Archive · 29 Sep 2026
Why Job Loss Can Feel Like Grief Without Acknowledgment
Losing a job can feel like losing an important part of yourself.
You may miss your income, daily routine, work identity and colleagues.
People often do not treat job loss like a major kind of grief, so those feelings can stay hidden.
Psychologist Kenneth Doka called this “disenfranchised grief.”
The article says AI-related changes may cause many more people to experience this kind of loss.
The writer describes trying to keep working and applying for jobs while still feeling sad.
Doka suggests naming the loss, talking with supportive people and creating a way to mark what happened.
The writer says even an unusual personal ritual can help someone make room for grief before starting again.
The writer describes job loss as a form of “disenfranchised grief” involving lost identity, income and workplace relationships.
Psychologist Kenneth Doka defined disenfranchised grief as loss that is not openly acknowledged, publicly mourned or socially supported.
The article connects job loss to wider anxiety about AI-driven employment cuts, including estimates of 25,000–35,000 technology jobs affected in India during 2026.
Tata Consultancy Services’ reported decision to cut more than 12,000 jobs is presented as a possible sign of broader disruption in India’s technology sector.
Doka’s suggested responses include naming the loss, finding understanding people, acknowledging feelings and creating a personal ritual.
- Who
- The writer, middle-aged professionals facing job loss, and workers affected by employment disruption.
- What
- An account of the hidden grief associated with job loss and the idea of disenfranchised grief.
- When
- The writer discusses experiencing job loss for the second time; the article also cites estimates for technology-job cuts during 2026.
- Where
- The personal account is situated in India, with the writer identified as a communications consultant and writer based in Bengaluru.
- Why
- Job loss can remove income, professional identity, routine and workplace relationships, while society often provides little public recognition or support for that grief.
- Concept
- “Disenfranchised grief,” defined by Kenneth Doka as loss that is not openly acknowledged, publicly mourned or socially supported.
- Writer’s experience
- The writer describes being middle-aged, losing a job for the second time and starting a consultancy.
- Estimated 2026 technology cuts
- Industry experts estimate that 25,000–35,000 technology jobs could be cut in India during 2026.
- Tata Consultancy Services
- The article says the company decided to cut more than 12,000 jobs in July.
- Broader sector estimate
- Analysts cited in the article think AI could eliminate around half a million jobs from India’s $283 billion information-technology sector over the next two to three years.
- Suggested coping steps
- Name the loss, find people who understand, be honest about feelings and create a ritual around the loss.