Unemployment: A 99er Overcomes The Crushing Anxiety of Long-Term Joblessness

He acknowledged that at the time he made his threat, he suffered from anxiety and that things had gotten "a little out of control" after two years of joblessness. He'd become a "99er" -- a person whose joblessness has outlasted the maximum number of weeks of unemployment insurance. More than 2 million people have been out of work for 99 weeks or longer, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

While his actions were extreme, Coleman's desperation was typical. Many people have told HuffPost that the anxiety of long-term unemployment can be absolutely overwhelming.

"When you're out of work that long you're not talking about just the financial issue," Coleman said. "It's the simple fact of doing something. Of working. Of having a routine."