Feeling the pain

Just in time for the holidays, the New York Times--my perennial cheerer-upper on the economy--has a new poll on the emotional and financial toll of unemployment.
Among the results: Almost half of the unemployed polled have suffered depression or anxiety and 4 in 10 notice behavioral changes in their children.
Although this was primarily about people who had lost their jobs, the Times did give a nod to the underemployed (e.g. those with huge wage cuts of those forced to become part-time workers) toward the end of the piece. Another poll, done at the same time with CBS, holds that 3 in 10 people have had wage cuts the past year. It didn't mention their mental state.
There's no question that people who have completely lost their jobs have it much worse than those still employed. But with a big enough cut in pay and benefits, we still feel a kinship with those other struggling families.
How close is our experience to theirs? Let's take the poll and find out:
Question one: Have you taken money out of savings, including retirement accounts, to make ends meet? That's complicated. After six years of college expenses, we didn't have any savings left. And since the cutback, we can't afford contributions to the 401K any more. But so far we haven't raided it. So our answer is...kinda yes. Poll results--60 percent yes.
Question two: Have you borrowed money from family members or friends? No, although they've kindly offered. National results--53 percent yes.
Question three: Are you more stressed than usual, less stressed or is your stress level no different? Are you freaking kidding me? Of course we're more stressed! National results--69 percent more stressed.
Question four: Have you had any trouble sleeping? Yes, quite a bit back when it was news. Not so much any more. National results--55 percent yes.
Question five: Have you experienced emotional or mental health issues, like anxiety or depression? Not sure how they define this. But no, nobody's sought any medical treatment. National results--48 percent yes.
Question six: How often have you felt embarrassed or ashamed about being out of work? Here's where the toxic bloggers who ridicule Mike have actually done us all a big favor. They've deflected the depression that might have set in, and caused our extended family and friends (and even a few strangers) to rally around us. Any embarrassment or shame has been quickly converted to anger and resolve. Thanks, guys. National results--46 percent some or most times.
Question seven: Have you cut back on doctor's visits or medical treatments or not? We're fortunate to still have health insurance. Even so, there's still a deductible. So when a dog bit Mike's leg a few weeks ago, and it wouldn't heal right, he stubbornly resisted my urgings to go. And since eyeglasses no longer are covered, I find myself Super-gluing my broken ones. But we'll still go when we really need to. National results--54 percent yes.
Question eight: Are you currently without some form of health care coverage? No. National results--47 percent yes.
I don't see a sample question about behavioral changes in children. But I can attest that financial strain has caused a lot more dust-ups and tension with my daughter. One way kids do their fact finding about just how bad the money situation is, is to keep asking for stuff and see where parents draw the line. But if you're on the parental end, you get a little dragged down by constantly having to say "no."
So yeah, not much to be happy about if you're thinking about the unemployed and underemployed this Christmas.
But there are a couple of good things out of this poll. First, I'm grateful that the Times is keeping this in front of people. It would be so much easier to just go with the flow, declare the recession over and forget about the people who have been dumped off the boat.
And second, a part of the poll asks who people blame for all this economic misery. The favorite: Former Pres. George W. Bush with 26 percent of the vote, banks with 12 percent, job outsourcing 8 percent, politicians 8 percent. Only 3 percent blamed Obama.
Now it's time to get to work on the current administration and get tough on those big money boys.