A Fall from Grace: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Unemployment in UK University Graduates with Common Mental Health Issues

An exploratory investigation into the experiences of unemployed university graduates with common mental health issues (i.e., depression and anxiety) was conducted using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Analysis semi-structured interviews 12 in their twenties, all whom had been between five 24 months issues, generated themes relating to “Loss Expectation Disorientation”, “Waste, Failure Blame”, “Stigma Shame”. Participants experienced a “Fall from Grace”—a descent vaunted position high-esteem importance as graduates, seemingly bright prospects for privileged future, lowly state unemployment leaving them feeling tarnished. These findings are discussed relation literature on graduate unemployment, crisis stigma, raising some practical universities, including counselling services, how they can better manage transition employment graduates.