Mental Care Facts & Health Tips

The economy is tough and more women than ever before are showing signs of stress and anxiety in relation to losing your job. Having an extreme fear of losing your job can make life miserable for you and those around you. There are a lot of things that you can do to help control your fear.  Here are some tips for overcoming the fear of losing your job.

Fear of Firing as Manipulation

Many managers will use your fear of being fired against you. Employees who are afraid of being fired will often do things that they know are morally corrupt in order to try and maintain their job. They are also more likely to take unnecessary crap off of a poor manger. Having a career is extremely important.  When we get a job we like we are of course afraid of losing it. However, letting someone use that as a machete to hold at your jugular isn’t going to get you anywhere in life. Do not be afraid to stand up for what you believe in and do not let your fear of being fired lead to your mistreatment at work.

All you can do is The Best

When you are at work maintain a professional err. Keep your dignity and do your job to the best of your ability. If you have been maintaining your dignity and doing a good job then being fired shouldn’t be any poor reflection on you.

Work on making yourself more employable if you feel that your boss is someone who likes the drop the ax on people unexpectedly. That way if you do end up getting fired you will have skills to carry with you into another job. Get as much training as you possibly can and maintain contacts with coworkers and other members of management who see you as the great employee that you are.

What is the Worst Thing That Can Happen?

If you are fired you will have to look for another job and live off of unemployment for a while.  You probably aren’t going to lose your house, if worst comes to worst and that is your biggest concern there are bankruptcy plans that can help.

Though some of these things – bankruptcy, unemployment- might seem sort of frightening they are worst case scenarios. Chances are you will find another job before any of this stuff becomes a real fear. The most important thing to realize is that no one is going to come cart you off to jail if you can’t pay your credit card bills. Your children aren’t going to be taken away from you because your job didn’t work out. Even if things get really dicey there are government programs out there to help you, and for most people getting fired never leads to the need for assistance.  There is almost always another job around the corner.

Don’t get in over Your Head Financially

One of the best things you can do in life to reduce anxiety about losing your job is creating a lifestyle that could shelter a few months of unemployment. Instead of living above your means try living below them.  Setting up a nest egg and keeping your home and car small and affordable can offer the greatest piece of mind there is when it comes to job security.

The fear of getting fat may not just be a result of low self esteem or eating disorders.  Researchers at Brigham Young University have discovered that the fear of getting fat is pretty inherent in the female gender, regardless of personal appearance.

Healthy Women have Poor Reaction to Images

Normally healthy women were recently subjected to a series of images at BYU to see how they reacted to the images.  The images were of other women, some large and some small.  While the women gazed at the images their brain was scanned by MRI. When the women were subjected to images of other women who were overweight the parts of their brain that controlled unhappiness and even self-disgust showed activity.

The reaction was the same even for healthy, average weight women who seemed to have no problems maintaining their physical appearance.  Scientists were aware of the fact that anorexics had these issues but now that even healthy women have underlying anxiety about gaining weight that they are not even aware of.  This new research shows the depth of social conditioning that American society has on women in regard to the perfect female image.

How Men Reacted

Not surprisingly men had no reaction to overweight images.  Apparently the social stigma that leads to this anxiety relates only or primarily to women.  Though it is hard to say how the female brain would have reacted to these images a hundred years ago, we can assume it was very different.  American society has put such an emphasis on an abnormally thin and hard to obtain female bodies that even otherwise healthy women are suffering from deeply held anxieties about weight gain.

Where the Problem Begins

The social conditioning that leads to this anxiety starts very young in our culture.  Take a gander at the bathing suits that are being marketed to five and six year old girls if you don’t think so.  The truth is that we should all strive to be healthy and maintain a good weight but not at the cost of our mental stability.

Young children even babies are often discussed in terms of their weight.  By the time children enter Kindergarten there is a distinct difference in the way overweight boys are treated as compared to overweight girls.  Girls are often looked down upon for being heavy or the subject is avoided.  Boys on the other hand are praised for their heftiness.  They are called “stocky” and random women at the grocery store muse at how overweight boys will one day grow up to be football players.

What We Can Do About it

It is important to instill in children of all genders an importance in maintaining physical health.  This should begin early in childhood and be maintained throughout adolescence.  We can do this as women by being a good role model for our children. Eating healthy foods, exercising, and drinking plenty of water will set a good example.

We also need to teach our children to love themselves as they are.  Do not hark on a girl’s weight or praise a boy’s weight but do appreciate the child for their brain and healthy behaviors.  Instill in all children, through example and education, a sense of self worth.