Learn about how losing your job can lead to depression and what you can do about it. Find out why job loss is especially traumatic for men. For many people, losing a job not only means the loss of income and benefits, but also the loss of one's identity.

Job loss can be a traumatic and unsettling event. With stories about layoffs, downsizing, and cutbacks the stress of being jobless can build even more. For some people, losing a job may be as devastating as losing a loved one or going through a divorce. Many unemployed people are at risk for depression.

Although unemployment is generally associated with decreased income (unless one has a severance package), some unemployed people have been flexible about their spending habits and have been able to adjust to the changing situation. But many unemployed people suffer from depression, anxiety, rumination, and a sense of hopelessness. Fortunately, there are some guides to how to cope with this difficult situation.

Our jobs are much more than just the way we make a living. They influence how we see ourselves, as well as the way others see us. Our jobs give us structure, purpose, and meaning. That’s why job loss and unemployment is one of the most stressful things you can experience. Beyond the loss of income, losing a job also comes with other major losses, some of which may be even more difficult to face.

A spouse's job loss can also put strain on a marriage. Spouses may blame each other for not cutting spending, not going back to work soon enough, or not foreseeing this happening and finding another position in time. In addition, many people deal with stress by increasing alcohol intake or converting stress into anger, potentially leading to increases in spousal arguments, domestic violence, health and legal problems. Increasing financial stress or transition also exacerbates pre-existing marital and relationship problems

According to a recent study published in the "International Journal of Epidemiology," unemployment is a major risk factor for depression, even in people without previous vulnerability.

Unemployment is one of many factors that influence health. Other factors like housing, income and a lack of social support also have a huge impact on overall well-being. It's also easy to see how these factors are related. Unemployment can lead to a low income, which can lead to poor housing, which can change social networks, which can limit access to social supports, and so on.