Depression and Job Search

Depression and Job Search I am not a mental health professional, therefore, I am not qualified to offer help in this area. However, what I know and what I see is that there are a lot, A LOT, of people who are depressed due to their long-term unemployment (LTU is what Ill call this disease). It is treatable. It is even curable. The treatment and cure require visits to a mental health professional and that costs money. One of the other bi-products of LTU is that health insurance coverage can lapse due to the cost. Here we have a double-whammy, cant get the help because youre unemployed and cant afford it. It just isnt right. Here is my plea to the mental health community, offer clinics for mental health help for the unemployed. Heck, partner with the Dept of Labor if you need official documentation of unemployment. Offer group therapy in suburban areas where the professional unemployed numbers run high. This depression is not just a problem for the poor, but also for the wealthy, who are having a much harder time adjusting to the stigma of not having a job. As we look at the less than positive outlook for jobs in our country, we must invest in helping them cope with this LTU disease. It is going to be a year or two before it is predicted to be better. That is a long time. What can be done to offer affordable mental and physical health care to the unemployed? There are answers. We just need to get creative and not wait for government to figure it out. There are resources in every community for emergency services, food cupboards, counseling, etc. Ask around and you will start figuring it out. Unfortunately, it isnt always so easy.