The number of employees on UK payrolls dropped by nearly 650,000 between March and June, latest figures from the Office of National Statistics have revealed.

Unemployment is expected to continue rising over the coming months as the coronavirus pandemic鈥檚 impact takes a stronger hold on the economy and the government鈥檚 furlough scheme comes to an end.

With these staggering figures it鈥檚 important not to forget that unemployment can have a major effect on people鈥檚 mental health and wellbeing, as well as their financial situation.

Our member Simon Coombs, a counsellor and coach who supports unemployed people, says:

鈥淲hen we鈥檙e fully invested in our jobs, it becomes more than just something to pay the bills. We put so much of ourselves into the work we do. It鈥檚 part of our identity. It鈥檚 linked to our own self-worth and sense of our self. 聽

鈥淏eing made redundant can have a critical effect on someone鈥檚 mental health.鈥�

He describes how some people who鈥檝e lost their jobs initially have a bit of a positive bounce.

鈥淭hey may have more energy, greater clarity of thought. They sometimes feel exhilarated, especially if it鈥檚 a job they don鈥檛 enjoy and they鈥檙e just doing it to pay the bills.鈥�

But he adds: 鈥淲hen it does start to kick people can go through different stages. There鈥檚 a cycle of loss, starting with denial and then moving on to anger.

鈥淪ome people are much like a ship floating around without an anchor. They have no direction. There鈥檚 uncertainty. That uncertainty feeds anxiety. They start to over-think; this creates fears. The self-doubt creeps in and the questioning about whether they鈥檙e good enough,鈥� he says.

Family and friends may notice the person has become more emotional, withdrawn, irritable and short-tempered.

Simon, who runs Working Minds, a Torquay-based service that offers psychological support for unemployed people, says there are some key things to think about when it comes to reducing the impact of unemployment on people鈥檚 mental health.

Importance of closure

Simon stresses that it鈥檚 鈥渁bsolutely critical鈥� to get closure when someone loses their job.

But he鈥檚 worried this is something that a lot of people who have lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic will be missing.

鈥淲ithout closure, redundancy can be an open wound that festers. It can be very debilitating to people鈥檚 mental health.

鈥淏ecause of Covid-19 people can鈥檛 just meet up with a big group of colleagues in the pub or for a coffee to say goodbye. They鈥檙e being robbed of that important closure,鈥� he says.

鈥淧art of my role is to educate a person how important it is to get closure. Sometimes people may be too angry or they don鈥檛 want anything to do with their former colleagues as it鈥檚 too painful. But it鈥檚 crucial to do something for closure.

鈥淚t may be that when the dust has settled, people meet up for a coffee. They can talk and put some of the pain and anger to bed. If it鈥檚 left too long, it can really impact someone鈥檚 self-worth.鈥�

Dehumanising job search

Simon warns that the process of hunting for a new job can be very dehumanising.

鈥淚t can be very process-led, very emotionless,鈥� he says.

鈥淧eople invest a lot of themselves in job applications only for them never to receive anything back.

鈥淥r they only ever get an automated response. There鈥檚 no human element.鈥�

He says he often witnesses the impact on this when people are sending out dozens of CVs with 鈥渟cattergun approach鈥� and not getting much back in return.

鈥淚 think that human element is something for employers and recruiters to think about,鈥� he adds.

Positivity and validation

鈥淧eople feel like they鈥檝e been selected for redundancy and that they are in deficit, they naturally evaluate their own self-worth against other people who have not lost their jobs,鈥� adds Simon.

As a counsellor he works with people to help them recover that self-worth.

He helps them with positive self-talk 鈥� shifting their internal dialogue to be more positive, optimistic and encouraging, rather than negative and filled with self-doubt.

鈥淩e-framing and trying to see things as an opportunity can help,鈥� he says.

Validation is also important, he says. It helps people accept themselves.

Counselling and coaching

Simon says his approach is a mix of counselling and coaching.

鈥淎s a counsellor I look at the emotional impact. It鈥檚 a key life event,鈥� he says.

鈥淭his is about looking at their self-worth, the positive self-talk and the validation.鈥�

He adds: 鈥淚 allow them to experience their anxiety, to cope with it in the moment.鈥�

Simon says he often talks to clients about how they can learn to 鈥榖e in the moment鈥�. Mindfulness can help with this, he suggests.

鈥淲ith counselling, we look a bit deeper,鈥� he adds. 鈥淲hat do they want to do and what to do they want from life? I help them to step away from that sense of rejection and towards that opportunity.鈥�

Coaching, he says, is focussed on the practical side of things 鈥� and moving forward.

鈥淲e have to strike a balance between the emotional aspects and the practical side.鈥�

鈥淚t gives the person a chance with the help of a bit of direction. It helps them to find a new anchor and to drop it in to find some stability.鈥�

Getting counselling

If you鈥檙e struggling with your mental health and wellbeing because of unemployment, you can access free or low-cost counselling in a variety of ways 鈥� including through the NHS and from charities and voluntary services. Some private therapists offer a free initial assessment and possibly reduced costs for people on low income.

Find聽out how to find a therapist