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Retirement (mental health)

Explorer7Senior Contributor11 Aug 2024, 11:10 am AEST

Retirement (mental health)

I'd like to hear from others as to their experiences of retirement, good, bad, or otherwise.

Research on depression in retirement varies. Findings at one extreme are that retirement reduces the risk of depression by about 20% whereas at the other extreme the risk of depression was found to increase by about 40% in medium and longer-term retirees.

By choice, I stopped working in 2016.

I did some homework before retiring including checking with my accountant, doing a course at work looking at some of the non-finanical aspects of retirement, and seeing a psychologist for the same reason.

Even so, after 18 months I fell into clinical depression, mainly due to running out of purpose and meaning.

While I was depressed I considered various ways of killing myself. What kept me going was the love of family, plus: my GP (who provided me with mental health care plans); psychologist; psychiatrist (who prescribed an anti-depressant); and psychotherapist. I also volunteered with Lifeline during this time. Being on the phones helped put my own wellbeing into perspective, and the training Lifeline provided me was excellent. In a round about way, as a result of my depression, I also came to study and become a qualified Life Coach. The training here was excellent and highly relevant to my condition.

I eventually came out of the other side of depression, praise be, and I know what to look out for now, and I now have a much better idea of how to make the most of retirement. fyi @Shaz51

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In response to: Retirement (mental health)

MJG017Senior Contributor09 Sept 2024, 4:30 pm AEST

Re: Retirement (mental health)

Hey @Explorer7, good to hear from you again. I'm doing okay... ups and downs. Today is a bit of a down but it happens. How are you traveling? Keeping busy at all?

Meals on Wheels is an option for me I think.. I'll add it to the list and see what they offer here. I know they have it here, but I'll have to see if they're looking for volunteers. Thanks for the idea.

I'm still working on that book you recommended (The Science of Stuck). It's taking me a while, probably because I spend too much time here typing away 🙂 I like the way you don't have to read it from to back, just the parts that sound helpful. I actually brought up the idea of anxiety being an engine warning light, rather than a problem itself to my local support group last week, and the were asking me about it again this morning, so it seems to resonate with a lot of people as a way to help with their own anxiety. So your recommendation is spreading.

In response to: Re: Retirement (mental health)

Shaz51Senior Contributor26 Dec 2025, 10:57 am AEDT

Re: Retirement (mental health)

@MJG017 , @Explorer7 , @chibam , @Eve7 @tyme @Jynx , @AuntGlow

how is everyone here going?

another year of retirement, my husband is finding it hard

lots of interesting information you have given us @Explorer7

In response to: Re: Retirement (mental health)

chibamSenior Contributor26 Dec 2025, 7:42 pm AEDT

Re: Retirement (mental health)

@Shaz51 wrote:
how is everyone here going?

Not so great, @Shaz51 , but then what else is new? 😐

Hope everyone else here is doing well! 🙂🤗

Merry Xmas, all! 🎄🤗👋

In response to: Re: Retirement (mental health)

tymeModerator15 Jan 2026, 9:32 pm AEDT

Re: Retirement (mental health)

Are there little 'jobs' tasks your husband can do to keep him going? It sounds really hard for him at the moment. And we all know that when things are hard for him, they are hard for you @Shaz51

Would you ever consider a retirement village home where they have planned activities throughout the day/week?

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