Different situations at work can have significant impacts on a person’s mental and physical health and wellbeing. Things like unlawful termination have been shown to have close links to poor mental health, especially if you don’t have a strong support network around you.
If you’re working through an unlawful termination case, you need to be aware of the possible mental health effects you may experience. Awareness is the key to dealing with things before they become too serious, especially in the case of mental health.
In light of this, we decided to put together a short guide outlining what unlawful termination is, how it can impact mental health, and the possible combined effects of the two issues.
What Is Unlawful Termination?
In general, unlawful contract termination or unlawful dismissal refers to any occasion when an employee is fired without following the relevant laws. This could include:
- Termination that doesn’t comply with the terms and conditions of your contract.
- Termination with of racial, sexual or other discriminatory motives.
- Termination because of performance issues the employee wasn’t aware of.
- Termination to fill your position with someone who will be paid less.
In general, unlawful termination cases are complex, and they can require significant legal intervention. Because of this, they can have quite serious mental health impacts.
What Can Unlawful Termination Do to My Mental Health?
Understanding what unlawful termination can do to your mental health is one of the keys to ensuring you remain healthy. Some of the potential issues you could experience while working through a complicated case include:
Anxiety – One of the major problems with a sudden unfair dismissal is the uncertainty surrounding your future. As you can probably imagine, this can lead to high levels of stress and anxiety, which can take a heavy toll on your overall mental health.
Emotional issues – Although “emotional issues” isn’t a defined mental illness as such, it’s still something to be aware of. Being fired is an emotional time, especially if you think you’ve lost your job unfairly. Because of this, you might experience things like mood swings, anger and unexpected sadness.
PTSD – Similarly, an unlawful dismissal can be a very traumatic experience. It follows logically, therefore, that it could lead to PTSD and other traumatic disorders that could be hard to deal with.
Depression – Last, but certainly not least, unlawful dismissal is a common trigger for depression. Even people with no history of mental illness can develop depression as a result of a stressful experience like an unlawful dismissal.
The above certainly isn’t an exhaustive list, and unlawful termination can also cause everything from suicidal thoughts to a range of physical health problems.
Final Word
Going through an unlawful or unfair dismissal can trigger a range of mental health issues. To avoid these, ensure you build a strong support network and engage professional help where required. In many cases, it could be a good idea to speak with a psychologist to ensure your mental health is remaining strong. Remember, there’s no embarrassment or weakness in seeking professional help.