Psychologists see the stress that comes with a recession

Ongoing economic upheaval. Downsizings. Layoffs. Mergers. Bankruptcies. Increasing health care costs. Shrinking retirement benefits.

Both unemployment and underemployment can leave people feeling powerless, and powerlessness can lead down the roads of anxiety and depression.

For the past six years the American Psychological Association has commissioned an annual nationwide survey as part of its Mind/Body Health campaign to examine the state of stress across the country. One of the findings stated that “Job stability is on the rise as a source of stress; nearly half (49 percent) of adults reported that job stability was a source of stress in 2010, as compared to 44 percent in 2009.”

Dr. Don Damsteegt, professor of psychology at Mount Mercy University, expanded on the finding.

“We have noticed that when there is job loss that can lead to extended unemployment, that (in turn) can then lead to some real psychological problems like depression, nervous breakdown and difficulties in coping with things when the person hasn't been able to find a job over a longer period of time,” he said.

“People have had problems all along, and the economy is not necessarily causing more of this,” added Damsteegt, who also owns Family Psychology Associates in Cedar Rapids.

“We know that there are some problems that people are talking about that have to do with the economy and with their job situation, but we are not witnessing any new influx of patients as a result of the current economic situation.”

He noted job-change scenarios that cause stress for people in terms of themes.

“Some common themes are when adult children move back home because they cannot fully support themselves. This puts stress on everyone, of course.

“Another common theme is that the spouses have stress because of the financial problems - there isn't as much money coming in as there once was, and the family is having trouble making ends meet.”

Still another theme, underemployment within a job, can bring about job-related stress in the work force.

“People are not able to change jobs even though they don't make enough money, or are unhappy in a particular job, because they do make some and they need to maintain that safety net,” he said. “So they hold on to what they have, even if it is not in their field.

“Along with that, some people are not able to use their skills because they have been downsized and are now reassigned to do something that's less interesting or beneath their skill level - but still, it is a job.”

Dr. Kevin Krumvieda, a psychologist with the Corridor Christian Counseling Center in North Liberty, assists patients with life-change situations by working with them on resources that help them cope with the stress of being unemployed. He helps them address issues such as self-esteem or making behavioral changes that could aid them in becoming more resilient.

“What people usually experience when they lose their job is something like the grief process,” he noted. “They've lost a very important part of their lives, so the first thing we try to approach is for them to normalize their feelings - ‘Yes, they are feeling down and they are feeling bad about it. That is perfectly natural in a situation like this.'

“And then we talk about what they can do about their situation right now.”

Krumvieda works with patients to focus on what he called resiliency issues. One method he suggests is to write down their feelings, or even write what they wished they would have said to a supervisor or a boss - to get those feelings out on paper, as it can help people come to grips with their negative emotions.

“We are not talking about giving in, when we talk about learning to accept what has happened or what was done,” he said. “But the process of writing things out helps to bring some separation away from thoughts that might take you down a path to more depression and anxiety.”

Both psychologists stressed the importance of staying in touch with family and friends and maintaining community connections, if you have them, as well as getting enough sleep.

“People who have been unemployed and are dealing with chronic stress report that their sleep goes down,” Krumvieda noted, “and when you are not getting enough sleep, that makes things a lot tougher.”

Both Damsteegt and Krumvieda spoke to the Catch-22 of adequate health insurance to help cover costs for mental health counseling for those who have lost their jobs, or been unemployed for extended periods of time.

“Of course, if you've been unemployed for a while you don't have the insurance - and that is another whole issue,” Krumvieda added.

“Sometimes we don't get to see the people who have lost their jobs because they don't have the insurance coverage anymore,” Damsteegt said, “and when they could really use the counseling, they cannot afford it.”