The Economy, Unions and Prozac
By Jaime Jusidman

An Interestingly Odd Combination

During the last couple of months, I have been researching support groups for people coping with the stresses created by our present economic crisis. I started my research driven by my curiosity and the need to understand the impact that the current economical conditions have on individuals and the mechanisms people are using to cope. There were not a lot of surprises. People were dealing with a wide variety of issues from unemployment, uncertainty of their future, loss of relevance, aging, etc.

One support group that particularly caught my attention was made up of people that were employed with a steady income but still feeling extremely vulnerable and powerless. As I inquired more into their dynamic, I discovered that their lack of emotional wellness was strongly related to their perceived inability or fear to express their feelings and/or grievances at work. This fear seems to come from a collective assumption of negative repercussions if their concerns where expressed to their management. Many are choosing the “certainty of pain” by staying quiet, repressing their emotions and seeking help through medication, individual or group therapy, etc., versus the “pain of uncertainty” generated by the fear of loosing their job in this turbulent job market.

With the election of President Obama and a predominantly Democratic Congress, it is expected that labor unions will be more influential in driving employee initiatives. The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) is a clear example of how this leverage is being used. Mostly opposed by business, Republican Congress and Chambers of Commerce, EFCA has high probabilities of passing with some minor modifications.

You may ask yourself “What do depression support groups have to do with the EFCA?” Let me continue…

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