Unemployment and mental health

ONE of the many effects of global pandemic is the economic recession and Nigeria is not exempted from this effect. This is seen in the rising rates of unemployment in the country. According to a report published by the National Bureau of Statistics on its website,  the jobless rate in Nigeria rose to 33.3 percent in December 2020. That is up from 27.1 percent in the second quarter of 2020, the last period for which the agency released labor-force statistics. That is alarming. It means that more and more people cannot afford to provide for their basic needs especially considering that we are living in a society where there are practically no social benefits. Of course, Nigeria has a young working population which means that the rising rate of unemployment means that many of our youths do not have jobs. I wonder what this means for their mental health.

Psychologists and sociologists have long argued that unemployment damages the emotional and mental health of people. There are many ways that unemployment can lead to the worsening of the  mental health of an individual.  One important way is through the loss of the individual’s self esteem. As members of a society,  we are fulfilled when we can function as an important part of that society,  contributing our own quota to the development of the society. Unemployment detracts from that function by preventing an individual from contributing his/her own quota to the economy. This can affect the individual’s self esteem and ultimately lead to depression. Eric Erikson, a developmental psychologist postulates that “healthy personality and emotional development during adulthood require that a person believes they are making strides to enrich themselves by contributing to their family and community”. When a person fails to do this, which is often what happens during unemployment,  the person feels less than enough.  Seligman asserts that feelings of “helplessness” arise when a person believes they have little influence over important events in their life such as securing meaningful work. In his view, “prolonged helplessness can lead to depression”.

Another way unemployment impacts mental health is through the loss of social contacts. Helliwell and Putnam say that “the loss of a job typically means a loss of contact with work colleagues and a shrinking of social networks.” That loss of engagement and “social capital” can bring about a decline in personal well-being. Humans are social beings and we operate best in social circles. Unemployment breaks that circle because suddenly the people we thought we belonged to suddenly no longer want us. An article titled, Coping with Unemployment,  on the Canadian Mental Health Association website, notes that “When you lose your job, not only is your usual source of income gone, but also your personal work relationships, daily structures, and an important sense of self-purpose.” Unemployment can be, and often is, a shock to your whole system. You can experience some of the same feelings and stresses that you would if you were seriously injured, going through a divorce, or mourning the loss of a loved one. You can go through some or all of the stages of grieving just as you would with any other major loss. This grieving and loss of social relationships could even feel like a loss of identity.

The cost of unemployment is exceedingly great on a society because it has not just economic and political impact but also, as we have discovered, psychological impacts. The onus then is on the government and society as a whole to fix this problem before it becomes worse. Public policies should be designed to provide relief to unemployed youths by taking into consideration the mental health costs on them. Arthur Goldsmith and Timothy Diette of the Department of Economics,  Washington and Lee University, in a research, highlight this point: “The body of evidence offered by social scientists, including psychologists, suggests that ignoring mental health costs understates the negative effects of long-term unemployment. Thus, public policies aimed at improving labor market performance should account for the mental health costs of joblessness. Our research highlights the importance of implementing policies and programs that reduce unemployment, especially long-term unemployment.  Moreover, public policy should be mindful of the support needed by those who are long-term unemployed”.

The rising rate of unemployment in Nigeria is serious and it needs to be addressed. I see so many jokes on social media everyday on rising costs of food and unemployment; we have to stop joking about serious issues and actually start taking action. It starts with individuals speaking up and asking for public policies that will protect the health and well-being of the society. Not doing anything could cost us our economy but even more importantly,  it could cost us our mental health.

• Wale-Olaitan is an educationist.

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