"I don't buy all that bullshit about depression being some sort of natural chemical imbalance. That's just another con job to sell pharmaceuticals, modern day snake oil sales. The only reason that I am depressed is that I do not have a job."

I appreciate all of your comments, and feel much the same, save one: I am dismayed by your comment that depression is never an "imbalance".

I am unemployed and extremely depressed - 1 1/2 years without a job. BUT the thing is, I have ALWAYS been depressed. Bad times, good times, great times - aside from very occasional, momentary, manic-like joy, I am always depressed. I even received a PhD earlier this year - finally - and how did that feel? I tried very hard to be happy, get excited - I always thought it would be an exception, I so looked forward to graduation - but I was empty and hollow - and that, in turn, made me miserable - I cried after the ceremony, I couldn't help it - I thought, if this doesn't make me feel better, does that mean nothing ever will? And that IS a chemical imbalance.

I have been in and out of therapy since I was a teenager - 19 years. And yes, I now take medication, 6 years on and off - it is the only thing that prevents suicidal thoughts - and so for me and others, medication really IS necessary. Maybe not for momentary, situational depression, but certainly for the other kind, my kind. There really should be different names for these conditions - they are NOT the same. So your depression is from unemployment only? That's good news for you, but that does NOT mean everyone's is only caused by some real-world problem.

And so while I agree that not all depression is physical or physiological - stress, mourning, unemployment, and the like leads to "situational depression" (according to my psychiatrist) - my depression, and many others, IS physical - otherwise, it's inexplicable.

It is this societal belief that depression is all in our heads, that if we buck up and think positive, things will change, that leads many of us depressives into reclusiveness - aside from my very supportive husband, I am a recluse primarily because I can't be open with anyone for fear of them thinking I should just stop feeling sorry for myself or trying to give me a pep talk. I don't feel sorry for myself, I don't need a pep talk - I simply have next to no control over how I feel, and I need someone to simply accept that. THAT alone would make me feel better - I could make friends, go places, talk to people without hiding my true self.

Thank you for the article. I've been out of work for four months and feel so down and depressed. I got laid off two weeks after I had my second daughter and sometimes I feel numb because I feel like such a deadbeat. Had to rent my house and move in to my father in laws abandoned home (he has a few) he was using it as a storage shack we were told we wouldn't have to pay rent until we got back on our feet and then one month later he took it back and asked for rent, so now were trying to get government assistance to find a place to live because we can't afford the rent. Its been one nightmare after another and I keep thinking why couldn't I've chosen a different major in college?? Keep thinking I could have done better.

Dear Fellow educated, over-qualified, depressed, capable, hard-working unemployed people: Thank you for being here. Chuck is a great host and this is a good place to vent, or cry, or exasperate. I also have not had full-time employment for over 2 years...have been collecting some unemployment and temp assignments and part-time jobs at low pay. The recession hit me in the midwest in 2005, so I sold everything and moved to Florida, near family. Then the recession hit Florida with hurricane-force. I am so close to having an estate sale and selling everything again that I don't think about it; I just know I have my tent and my sleeping bag and a camping shower. I have my plan C.

To survive unemployment and to get any work, I'll offer a few thoughts: Volunteer at a business or governmental agency or office where you would like to work. Just spend one or two days a week if you can. Being in a professional or similar environment is uplifting even without pay. Much to my suprise, I did just that over a year ago and was invited to apply to the agency/office. I do not know if I've landed an entry-level position, but there's a chance. Other things that may help you get out of bed (which I struggle with, too): Apply to everything job that you would do...no matter how humble. I even applied to clean the kennels at a veteranarian for $8 per hour because it was so close to home. Didn't get the job. Canvas your neighborhood for side jobs, dog walking/pet sitting if you'd do it, even if it's occasional. If your neighbors can afford to help, they might rather help you than someone else.
I've been unemployed more often than most of you and perhaps for longer periods of time. Stay true to yourself. Don't beat yourself up too much if you can't get out of bed, try later, try tomorrow. Ask your best friend to take you out for drinks and dinner or to a movie (for an uplift). Reward yourself with a nap only after you've done the most you can do today for a job hunt. One of my friends said: "Where do you find these jobs?" She was speaking of the jobs that are barely sustaining me.....the answer is, I don't know, but I look really hard and am flexible. When I'm underemployed, I don't tell people that I've made lots more and had much better jobs (I hope I don't).

A parting thought that means much to me and may help you:

Sorry looks back (that one is/was me)
Worry looks around
Happy looks ahead

Best wishes to all who have come here.

I too found your blog by Googling "unemployed and depressed". How interesting these two simple words spell out what so many of us are feeling and going through. Reading through most of the comments posted here was like reading thoughts straight out of this depressed head of mine and made me feel that I'm not alone. They inspired me. A few made me laugh (and who doesn't need humor to help with the sadness we're feeling right now?). Some made me cry for those whose situations are worse than mine. But yet we all still grieve the same; it's our own personal grief no matter the situation and we have to respect that of others.

I got "let go" (aka "fired") in 2007 from a company with almost 22 years of service, and a "senior" title with many responsibilities. I don't doubt for a nanosecond that I wasn't given the duties and responsibilities if I wasn't capable and deserved of running them. Then when the company changed their management approach and hired a new department supervisor, all of a sudden I was not doing a good enough job; they wanted more of me at the same level of pay (which was pitiful after 22 years of service...my own fault for staying, yes I know). But when I couldn't meet their demands (heck, I'm human with only two hands and one brain), they said I was not performing to standards and started giving me "pink slip" warnings and threatening me with termination.

I can't express deeply enough how unbelievable this was to me. All I could feel was that I didn't deserve that kind of treatment. I was being critiqued and watched like a hawk...any failure to meet up to their standards was a reason for them to warn me and take me to the next level of being "let go". It got to the point where I called in sick one day when I wasn't even really sick...I just didn't want to be there because I knew what was going to happen and I couldn't bear it. I needed my job (who doesn't?) so prior to all this crap, I never thought about resigning or quitting, however with this situation, I was about ready to...until the week they beat me to it.

While enduring all of this, I had just lost my mother less than 2 years before, lost my beloved pet and companion, and my 6-year relationship with my boyfriend ended. I was also dealing with emotional abuse from a brother (who I believe was on drugs), resulting in having to leave home to live with other relatives out of fear of him, and ultimately having to sell the house mom left us as a result. As far as I was concerned, my life was falling apart in every shape and form.

Prior to being "let go", a very close and longtime friend of mine told me that he thought my employer was treating me this way to "force me out". What? I didn't believe him. How could they after all my hard work and years of service? How could they when they knew about my mom and having to sell the house? Who could be so cruel and inhuman? Well, not very long after being kicked to the curb, I spoke to an ex co-worker who told me that they hired two agents in my place...and I'm pretty darn sure they're paying both of them what they were paying me alone. After I heard this, I knew my friend was correct all along, but I was too naive to realize it earlier; not that this would've made a difference with the end result.

It was obvious to everyone in the department that we were short-staffed and everyone else had to pick up the slack, especially the ones with more responsibilities on their belt. And it's obvious, especially in hindsight, the reason why they didn't hire additional staff to handle the workload: Why add one more person on the payroll books when you can kick out the senior person with the most tenure and pay two persons in exchange? Corporate BS!

I purposely took one year to regroup myself after this ordeal; trying to decide if I wanted to go job hunting in the same field...or not. I moved to another state instead where I could stay with family, and decided to go back to school and learn something completely new and personally more rewarding...healthcare, and I was so excited and looking forward to my new future.

It's been 4 months since graduating and a little over a month since getting my credential. I don't regret choosing the healthcare industry, but I too am frustrated, discouraged and depressed in trying to finding employment. In my specialty field, 99.99% of the employers want a minimum 2 years experience (this always gets me reeling!), but even trying to get experience in entry-level, bottom-of-the-totem-pole positions are difficult.

Unfortunately, the reality of something in my past has come up and smacked me in the face. I know it lessens my prospects of finding employment besides the other reasons like the economy, corporate BS, possible over-saturation of my field, and pure competition.

Three months before being let go from my employer and probably because of all the crap I was going through in my life, I self-medicated. One Friday night after work, of heavy-drinking my problems away, I made the poor judgment of getting in my car and attempting to drive 31 miles home, and getting caught with a DUI. After all that was already happening to me and feeling so beaten down; when they threw me in that jail cell, I just wanted to pass-out and die.

But having to face my family with the shame, I had to get myself out of that funk, ask for forgiveness and mostly, forgive myself. It was a huge lesson to learn and one truly learned the hard way. I fulfilled my penalties, fines and requirements, and finally chose to look at the situation this way: I was glad I got pulled over and caught. Maybe it was meant to be that way; maybe my Mom was watching over me in some way by me avoiding getting killed. All I do know for sure is that I was lucky. And most importantly of all, I didn't kill another person from my foolish and irresponsible act; thank God! Because if I did, I don't think I would be here writing all of this.

So here I am now having to face the reality on all job applications I fill out, the standard 'ole question: "Have you ever been convicted of a crime?" It tears me up inside every single time I have to answer "Yes" to this question. I leave there feeling ashamed and wishing I could erase what I did. My current task now is to see if I can get it expunged from my record; no guarantees, but worth a try.

Being this discouraged and depressed is no picnic. I relate to so many comments in this forum and sympathize with all of them. It's hard when you're 51, menopausal, unemployed AND depressed! :) But I'm not giving up by any means; I can't and will not because I'm not a quitter. Besides giving up and quitting will only make me (us) feel worse in the long run.

I'll be volunteering for a local hospital soon which I'm really looking forward to. I know it pays nothing but the rewards are more than financial. I love helping others and the community and the good feeling it gives. I started giving blood platelets with the blood bank a few weeks ago, and finally became a bone marrow tissue donor recently too. In any case, career advisors all suggest volunteering in hospitals to get my foot in the door and network with healthcare professionals, so it's a win-win situation in my opinion.

I didn't think my post would be this long, but in spite of my long story, I hope others here can somehow benefit from my personal experiences just as I've benefited from reading other peoples stories. I'm not discounting anyone's feelings here, but my advice is like many others here: don't give up and volunteer; it'll make you feel good (I hope) and don't we all need to feel good during a time when we feel like crap? I know I do.

Thank you Chuck for having this blog, and I wish us all good luck and happiness.

While reading the article and every comment, I am unsure if I am relieved or more deeply discouraged. I am a young man, in my late twenties, but feel as though my life is over. While I am glad to hear I am not alone, I can't help but think that unemployment and desperately clawing to survive may last years. I went back to school a few years ago, bounced around internships and minimum wage jobs, and as of this morning I have been without steady income for a full year. I have exhausted the small network I worked hard to build and now am part of the dreadful and annoying tsunami of faceless online applicants with little hope for even an acknowledgment of occupational existence.

Yes, the exercise, hobbies, and projects around the house (and other people's houses) have kept some form of routine and sanity in an otherwise ridiculous period in my life. But I am more than capable, intelligent, and have in the past excelled in a variety of different professions; my resume and cover letters are as good as they possibly could be without lying, I performed well in the very few interview opportunities that came my way, and I should feel as though my whole life is ahead of me. But I don't. I truly think the best is behind me, and as I approach thirty my personal and professional persona has become a shell of itself.

I am very angry and I feel for everyone here. I can't afford psychiatry or medication without insurance or income, and, like the author of this great article, I don't really believe in all that anyway. Like many, I am doing everything I can to maintain sanity and motivation by keeping busy and trying, trying, trying. But realism sets in - what if this country (and others as well) are in for another five or ten years of this crap? Wars, greed, clueless representation - I can't even read the news or watch television anymore. How can we even think about solutions when those in charge don't know and don't care about the problems? I may be homeless and starving in six months, but it takes six people to wash the oil off of a pelican in the gulf? Who's paying them, how much do they make, and where can I sign up? Give me a break. Thanks for letting me vent.

After 3 months of failure, I get a call from a recruiter for a major store chain. He wants me to interview for a management position in this company's distribution center. The pay, benefits and hours are great! I breeze through my phone interview and travel to the headquarters. I ace three rounds of interviews and I make the two hour trip home feeling confident. I really felt good about this thing. After a week, I find out that "I'm just not a good fit." What the heck does that mean? I asked the recruiter if he could tell me anything specific, you know, if there was anything I could work on in the future. He said that there was nothing specific...It seems I'm not a good fit anywhere these days. What do you do when you're pefectly qualified...but not a good fit? How do I make myself a good fit so I can get some money?!!! Oh well, I'm done ranting. I love this blog. I felt so alone.

I feel you-everything you said. I was abruptly downsized September 2008, car repoed, credit shot. I didn't worry too much at first-I've got a great resume. Me and 1,000s (millions?)of others who also got sh**canned.

The thing that bugs me most now is "friends" suggestions-just get out there and take any job, you must have done something wrong to lose your job, mass emails from right wingers accusing the unemployed of being lazy, sitting home watching the tube at taxpayers expense.

I always worked; worked hard and worked smart. Paid my taxes, all of that. I didn't flush the economy down the toilet, but I'd like to see those responsible join the ranks of the pjp1Hunemployed.

Je'