Retirement Blues – It’s a Thing!

Retirement – it’s the moment you’ve been living for, probably for several years, now. The chance, at last, to put your feet up, or to do the things you’ve not had time to do since way-back. Or both! So, now the golden years have arrived, why is it you feel so lack-lustre and out-of-sorts? Why do you wake up in the morning with a background feeling of sadness or restlessness? Where has your spark gone; your sense of humour, and your interest in life? And could your friends be correct when they suggest you seem to be depressed?

If these are the sorts of questions confronting you, it may be you’re suffering from the ‘retirement blues.’ And if you are, you’re not alone. It’s not uncommon for those who have recently retired to experience strong emotional reactions to no longer be heading off to work in the morning. After all, a huge change has taken place in your life, and change (even for the better) can bring with it a range of stresses. If you’re seriously concerned about your post-retirement mental health, your first port of call should always be your GP. If you feel some simple self-help tips are the answer to a pick-me-up, check out the following suggestions:

Acceptance

Accept the beginning of retirement brings a mix of emotions, and allow yourself to experience them without judging your situation or yourself. If you feel down, don’t fake jollity. If you feel cheerful, enjoy the moment without wondering how long it will last. This up and down period of adjustment is a reaction to significant change, and it won’t last forever.

Stay connected

For anyone who is experiencing mental health issues, staying connected to others is vital. No matter how you’re feeling, make an extra effort to have regular interaction with your partner, friends, and family. Maintain healthy social media connections, go to your book group, and schedule a morning catch-up with old colleagues. No-one is suggesting you have to be the life of the party. Why not explore the GrownUps Discussion Boards or Live Chat to start with?

Reach out

Don’t bottle up your worries. It’s OK to tell family and friends you’re going through a difficult patch. In fact, if your go-to buddy is a retiree themselves, it’s very likely they’ll know exactly what you’re talking about.

Take-ten

Work takes so much time out of our lives, and for so many years. In fact, it occupies a great deal of our thinking time, even when we’re not at work itself. No wonder, then, it literally comes to define who we are, and when we give it up, many of us are left without a sense of self. Under the veneer of work, we have always had a real self. We just need to dig it out and reclaim it. So grab a notebook, and start jotting down the aspects of yourself that aren’t defined by the job you once had. You may be ‘thoughtful,’ ‘humorous ,’ ‘kind,’ ‘creative,’ ‘generous,’ or ‘productive.’ You will always have had dreams and ambitions, it’s just they may have become mislaid over the years. Once you’ve remembered who you really are, it can be fun to look for ways to channel these aspects of yourself into new realms and endeavours.

Get physical

Physical activity is a known de-stressor. If your only exercise has been climbing the stairs to your office desk, or standing in front of a white board, now is the time to establish an activity routine. As you build up your number of minutes spent moving, you’ll gain a sense of purpose and achievement in ways that aren’t connected to work. To boost this new zest for life, keep a journal of what activity you are involved in, where it takes you, and the time you spend on it each day.

Give yourself permission

For those who are of retirement age, the nine to five job (and even longer, if possible), has been viewed as commendable, as indeed it is. But the flip side of the coin is many of us have been taught leisure is less OK, and it has to be ‘earned.’ Along with this notion, comes contemporary criticism of ‘boomers’ as a group of people with far more than they deserve. Refuse to allow the guilt-trippers to impact your retirement. Be staunch by reminding yourself of what you have contributed to your country, through your working life, both in terms of service and taxation, and stand tall.

Retirement is a massive step into the unknown. It’s also a period of transition. So don’t expect to feel on top of the world by the end of week 1, but if you are, that’s OK, too!