Scars of the Recession

Every day we flip on the news, read the newspaper or receive updates on our Smart Phones. Not a single day has gone by without some mention of our suffering economy. Seriously, how can you avoid it? Chances are you have been laid-off or someone you know and love has been laid-off. I understand the dire state that our country is in. How many jobs have been lost, how little food some can purchase...it's just amazing to me. Even as we are promised that jobs will be open for us once again and that the unemployment rate is dropping or increasing; well, I guess it just depends on what day and channel you watch. The scars of the recession are permanent. A recession of this magnitude will most likely have lingering effects for years if not decades.Many are celebrating their 2010 college graduation and probably thought that a job would, I don't know, just be there. News flash, I personally know people who were high-level executives with their Master's degree who are working as cashiers or bagging groceries because they were laid-off .

The Psychological Effect

The psychological effect of a lay-off is profound. You were needed, and you were a contributor to society in one way or another. You had a set schedule, a routine, a duty, and you were paid for it. When it is cut off and if you have nothing to replace it with, it's devastating. After scouring through dozens of Psychology based websites and magazines, I found a frightening common theme; people of all ages, race and socio-economic backgrounds, are afraid. The presenting issue would eventually lead into a crippling fear of losing their home, job-loss, foreclosures and bankruptcies. The psychological damage has also been accompanied by an increase in aberrant social behavior, such as domestic violence, drug use, alcoholism, and anger management issues. Divorce and suicide rates have also risen at alarming rates.

So....What Are We to Do?

We can't do anything right this second. My apologies, I'm sure that some of you were hoping for a dose of sunshine but alas, I have no rays to guide you. I do hope that we become humble and learn the importance of being resilient. We have fallen and we have fallen hard! Finding the strength to stand up and keep on moving is all we can do right now. Every single one of us has been struggling in one way or another during this tumultuous time in our country's history. We can only keep our eyes on the horizon, remain innovative, and move forward.