Getting fired from our job. Thousands of people experience it every year, yet it can be devastating when it happens to us. No one likes getting fired, even if they hate their job. Between personal insecurity, financial impacts and an abrupt change in our routines, it’s easy to slip into a negative state of mind after being terminated at work. While it feels like our lives turn into swirling disasters, there are simple, logical steps to take during these emotional times. In this article, we’ll explore dealing with depression after being fired, and the 7 actions to take.
Why Do People Get Fired?
Some people see their firing coming. For others, it comes out of the blue. Before we discuss the depression that comes from getting fired, it’s important to recognize just how many reasons there are for termination:
- Tardiness
- Lying
- Stealing
- Making A Big Mistake
- Repeatedly Underperforming
- Nepotism I.e. Giving A Friend Or Family Member A Job Instead
- Personal Vendettas With Another Employee
- Poor Conduct
- Behavior Outside Of Work
- Downsizing / New Company Strategy
- Financial Issues Within The Company
- Many, Many More
Many of these reasons are the fault of the employee. In other scenarios, the employee may be performing fine but are terminated for reasons beyond their control. This can be especially hard for ‘high-performer’ types who take their performance to heart, as well as those with lower self-esteem.
In all of the cases above, an employee may still feel sadness, depression and other negative feelings after being fired. Let’s talk about how to deal with that.
Dealing With Depression After Being Fired: 7 Steps To Recover
Below is a list of seven steps we can take to recover after being fired. Before we go through them, there’s a step “0” to consider…
I am not a psychologist or medical professional. I do have some personal experience in dealing with depression at work, but I write this article based on my own opinions and judgement. If you need professional assistance, please seek out a licensed medical professional to get the help you need.
Here are 7 steps for dealing with depression after being fired:
- Get Closure From Your Former Employer
- Acknowledge Any Areas Of Improvement
- Cut Yourself Some Slack
- Take Care Of Yourself
- Improve Your Skills
- Seek Out Opportunities That Suit Your Talents
- Have Faith
Below is a bit more elaboration on each of these steps!
1. Get Closure From Your Former Employer
When trying to move on after being fired, it’s necessary to understand exactly why you’ve been fired in the first place.
This must come from your old employer. Ideally, you’ll have an exit interview with your direct boss. They’ll likely explain the details of exactly why you’re being let go.
This information is vital for your future!
It’s never good to burn a bridge with an employer, even if you’ve been fired. A coworker can still serve as a reference in the future, as well!
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2. Acknowledge Any Areas Of Improvement To Cope With Depression
Some people get dealt a bad hand – their department is shut down, the company runs into financial issues or the boss just doesn’t like you. While there’s room for growth, feeling depressed in these scenarios is likely related to self-esteem, confidence, security or other personal reasons.
If you’ve made a mistake, it’s time to acknowledge it head on.
Making excuses or blaming others may feel right, but it really doesn’t do anything except hurt us more. What’s done is done – the firing happened. Why make an excuse if there truly aren’t any valid ones?
It’s essential to accept the mistakes we’ve made and learn from them! There’s power in doing this.
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3. If You’re Depressed, Cut Yourself Some Slack
Whether you’ve been fired for a specific reason or completely out of the blue, we only hurt ourselves when we beat ourselves up.
It’s essential in these times to accept our faults, of course. That doesn’t mean we need to sadistically inflict pain on ourselves!
It’s crucial to keep yourself in a positive state as much as possible in these moments. This positivity is going to be what pulls you through.
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4. Take Care Of Yourself
It’s also essential to take care of yourself if you’re depressed after being fired. This includes your mental, physical and spiritual health.
This includes the earlier step of not beating yourself up (mentally of course). This also includes eating balanced, health diet, exercising and getting enough sleep.
Some people find comfort in spending some time alone, others by being out with friends. It may be worth starting a practice of meditation to stave off some of that depression. According to Harvard Health, there’s a direct link between the two.
Read Next: How To Relax After Work: 10 Easy Ways
5. Improving Your Skills Will Reduce Depression By Boosting Confidence
When dealing with depression after being fired, having something else to focus on helps more than you may think. Following step no. 2 above, we can begin working on fixing the issue that lead to our firing.
The best part is that many issues can be resolved on your own – for free!
I guarantee you that there are a dozen websites directly related to the issue you’re facing. Just hop on a website like this one (half-kidding) and you’ll find tons of information for free.
You can turn to e-books, YouTube, the book store, online certifications, local classes and so on for lots of help, too.
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6. Seek Out Opportunities That Suit Your Talents
Perhaps the ‘break up’ was mutual. Maybe your employer felt that you’re not a good fit…and you feel the same way! They’re also not a good fit for you.
Once you’ve consider ways that you’ll improve in the future, it’s time to think about what you really want at work. What would you change about your old job? Were there parts you really enjoyed or were good at? What about the opposite? Knowing these things will help you seek out the right job for you.
Thinking about your own needs and desires can help with bringing you back to center, which is much needed when dealing with depression after being fired.
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7. When Feeling Depressed, Have Faith
In times of feeling depressed after a firing, or any other reason, it can help to have faith.
This doesn’t pertain to a specific religion, although those are mediums to express faith. It can be as simple as trying to stay positive in the face of a difficult situation; convincing ourselves that everything will work out for the best. Because it will.
Depression After Being Fired: In Closing
Dealing with depression after being fired is painful, but there are steps we can always take to move ourselves out of that state. It won’t happen overnight, but it won’t be long before the firing and the depression that followed are in the rearview mirror. Remember – there’s no shame in seeking out help if you need it! Thanks for reading.
