While the reasons job loss can endanger your health vary and there’s controversy about the causes, the facts are indisputable. You need to take better care of yourself and work hard to stay in good shape when you are under stress, regardless of the reason.
According to a blog post by Interns Over 40 (which appears to be closed now), a paper published by Kate W. Strully, a sociology professor at the State University of New York at Albany, states that people who lose a job experience an 83 percent greater chance of suffering stress-related health problems. Such problems include diabetes, arthritis, or psychiatric issues.
Job Loss Can It Kill You is an excellent article for employers and employees. Awareness and preventive actions are the first steps toward lessening the chance a job loss will have unintended consequences. The site page that hosts this article is old and messy, but scroll down to the little guy with a thermometer in his mouth and you’ll find the article. The link to the New York Times is still valid, but it hits a paywall and I no longer see a way to read even a limited number of articles for free.
You can check out another good article on the same topic at this link. It includes sound suggestions for addressing your feelings and maintaining your physical and emotional health during such a stressful time. It is scary and difficult, but try not to let the impact turn into a chronic problem that will plague you long after you have a new job.
Job Loss and Unemployment Stress