The psychological toll of unemployment

Unemployment in South Africa is a numbers game, and it has never been a happy ending, despite positive down-ticks every now and then. Presently, there are around 8.1 million unemployed people in South Africa, and among our youth, almost two-thirds remain jobless. It’s a sustained bleak picture, but it only tells half the story.

Being jobless, or suddenly booted from employment, can have a significant destabilising impact on an individual, said Carlyn Perils of the South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP). She said that a job does more than provide an income. It shapes routine, identity, social circles, and a sense of direction.

When it falls away, people are often left trying to steady far more than just their finances. “Your identity, sense of purpose, and social world is often attached to your job role,” she said. “This makes losing your job a profound loss.” Perils said that the emotional response to job loss can mirror grief.

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In cases where dismissal feels unfair or follows a challenging work environment, the impact can be more traumatic. Even where retrenchment is procedural, the psychological shock remains. A career, she said, often represents years of planning and personal investment.

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