Mental health problems appear to be highest among those who have remained jobless for over six months.

In 2013, surveys conducted for the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index involved 356,599 Americans, including 18,322 who were jobless. The surveys showed Americans who remain unemployed for an extended period of time are more than twice as likely to be treated for depression, as compared to those who have a full-time job.

Experts agree that unemployment has long been linked to all sorts of psychological issues, including anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. However, the Gallup data does not clearly identify the causal direction of this relationship.

Long-term unemployment can be accompanied by hopelessness, adversely impacting the unemployed person’s overall quality of life, as well as their ability to land a job that may utilize their skill-sets. In fact, as Americans remain unemployed for longer periods of time, their optimism in regards to their job search notably decreases. More specifically, less than three out of ten Gallup participants who were unemployed for over a year felt they were able to find a job. This pessimism, in turn, potentially dampens the motivation of job-seekers to continue their search for employment.

The marked drop in positive emotions among the long-term unemployed may come as no surprise, it may come as no surprise. Yet, it may be troubling that the aforementioned demographic also procrastinates in seeking social support.

The unemployed feel  embarrassment and shame, leading them to isolate themselves from friends and colleagues. A 2011 Heldrich Center for Workforce Development study at Rutgers University found 31.1 percent of unemployed Americans reported spending less than two hours with family or friends per day, as compared to 21.5 percent  among short-term unemployed adults.

By closely analyzing the effects of long-term unemployment on a person’s well-being, policymakers can thus develop interventions to promote mental and physical health.