5th May 2010
Being trapped in unemployment can have a negative impact on a person’s mental health.
In an article examining the struggles of the UK’s unemployed surviving on benefits, the Guardian highlighted the problems faced by many recent graduates and those who have been made redundant during the recent economic crisis and are unable to find work.
Speaking to the paper, Oxford graduate Laurie Penny said: “People get very depressed – that level of poverty has a bad effect on your mental health, it makes people feel that nothing will ever get better.”
Living with the repetition of collecting benefits, struggling to find work and barely being able to afford to eat can be detrimental to a person’s mental health.
However a recent study conducted by UnitedHealthcare and VolunteerMatch suggested that volunteering could help combat the effect unemployment has on mental health and possibly improve social inclusion.
Of the respondents, 95 per cent believed this could have emotional benefits.
Phoenix is the editor of this site and was diagnosed with bipolar twenty years ago. In between 8 periods of illness and hospitalisation she trained as a garden designer and was a awarded an RHS Diploma, gained a first class degree in Cultural Studies and a Certificate in Education that enables her to lecture in Recovery in Mental Health to psychiatric nurse students and mental health professionals at universities.
Phoenix leads a diverse life which she attributes to Wellness Recovery Action Planning and all aspects of Recovery. In the last 2 years she performed stand up comedy. Laughter truly is the best medicine! Now she is concentrating on being involved in improving conditions for inpatients and service receivers trustwide. And training in WRAP, Recovery Star and the new Advanced Statement and some gardening for health. Also with some great new art projects. 
