Security of tenure is oftentimes taken for granted. Most people think that being laid off is near to impossible, until local companies get bought by multinationals or the economy slows down. Suddenly, the threat of being out of a job becomes very real and causes a great deal of stress, resulting in health problems.

Researchers from the University of Michigan found out that job insecurity has been getting the working class physically sick, ScienceDaily.com reports. Lead study author Dr. Sarah A. Burgard and her colleagues studied the effects of America’s “Great Recession” on a person’s health by analyzing data on 440 middle-aged workers from Detroit. Research showed the 18 percent of workers who felt that they were likely to lose their jobs within the following year had poorer health. These people were four times more likely to experience anxiety attacks and were seven times more likely to report symptoms of depression.

Although the Philippines was fortunate enough to have survived the global recession without much damage, many middle-class workers still lost their jobs. Some are still unemployed today, while others risk being put out of work as well. If you think that your position isn’t secure and you’re starting to feel anxious about it, speak with your boss or with someone from your human resources department and ask about your career advancement. This way, you can check how you’ve been performing and be sure that your name won’t be struck off your company’s roster of employees come next year’s budget planning. Taking proactive steps would be better than stressing yourself out.

(Screencap from Morning Glory courtesy of Paramount Pictures)