Psychologists say something scary happens when you're unemployed for a while

[TBF]

7. I was laid off several years ago -

it was after I had a child and my priorities in the workplace changed. Up until then I was completely devoted to work. Even though I was in a new area of the country after the baby was born and I tried to be careful to take a job that wouldn't be as demanding as I had held previously in my career it was still hard for me to keep up the appearance of someone who wanted to devote everything to their work 24/7. I got laid off after about a year in the position - maybe year and a half. I did get a new position quickly but I only worked six months and then quit that job to stay at home. I was in the position where we could afford that (as a family) but I'm sure my lack of enthusiasm was due to the layoff earlier that year. I didn't feel like I was valued at all. So many of these companies just want a body sitting there - and it doesn't matter if you have other things you'd rather be doing (I'm talking after the normal 40 hours). As a new parent who suddenly had other obligations my perspective had really changed but the employers' did not.