I lost my job in 2009. I was in construction, and the company I worked for went out of business.

I did not find meaningful work again until 2011. In those 2 years, I came incredibly close to losing my house: the bank was sending people to my door monthly to see if we were still paying utilities, etc, that is how far behind on our mortgage we were.

2011 brought a temporary gig, but it paid enough to get me back even on the mortgage. I was still in a deep financial hole, though.

But come spring of 2012, I found regular work, and have been working since, although with several different companies.

I would say that it is only until recently that I have recently recovered emotionally. For those 3-4 years, I was an insecure asshole. I manage construction jobs, and I found myself routinely losing my temper on my crew...often for no good reason. I put so much pressure on myself to do it right that I fucked it up.

Now, finally, I think I have landed a permanent, good job...but it is no longer in construction. I was lucky to find a lateral move in to an environmental related business. And I think I have recovered enough to succeed at this one, without losing my shit.

Hopefully.

If you ever want to hear horror stories about unemployment, hit me up. It was a long, scary, dark road. Some of them can be found in my reddit history, but I keep most of the darkest stories to myself and will never share them publicly.

If you have not been there, you cannot understand what it is to be a grown man who cannot pay for the roof over your wife and children's heads. You cannot understand how demeaning it is to have people tell you that 'you should have planned better for this.' No one PLANS for being out of work for over 2 years. You can't, not when you have a wife and 2 kids to raise.

I have been there, this article gets part of it, but it glosses over the real fucking horror that causes this type of trauma to a person.