Dealing with Depression while Retired – Road to Retirement
You finally retired after years of working and your reward? You get to do nothing! That’s the dream, right? … Right?
Transitioning into a retired lifestyle is very hard. Studies show that 1 in 3 retirees feel depressed and as many as half say that they feel sadder than when they had a job. That feels counterintuitive, especially since a lot of people look forward to retiring for most of their adult lives. But whether it’s from lack of purpose, loneliness, or not enough to do, depression sinks in rather quickly.
But there are solutions! Many retirees admit to feeling much more fulfilled after retiring. Before we dive further into this discussion, we just want to state that we are not licensed medical professionals. And while we have done our research and are doing our best to be sure to provide quality information, if you are feeling depressed, someone who knows you or a medical professional might be the better person to turn to than an article. That could be a doctor, a therapist, or a loved one. Just remember you’re not alone and that a lot of people go through something similar to what you’re going through.
Diagnosing the Issue
From the retirees we talked to there is not one definable reason retirees get depressed, in fact, there are dozens of reasons that seem to all compound on top of one another. The most common things we heard were about too much empty time, feeling isolated/alone, not feeling like yourself anymore, feeling guilty about not being “useful,” and general concerns about money and health.
These are all big issues and facing them all at once seems basically impossible, but it’s easier to break them into smaller pieces and see what’s bothering you the most. And if there isn’t “one big thing,” that’s okay too, it could just be so many little things it seems impossible to diagnose.
Experts tend to recommend the same thing no matter what, and that’s to talk to someone and find a new purpose.
Talking to Someone
It can be hard to talk about your feelings, especially if a lot of those feelings are new or revolve around guilt, but just putting your issues into words is a great way of letting your brain sort out what’s bothering you.
The person you talk to can be a trusted friend, a doctor, a loved one, or anyone you know will take you seriously and listen. If you’re scared to bring it up or if you’re worried they will take it the wrong way, be sure to frame the conversation around that. Use “I am” statements and do what you can to put yourself out there.
It might be scary, but remember that a lot of people get the blues, and it’s more about connecting with someone and just letting them know how you’re feeling than anything.
If you’re not sure who to turn to, consider therapy. Therapists are trained to recognize the symptoms of depression and come up with good strategies to deal with it. We recently put together an article about how to find a mental health provider and highly recommend it if you’re at all interested.
Check it out here: https://www.sdpeba.org/news/city/all-about-mental-health-care
Finding Purpose
The heading “finding purpose” feels very grandiose, but it doesn’t actually have to be. This new purpose shouldn’t replace work, it should however help you find your place in your new post-working reality.
Purpose can be something similar to work, like volunteering or it could be something more artsy, like learning an instrument or writing a memoir. At the end of the day it just has to be something you’ll love and something you look forward to.
Many retirees said they found purpose in a new pet they adopted, others said they found purpose just going on afternoon walks with a neighbor, babysitting also came up a lot.
Just be sure you’re staying active and keeping your brain engaged!
If you’re interested in education, check out this article on SDCCE, they offer free classes to seniors:
https://www.sdpeba.org/news/stay-sharp-in-retirement-with-sdcces-emeritus-program
And if you want some other ideas on how to stay active in retirement, check out this article:
https://www.sdpeba.org/news/how-to-stay-sharp-in-retirement--road-to-retirement
Should you go back to work?
Since work provided so much structure, you might think going back will solve most of your issues. And that might be the case. It was for several retirees that we talked to. It can definitely help if you’re worried about money.
Just know that a lot of retirees choose to go back to work for one reason or another. So don’t let anyone stop you from going back to work if you’re able and willing!
We put together an article about this too, if you’re interested: https://www.sdpeba.org/news/can-i-work-while-retired-what-if-i-retire-early