Can Being Fired from a Job Cause PTSD?

When we hear the term PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) we automatically think: War Vets, medical first-responders, victims of violent crimes and experiences. But have you ever stopped to think that a form of PTSD can also affect anyone, even the average guy or gal who never served in combat or witnessed a traumatic scene or experience?

I am going to refer to this experience as ‘PDE’, or Past Distressing Experience because rightfully so, I cannot call it a Disorder if it is not diagnosed or diagnosable by a doctor. Secondly, I hate the word “disorder.”

I feel as though it holds entirely too much power than it deserves.

I recently discovered that PDE can affect anyone, at any time and for a variety of reasons, not just violent traumas.  Let’s first think about trauma and what it means.

Trauma is a deeply distressing or disturbing experience.

Can You Have PTSD from Job Loss or Being Fired?

Can suddenly losing a job be a traumatic experience?  Of course it can.  Can being left with nowhere to turn and no money in reserves be a traumatic experience? Absolutely. The trauma can affect our entire state of well-being. We rely so much on our jobs for emotional and financial security, stability, identity, provision, future plans, the roof over our heads, food in our refrigerators and warmth. Imagine what it feels like when this is suddenly taken from us without warning.  Can this not cause a devastating effect, a deeply distressing and/or disturbing experience?  Of course it can.

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There aren’t any terms or words for those who experience trauma in our lives.  We aren’t given permission to grieve or process trauma when we go through it unless it’s “real trauma” or horrific.

Who gets to slide the scales on what’s traumatic enough to be called PTSD?  Dr. London says it best in his article relating to PTSD-like symptoms:

I have seen a fair number of cases where people had symptoms that masqueraded as anxiety and depressive disorders, but when we explored the historical events in a person’s life, these symptoms could be traced to milder traumatic or unpleasant experiences that are not normally associated with PTSD. And yet, their symptoms were exactly those of PTSD. In my experience, a milder traumatic event does not necessarily lead to a milder set of symptoms.

Causes of PTSD

PTSD (or PDE) can happen to anyone, and for a variety of reasons. Regardless of the circumstances, it’s essentially a huge loss of any kind that rocks your life upside down. You may suffer a major loss and disruption of lifestyle, or even the betrayal of trust, or the loss of a relationship. We can all experience trauma from shock, betrayal, and loss in many different forms and from different sources, whether a job loss, a death of someone close, a house fire or bankruptcy, walking in on a cheating spouse or seeing something horrific that continues to haunt us.

The emotional impact can be the same.

Symptoms of PTSD

If you are not sure if what you’ve experienced, or what you are currently experiencing is PDE or PTSD, here are some of the signs:

Having recurrent nightmares, flashbacks, upsetting thoughts, or memories; feeling distressed when you’re reminded of it; having physical symptoms, such as a racing heart or sweating when it comes to mind; irritability, jumpiness, angry outbursts, or difficulty sleeping; or feeling distant, negative, or uninterested in activities you used to enjoy.

If you are experiencing trauma from a loss, or job loss, I encourage you to give yourself permission to grieve and feel whatever shock, pain or loss you feel. Talk to someone (a friend, relative or professional) about how you feel and work through difficult feelings.

In time, it will pass and you’ll come out on the other side with a lot more clarity and wisdom from the experience.

On a Personal Note:

I experienced a form of PTSD after a job experience and loss a few years ago. It was hard moving through those feelings, but once I learned what it was that I was experiencing, it helped me to navigate and overcome the fear and negative emotions. I realized the job I “lost” was nothing more than a job with a toxic environment. And while being cut loose was the best thing that could have happened, the portion that caused the most trauma was not having a plan in place when it happened. Relying too heavily on an untrustworthy company to give me what I needed to give myself (security) put me in a place of vulnerability. Ask yourself what you can do to empower yourself, or explore what you learned from your experience and how you can set yourself up for success the next time you’re in a workplace that feels unstable or toxic. If you find yourself in a job where there is no stability, give yourself permission to leave, and change the scene.