This message comes from TED Talks Daily, a podcast from TED, bringing you new ideas every day through TED Talks and conversations.

Learn about the ideas shaping humanity, from connecting with your inner monologue to unlocking healthy love.

Listen to TED Talks Daily.

You're listening to LifeKit.

From NPR.

Hey. You're listening to Life Kit from NPR. Hey, it's Mariel.

You know how the Germans have a word for everything?

I've been wondering if there's one for that particular ache you get when you want something to happen.

I mean, really want it, maybe even need it, and you've spent

countless hours working toward it, getting pregnant, finding love, landing a new job. But it is

just not happening. It's painful. It's maddening. It makes you doubt yourself. It makes you

want to shake your fist at the sky.

One acute version of this is unemployment, especially if it stretches out over a long period.

Des Valdez is a licensed clinical social worker and a financial therapist.

She says unemployment becomes not just a financial crisis.

It affects our mental health, our identity, our nervous system, and our relationships.

And so many people can experience a mix of grief, fear, self-blame, shame, and a lot of uncertainty.

And our culture really ties so much of our worth to productivity and employment.

When our job disappears, we may feel like our value disappears too, and our identity.

In this moment, when you're feeling the ache that cannot be named,

it's more important than ever to take care of your mental health.

And that's our topic for this episode of Life Kit. I'll talk to

...