding Depression

• Be realistic. Come to terms with why you lost your job. If you need to
  improve your skills to find a better job, now's the perfect time to get that
  training.
• Manage your money. If you have the right to certain benefits, claim them as soon as you can to avoid getting behind financially. Make a plan for you and your family to reduce daily expenses.
• Create a daily routine. Make a schedule of what you hope to accomplish each day, so that you maintain a regular routine. Include time for your job search, as well as exercise and leisure. Plan for the next day before you go to bed at night. Take advantage of the power of positive momentum. "THE BIG MO!"
• Get emotional support. Family, friends, and support groups can help you
  deal with the job loss. Speaking to people - networking - may help you find a new job. Volunteer. It is hard to be stressed when you serving others.
• Learn how to manage stress. Read the Bible, Pray, visualize, and be patient by taking one step at a time one day at a time, and trusting the Lord daily. Success is doing the litlle things, each day and having them add up to the big things. Be consistent and keep pressing forward.
• Set everyday goals for yourself. Just going to the library or having lunch
  with a friend can help you build your confidence, maintain relationships, and
  stay healthy.
• Don't isolate yourself. Make sure to stay busy outside of your home to avoid added emotional stress.
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle. A regular schedule, eating well, and exercise will keep you fit for the next job. It may be the last thing you feel like doing, but exercise will have those endorphins swimming around in your head, and lift your mood and increase your energy.
• Above all else know that the Lord is in control.
• When I lost my seventh job in 2 1/2 years two years ago, (after having only three jobs in 25 years) I realized it was time to follow the vision God had put on my heart to start Fit for Christ. Yes, it is a little scary, and yes it is different than being guaranteed a salary. While those things are true, I am now fulfilling the vision God put on my heart, and helping people through Fit for Christ. It has been difficult at times, and I have cried and felt very sorry for myself. Jim and I have felt like quitting, but GOD! He reminds us that His purpose for us will NEVER fail if we stay true to the vision He gave us.  We are so amazed that God is allowing us to do this, and everydayHe reminds us that if we seek first His Kingdom, all the other things will be added unto us. You can not earn enough money to buy the peace, joy and love you
  receive from fulfllling the calling God has on your life. Stay faithful. We love
  you. -liz and jim