Quote:
Originally Posted by AcGold
For me the toughest part is the close relationships. The parents don't really see the downturn as an excuse, my dad continually telling me how he went through the recession in the 80s just fine. Girlfriend gets annoyed if I even try to talk about the situation so I'm left up #### creek, everyday told to get my act together and work harder. The close relationships are almost more stress than the crippling debt. Funny how things turned out.
I'm not one that would ever get close to suicide but damn I could see how someone would. I had a good plan, good grades, good references, good attitude, good spending habits and things went to total ####. My current menial job knows I'm ####ed so I get harassed on the daily, sexually, physically and verbally. Suicides up? Not really surprised when someone can end up in my situation being exploited and harassed on the daily.
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I went through something similar. Graduated top of my class from a Maritime University. Unable to find a job originally despite that. Very few jobs in my field, and the ones that were available were almost entirely filled by nepotism. Didn't want to sit on my ass all day waiting for the phone to ring, so I took a manual labour job. Was abused constantly by coworkers. I come from very blue collar roots so i did everything I could to come off as very grateful for the job and didn't talk down about any task I was given. Didn't matter though. They knew I had a large amount of education and that was enough to warrant constant abuse as the college boy. Every single day I would come home after being demoralized at work and get the same BS from my parents/girlfriend about working harder to find a job, not looking in the right places, how much much they had given me to go to school and not use my degree, etc. Like you said, the personal component was the worst. You are are looking for support, not to get kicked again why you are down.
Like you, definitely not someone who would consider doing harm to themselves, but I'm not to sure how long I would have lasted in that situation without causing irrevocable mental damage. I removed myself from the situation. Sent resumes to companies in cities all over the world, chose Calgary, and picked up my bags and left. Have been happy since the day I got on that plane.
I don't work in Oil and Gas per say, but it definitely affects my job, and I'm starting to get some anxiety myself, like everyone in the City of Calgary. I can tell you this though, I will never let it get to the point that it did back when I was just finished school. I will remove myself from the situation much more promptly. If you are willing to move, there will always be opportunity for you. I've noticed there seems to be a very large reluctance on some people's behalf to consider moving. Calgary is a great place to live, but it isn't worth doing severe emotional damage to yourself.