After Retirement
Anxiety and Depression

Retirement Blues 
Been retired for over two years and I'm a mess! I don't love my life anymore. I'm trying to build some kind of community to replace the one I had …

Now it comes....after two years 
I'm usually a joyful, happy person. Even after retiring two years ago (right before COVID) I maintained it pretty well. Now, my anxiety is out of …

Got Anxiety or Depression? 
I read so many sad depression or anxiety stories on this page. wow. Please tell me what really helped you - anything natural, or your medication. …

Loneliness, Boredom / Anxiety, Depression:  
How not to be what Adam once was, by growing with people animals and plants. The universe is of many things; no matter color, race or nationality people …

3 yrs in, retired at 60. Part three: resolution 
It's been a couple years and I thought to catch up on (personally) how long and how much it takes some people to retrain the brain and spirit into retirement. …

What is so great about life? 
I've had social phobia all my life and is now accompanied with moderate to severe depression. I had chosen to retire at age 57 because the job that …

Life has become a horror 
I retired at 75 - just couldn't put it off any longer, although I wanted to. More than two years later, I have lost my identity and any sense of self-worth. …

Retired Early with Anxiety 
Hello, I am 56 and retired early from severe anxiety. I have tried to work several at home jobs in the last year only to become depressed. I am tormenting …

My Horrible Retirement Journey 
Did you fall into a depression when you retired? Yes, I was clinically depressed when I retired. How long did it last? About a year In your opinion, …

1 yr in, retired at 60. Part three: 18 months was the magic number 
How simple it all seemed, focusing only on my retirement struggles at the end of one year. As outlined in my previous posts, my biggest challenges …

Anxiety ridden after retirement 
I've been retired 2 months now after running my own business for 48 years. I used to be a happy positive person but I am finding myself so immersed …

1 yr in, retired at 60. Part two: the journey continues 
Read Part 1 Here I am really touched by many of the responses to my first posting and also much more conscious of the number of people that are experiencing …

Morning Anxiety/Anticipatory Anxiety 
I have a huge problem with morning anxiety. There are mornings I wake up clothed with physical sensations best described as having the chills. The longer …

wtf happened? 
I retired 6 months ago. I worked for 31 years as a collection agent for the local water dept. I really loved my job but the city had a great retirement …

Stuck in a rut  
I retired in 2015 and could not wait to get out after 45 years of the same old same old. Lost the mother of my four kids in the 90’s and got all of …

1 yr in, retired at 60. I had every one of the feelings and psychosis listed on this page 
There are two sides to the retirement coin, those represented by the do-it-now, FIRE, love doing nothing retirement pages/blogs and what I call the wandering …

Retirement is NOT What it Soinds Like! 
I just retired from teaching for 28 years in June 2019. I’ve been planning this for five years and knew I had all my plans in place. Well, let’s just say …

Out of the Slump 
I too suffered depression and anxiety when I retired at age 69. Had a list of things to do but didn't seem to be motivated. Would look at the list …

Stuck in Retirement 
After delivering mail for forty five years and working with 200 other postmen and women, I retired. 8 months later, I have lost all motivation and …

Daily Anxiety and listlessness what a SUPRISE to me ! 
I have read many of the stories here... and noted a couple of "nail on the Head" moments. First off let me say i retired a little over 3 months ago …

Suddenly I`m not `Captain Mitchell` any more 
The travel company I worked for went bust. Suddenly I`m no longer Captain Mitchell, respected airline pilot. Suddenly Im no longer the reassuring voice …

Semi retired and feel fed up  
I took voluntary redundancy in May and was really looking forward to slowing down, but I just feel really unhappy and don't know why. I'm debt free, …

The Illusion of Retirement 
I retired at 69 due to downsizing. I guess it was about time though. Have been retired 7 months now and haven't been enjoying much of it. Had been …

Getting close to retirement and trying to learn from this wealth of experience. When is the right time to retire? 
I'm 62 and keep telling myself to retire at the end of 2020. Or even 2019. Financially, I think my wife and I are in good shape and could walk out today. …

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A little overwhelmed 9 months into semi-early retirement: to work or not to work, that is the question. 
Reading other's stories is helping me, so figured I'd contribute. "Retired" at 60 after a heart attack, stent, and actually healthier than before- regular …

Retirement and anxiety 
I retired in December 2018. I am married (my husband retired from the Canadian military one year ago) and we have one son living on his own. Oh, yes we …

Just retired, anxious and struggling 
I've just retired and I'm finding it really challenging. I am anxious - never really was before and it's debilitating. It's a lot of different things …

I need motivation 
I have been retired not quite a month now. The first week I was sick with bronchitis so I was in bed. When I worked I was up at 5:00 a.m., at work …

So after retiring at the age of 57 I went back to work at age 63.  
It is a transition and the only way to enjoy the time away from work is to mentally prepare oneself.

Retired, depressed, no reason to get up 
I’ve been retired for a year. I worked 35 years as an advertising designer/illustrator. When my husband retired 6 mos. ago we moved to a small town …

single and retired 
Hi ..I a 62 year old girl ..retired from a Medical profession ..divorced from the love of my life (he left me for a younger model). I too also really …

Not sure what is wrong with me 
Retired about 7 months ago after 30 years in tax department at CPA firm... 20 at last one. Retired because of anxiety disorder, depression I couldn't overcome. …

How to Get Out of this Funk? 
Hi, I had surgery in Feb. I had to retire the following July, it was retire or get fired. I am 60, it is winter so outside activities are out. My partner …

Early Retirement: Not What I Thought it Would Be. 
I am 62 years old and I retired this past August. I always said I couldn't wait until I didn't have to work anymore. I was looking forward to what I …

Retirement Blues... Anxiety and Depression 
So I retired from a an agency where I was a PM and a research SME for specialized set of systems (my second retirement, I retired from the military in …

Lost 
Never wanted to retire. At age 60 I went to part-time, I really liked my job and it was enough to make some extra money. Cuz I could not live on old age …

Forced out a few years before planned retirement 
I had worked for a large hospital for 25 years, but had different jobs within the hospital over the years. I did not like my last job that I had for six …

Being busy beat retirement depression 
I retired at the end of July 2018 and until October was extremely busy with a lot of outdoor work on a house we recently purchased. Then it hit me …

5 months in 
I thought the volunteering would come easier meaning faster. I have just begun to get a bit more involved in two organizations but the process Is slow …

Retirement Depression 
My problem here is I seem to have lost all my friends most or a lot are still working. I also can't get my husband to retire, he is a trucker and loves …

Retirement: What to do? 
Going into 4 years of retirement, first years were good. I was able to do a lot of things I couldn't do while I was working. Cleaned house, yard work, …

Lost and Embarrassed? 
Quickly retired about a month ago at age 60 as I was convinced my job was responsible for my depression. (taking meds and therapy). Wow, what an eye opener. …

My New Plan 
Okay I m tired of kicking myself for retiring when I wasn’t ready. Grieving won’t change things. My job is gone and I can't go back. My new plan …

Wayne 
I have now been retired 18 months, at first it was great, do what you want when you want. I soon {at about 14 months) noticed I was doing nothing …

My Retirement Story 
What's in a word? Ah retirement, it sounds good while you are slaving away at your job and doing your daily commute. I just retired and I'm missing my …

2 months in 
I am 2 months into retirement at 62 1/2. The first month was easy. I was doing some hiking, going to the beach with wife, going to the gym daily or every …

What now? 
I retired one year ago at 62. I was a Director in a life insurance division of a Fortune 500 company. I retired early because I lost a beloved older …

Retired because of anxiety disability 
I worked at a CPA firm for 20 years and 8 years at another before that. i am 62 1/2 About 3 years ago I started to feel burned out. About 2 years …

Retired: Lost in myself 
I retired 2 years ago. I was a teacher for 27 years for children with special needs. I wake up every morning and all I think about was the job I left. …

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Hanging out  
I'm 59 years old and retired. I was an LPN, had two back surgeries so I decided to retire early. My husband is still working and will be working for …

Depressed and want to go back home 
When I decided to retire I bought a condo in Mito Japan, my wife's country. I paid cash so that when I retired and sold my house in California I would …

Delayed Post-Retirement Blues 
I retired in March 2013. My first summer off my husband thought it would help me to transition into retirement so he organized a road trip that took …

In transition of retiring and I've already lost my self worth and identity 
My husband & I are both 60 yrs. young. We began a small Construction Company almost 40 yrs. ago & are now "semi-retired" & plan to be fully retired hopefully …

Think Hard Before Retiring 
Retirement is only enjoyable if you have no financial worries, plenty of money, your health, and endless activities you love to do. You'll also need …

Retired Law Enforcement: 32 Years 
My story is like many others here, but it does have one significant difference. I was in law enforcement for the past 32 years, a career I truly loved. …

Retirement Panic 
I just retired three weeks ago. First week okay. Second week not so okay. Third week actually sick. Got days and nights turned around. Have so …

Riding the Wave 
I have been on this site for about 2 years and thank Wendy for creating it. I have benefited from many of the stories and posts. Some folks on this …

Bored after six months, lost confidence and motivation ! 
I retired voluntarily at age 61 with a good pension, after 40 years in a stressful job. For the first six months, I was full of energy and ideas. I …

Disastinator & Seeking Happiness 
Below are the things I try to do everyday as I struggle with my main problems of procrastination and the retirement blues. Thanks to Wendy for the coaching …

Retirement: After feeling sorry for myself  
I am into month four of retirement after 47 years of doing 12 hour work days, and have let go the conversation of feeling sorry for myself. In the …

Went overboard with change 
I am 62......when I was 60 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was found early on & after a year was given a clear bill of health. But this got me to …

Retired May 2017; Struggling with Anxiety and Depression 
Worked 38 years in two different industries. Retired May 2017. Do NOT miss the job (worked on offshore oil rigs, 12 hrs / day, 21 days in a row, was …

Sun will come out tomorrow ... 
I'm retired and for the first six months, it was horrible. Depressed, crying, suicidal, heartbroken, lonely, angry, anxiety ... you name it, I experienced …

Depressed and lazy 
Retired about a month and a half ago after 56 years of working... first thing on agenda was visiting family and friends I haven't seen in way too long. …

MIserable... 
Interesting, I just retired Oct. 23, 2016. It has been almost a year now. I am extremely miserable. I wake up facing endless cleaning and gardening, …

Transition Avalanche  
So....I fell in love with this great guy and we enjoyed traveling together. I was already considering and planning retirement a year before we met. …

I was terrified to retire, and now I know why 
I retired in June 2015 after almost 40 years as a teacher and school counselor. I was terrified to retire because I tend to get depressed when I don't …

Desert Dweller 
Four months after retiring I began experiencing the worst anxiety. Absolutely no reason for it, just started about 4:00am. Lots of awful feelings, …

Start running and not stop.... 
My mom used to say this to me growing up. She would say, " Do you ever feel like running and never stopping, never coming back?" She suffered from depression …

Anxiety and Depression after Retiring  
Hi I retired from work in apri 2016 after 40 years service. I have a really good pension and no financial worries at all, But I have now been diagnosed …

Family History of depression and suicide. I retire in 4 years 
My father always dreamed of retiring and when he finally did he committed suicide a year later. He could not adjust to staying home and doing nothing. …

Retired and overwhelmed 
I have always worked. I retired October, 2016 after 20 years in accounting. Working has put me behind in everything. There are so many areas of the …

Retired 2014: Now Spouse is My Qualifier  
I am having a hard time trying to understand what caused my spouse to become an alcoholic or a functional alcoholic. He drinks from morning to late night. …

What to do?! 
Retired at Christmas 2014 after 30 years of teaching. Spent part of first year travelling. Spent much of second year (2016) being caregiver for mother …

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I Retired 
I have been retired since December 9/16. I wanted to retire. I planned my retirement. I did not cry when I left the building on that last, final day. I …

Approaching Early Retirement 
I will experience a job layoff in 1 week after 36 yrs of employment. Came across this site and wow, I am really scared after reading some of the posts. …

Depressed but then perhaps always was... 
I am in UK. I took retirement at 55 as job was a stressful and though well paid, no morale or support from managers and felt very lonely. I am now fed …

Part Time Job + Volunteering = Feeling Great! 
I posted a couple months ago about how I've been feeling anxious almost this entire year -- I was still working full time but felt emotionally "done" with …

Retired on Social Security and not much savings 
I retired last year at age 74 from government service, as a computer programmer, a work that I had enjoyed for almost 25 years. Ever since retirement, …

Two weeks into retirement, I'm feeling exhausted and out of balance 
I chose to retire at 62 after teaching Art and Cultural classes for over 20 yrs and before that 15 yrs of various other jobs I had....I couldn't wait. …

"Weekend, what's a weekend?" 
...I heard that line once when watching Downton Abbey, a hit show about a bunch of royal parasites living the good life whilst the folks below had barely …

Retirement: emotional roller coaster 
I've been divorced for pushing 40 years, no 'significant others (trust issues!!) and have been retired 2 months. Voluntary retirement at age 70. I …

Scared to Misery  
I just turned 58 and I don't have a pension. My 401k investment strategy have been under-funded and pilfered through the years to the point that I can't …

Who Knew Retirement Would Be This Hard 
I grieved for my job after I retired. People said, don't you love being retired? No, it was so hard, figuring how to channel all the creative energy …

Forced into retirement at 59 July 2012 
Once I was let go, I knew there was no going back. I couldn't pass a physical so getting another job wasn't happening. It took a year and a Lawyer …

Early retirement 
I am desperately sad. I thought this would be the happiest time of my life. My husband and I were able to retire "early". We are in our mid 50's and though …

Retirement Has Triggered Bad Memories 
When I was a teenager there wasn't much to do in my small town, no fast food or places to work. I woke up in the morning and felt bored and unhappy. …

SAD, DISILLUSIONED, LONELY 
I'm sad. I'm lonely. I'm disillusioned by the selfishness of people. Why is that? Well, I have no friends. Not real friends. I have many …

Retired: Lost, Sad....Very Sad 
After years of working, my wife told me that I could retire at the end of 2014, since after years of saving, we could afford to. I disliked my job, especially …

Retirement On Hold: Am I crazy? 
I worked at a big company for some 35 years until a new boss came along, then the 10 of us old-timers were deemed to be 'too old' and were shown the door …

4 Years and struggling to stay engaged with life.  
I retired 4 years ago - happy to leave a job that I no longer found fulfilling. I didn't miss work at first because I had lots of projects I wanted to …

Retirement: It's starting to get to me... 
I retired at 60 when I couldn't stand working with my new boss who was a very bitchy, controlling person. After cranking out the numbers I decided I could …

Is This All There Is? 
I retired two years ago. Since then I have been a caregiver, so haven't had much time to realize I am retired and not the guru Social Studies teacher …

No motivation 
I am 64 and retired. I have been a foster.parent for 33 years, I only take newborn infants. It is like raising a child for their first year over and over …

Retired: Went to docs 
When I lost my job in 2009 (I had just turned 58) I went into a terrific stupor. I was let go for good reason, I just wasn't guilty. At the time jobs …

Retired, I am so bored! 
I retired July 2015 after teaching for 41 years. I was given an incentive to retire - $1,000 per year of service - duh! I took the money. My husband …

Big life change 
Living in Pa all my life, when my husband died I decided to move to Calif to be near my son and family grandson is 7 . It was hard and I was depressed …

Alone Like Always, continued... 
I am the one who is ' Alone Like Always, Etc. Anyhow, from your comments, good people, I have decided to write a bit more. I am 65 in May and was …

Alone like always, but... 
I was working at various low paying jobs (not scholarly educated) for most of my life. I was put on disability early, and fought to get off of it until …

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Just cant turn it off...... 
I too, was a correctional officer. Did 24 years with the FEDS, could not wait to retire, just burnt out. Its been little over a week and just can't turn …

Retirement from Educational Setting 
Loved my career of teaching for 32 years, but due to stress outside of the work environment I felt I was not able to give 100% required to do a good job …

Up from Forced Retirement 
I was forced into early retirement at age 57, after 32 years as a director at a university. Parallel to this, I am a musician (that was my education …

Retirement depression? Say it ain't so! 
It was the beginning of 2013 and I was like a “retirement wind-up toy” -- wound tight! I was 57 and in good health, but had just laid my wife to rest after …

Retirement is Bullshit 
I definitely didn't plan for retirement and never expected it would be so boring. I'm sure it will lead to an early demise. No, I hope it does. If …

Retirement Anxiety 
Now age 72, and three years into retirement I have joined the swamp of alligators. Anxiety hangs around me like a shadow, I cannot shake it off. some …

Retirement: It Isn't So Great Afterall 
I just couldn't wait until I reached retirement age. Now I'm there and it's not so great. I was diagnosed with adult ADHD and clinical depression at …

Retirement: Friend or Foe??? 
I am so pleased that I found this site, it give me calmness to fine others who are going thru the same maze, just retired, feeling unbalanced, lost, a …

Retirement: All of this scares me.... 
I actually retired with a pension and health care three years ago at 56. I then took a similar job at another university. The job was pretty taxing (IT …

My retirement experience 
First, I felt forced out. I retired early because I could and also because of a deteriorating work environment and my health was bothering me. I didn't …

Badly missed working structured life after retirement as a teacher 
Thinking a lot about co-workers and classrooms since after retirement. Had build a new routine for daily life of exercising, swimming, reading , browsing …

Hi Mick Here... about to retire feeling anxious 
I have put in my papers to retire after 32 years in the police, and since then I wake up every morning with a knot in my gut, I would like to know if …

My story 
I involuntarily retired in 2013 at 57 and am miserable. I worked in banking for 30 years and spent the last 81/2 working nights. I never really liked …

Depression at being too young to be in a nursing home 
I'm an alert, active 68-year-old who was unwillingly incarcerated in a nursing home because of a fall that put me in a wheelchair and out of my charming, …

Emotional Roller Coaster 
I was a minority shareholder and COO in a small private company. Our market had been very volitale over the past 4 years and we had accumulated a substantial …

Chronic Loneliness in the Extended Aloneness 
There is a difference between "aloneness" and "loneliness". Being alone is being without the presence of another person. Sometimes we seek aloneness …

Got to turn this around! 
I have taught since 1976. I turned 61 in December and retired. At first, I felt like I had the freedom I have always dreamed of. I guess it's too much …

I have the retirement blues 
I retired by choice one year ago. When people asked me how I felt I would say that I was so busy, not enough hours in a day! Now I find myself …

Redundant at 70 
Hi I enjoyed my job but the company I worked for deteriorated and lost work, the result was that I was made redundant. Even at 70, I could still cope …

Fear is the Enemy! 
Retired after 35 years as a Correctional Officer, in the Canadian prison system. 56 years old. I had absolutely no hesitation in retiring from such a dreadful, …

My desires have been quenched 
I was out of work on 12-28-13 from a grocery chain which went out of business. Was only 3 months from a pension, so I just retired at 60 and drew a …

My Retirement story 
I was forced into retirement, but had been thinking about it anyway when it happened. At first, I was glad to be free from a difficult employer. …

Retirement: Don't know if I am going to make it.  
Took a voluntary severance offer at age 53. I was smart about saving, etc. and I am good financially. Always thought about early retirement and reinventing …

Depressed or just bored? 
I was wondering if anyone can relate to my situation… I am just turning 60, have had a very successful career in the arts (music) ..... I've been …

Finding myself after retirement, or who am I now? 
I am writing this in the hope that this will be therapeutic and enable me to find some clues as to my new identity! The main problem I have is finding …

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Guilty is the word I'm looking for  
It seems to me that what I feel most about being retired is guilt and that seems a problem for others too. Not knowing to do with ourselves is a part …

My Thoughts on Depression 
Whether your depression is triggered by retirement, illness (your own or someone elses), or something else - it helps to realize that instead of wearing …

Retired, depressed as.... 
I am 59. The last 5 years before retiring were horrible. Between losing 2 houses (CA and Dallas) and bankruptcy, heart attack, 2 back surgeries and …

Did not see this coming 
I retired, along with my wife of 35 years, after 45 years of working. Some time in the military during the Vietnam War and the rest as the CEO of a major …

I have belongings older than my psychiatric counselor  
I posted my story here: https://www.retirement-online.com/i-thought-i-was-losing-my-mind-at-first.html First, I apologize not not being around. My internet …

Feelings and thoughts after retirement 
When I was retired from service 6 years back, i felt little bit unhappy and thought that what would be the future of my life but i realized and found …

Still struggling 
I chose to retire at the formal end of my career in education. I was barely 55. Like many others, I dreamed of the halcyon days of retirement. Thing …

Trying to Figure it Out 
been retired since dec 20 2013. the first little while was one big holiday. do what I want when I want . wow!I started a big garden at home and shovelled …

3 months till retirement, and I don't think I'm going to make it. 
I am a 56 year old woman, ready to retire in 3 months. Many days I don't think I can make it...I feel I can't make that drive one more time, and I …

Jan, financially ready to retire, but... 
I am scheduled to retire at the end of the year. I have found out that my company retiree insurance is going to be $100 more that I was originally quoted. …

I Thought I Was Losing My Mind At First 
I'd planned on retiring in October 2014. I was on a long term temp contract with the city. Every 5 months I had to take a week off (unpaid leave) while …

Patience is not my name! 
Hi! I retired the end of April 2014 after working 37 years as office support staff. Plan was to retire with my husband in 2 years, but I felt devalued …

Young (54) ANXIOUS.....and retired! !!! 
Hello everyone! My husband and I just retired 3 weeks ago.. the day after he retired from 25 years as a police officer, we left Detroit and moved to a …

What will I do? 
My job was eliminated at age 65, with a 6 months severance package. I have lots of hobbies, but found myself in a depression and very anxious. I have …

Retirement: Not What I Expected! 
I "retired" at the young age of 60 (1 year ago) because I was sick of my co-workers & bosses, burnt out on the work, didn't want the responsibilities & …

Unhappily Retired 
Having left the lower 48 states, moved to Alaska when 22 yoa, and living there for 35 years my life was turned upside down when I retired. Over a …

Retiring in 13 Days 
I am 55 years old and retiring from the school system this fall after 13 days. Reading some these stories I'm experiencing these same anxieties, crying …

Anxiety/Depression in Retirement  
Hi~ my name is Sharyn & for the last year or 2 l have been pretty miserable! Having taken an early retirement back in 2002 ( RPN )... because of physical …

I knew it would happen, but I didn't know why...or how to fix it! 
In July 2013, after 30 years of service as a licensed clinical social worker in a high stress job I decided to opt for an early retirement at 55, accepting …

Forward into the breach? 
My husband is 9 years older than I am. He was laid off in 2001 and never really went back to work full time. He is a creative guy with more hobbies than …

Write the last chapter, or close the book? 
Wow! this is a fantastic site. It’s not that misery loves company (I’m sure some passers-by, onlookers, will think that), but those of us going through …

Miserable Retiree 
I have retired after 35 years in law enforcement and I am miserable.. I am not happy with my wife or my life, barely hanging on anymore!! Wendy: …

Always Depressed ... But More Depressed after Retirement (as well as working from home, that is) 
I have suffered from depression for most of my life, but was able to (mostly) handle it by keeping busy being a wife, mother, workaholic, student, divorcee, …

Moving mistake 
I made a mistake moving from a cute cottage to a retirement village that I find very depressing. I am 82 but really feel more like 40, in my own …

It's like Living inside a box... 
I once described this post-retirement depression as living inside a box with my hands tied and unable to move or breathe...the depression hit me hard and …

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Never thought I would feel this way after retirement! 
I retired from a government job after 34 years of service at the age of 57 two months ago. It was the holiday season and I was very busy but now I …

It Does Get Better 
I wrote earlier in the year about the depression and anxiety I was suffering as a result of retiring on 04/30/13. It was awful. I woke up every morning …

The Black Cat 
Many years ago an old wise man told me that I spent a lot of time looking for a black cat in a dark room that is not there. It was a heck of a lot for …

Memory? 
Hi! Not sure if I can remember posting this topic before, but my memory has gotten worse as I have gotten older. I make silly errors and forget simple …

Retirement: It's like the loss of a loved one 
I've read a lot of this stories about anxiety and depression in retirement. I identified with the loss of identity. This has definitely been a grieving …

Two years after retirement 
Well, actually year and half. I retired for several reasons, the main one being that my husband had been retired for 10 years. He went on day trips …

Trying to stay afloat as the months roll by.... 
I believed I was a Workaholic! in other words a worrier...... as the month progress i am now trying to live the best life i can on a tight budget..... …

No Normal 
I worked as a State Trooper for thirty one years twelve of this years as an undercover officer working with some of societies less than desirable people. …

FIGHTING DEPRESSION 
MY HUSBAND PASSED AWAY IN 2007 AND APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 YEARS LATER I WAS IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND WAS UNABLE TO WORK AND WAS FORCED INTO RETIREMENT. …

Retirement Day 2 
I voluntarily left my job after 32 years. I shouldn’t say job, because it was a career -- a wonderful one at that. At 57 years old, I get full pension, …

Letting go of my job status 
I am about to retire from the federal govt. After 30 years I am sending out an e-mail tomorrow morning to all the Rangers/Staff of the districts I …

Retired: How do I get motivated and get moving? 
"Retiree Happiness" I haven't figured out yet. I enjoyed reading through some of your stories because my experience is so much the same. I've been retired …

Surprised by depression 
I retired last month after many years with the same agency; the job became too stressful and there were no opportunities for advancement, so I retired. …

Retirement Depression 
This page about retirement depression is full of stories written by visitors to this site. These stories all ask the same basic question, after retirement... …

At loose ends... 
I decided to retire - I didn't have to retire but was of age. I had held several high level professional positions that had cast me into public view as …

Depression before; much worse after retirement 
I am being treated for depression for years talk therapy (stopped) and medication (now on Cymbalta). I retired at 62. Downsizing and incentive package …

"About Schmidt", the movie 
The other night I watched, again, the movie About Schmidt, starring Jack Nicholson, who is one of my favourite actors. It's about a man who has just retired …

Marilyn Monroe, Lady Diana and I 
We have something in common, BPD (borderline personalty disorder)... They died young but I may live until old age. I fear the day when I will need …

Another Retirement Woe... 
Took a voluntary early out, couldn't wait for it, now am hesitating... finding a supplement job with outdated competitive skills from younger more educated …

I had found my people, my tribe. 
It is a difficult subject to discuss without prelude. I have gone through many stages of push and pull. At this point, I regret not having cultivated …

"Reach Out" 
As I sit in the mall, I contemplate my pending retirement. I have been off all week trying to "burn off" the mountain of time that I have on the books …

Retired: Joy is not so Joyful lately 
I retired 2 years ago from a wonderful 39 year of teaching world history career in public schools. My husband is an art teacher and since he is younger …

Retirement: Having anxiety attacks! 
I have been retired from the Chicago Public Schools since this past June. Well, really for the past month as I would have been off for the summer anyway. …

Retirement: Early Days 
I have been retired only five weeks. My company retired me. Mind you, I am sixty six and worked one year over the retirement age in a part-time position. …

Retirement: Everyone else is too busy... 
I retired last fall at the age of 55 from teaching. I wanted out at the earliest opportunity because my job was going nowhere (although not horrible) and …

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Depression/Frustration/Dissapointments 
Ok I am a newbie to this retirement site. I suppose, like some of us, I don’t like to think that being over the age of 55 is considered being a senior. …

Who Am I Now? 
I am in the process of being pushed out of my job for financial reasons and will probably retire within the next month and a half. I work at a great …

Retired & Lonely 
I remember four years ago when I use to watch all the office employees during the rush lunch hour at the farmers market and felt so sad for them and for …

Lonely, Unemployed, Depressed Widow  
Have you ever experienced being in a room full of people, and feel totally alone? Upon becoming a widow after 50 yrs. of marriage, it is a total …

Worrier - Any Other Retiree Worriers Out There? 
Hi I am a always a worrier, afraid of uncertainties. My worries comprises of alot of things. Mostly evolved around family, work and finances. I feared …

Down-sized twice within a year 
No, I did not fall into a depression when I retired although it was close for reasons that will become obvious later in the article. What kept my spirits …

Retirement Depression: After 10 Years 
After 10 years following early retirement... it hit... deaths, health issues, limits to finances, less friends, less beer, less everything, it seemed, …

Depressed in maryland 
I retired from teaching, after 32 years, three years ago this year and have been dealing with depression from retirement. I was always a healthy vibrant …

When I am melancholy 
When I am melancholy a word I prefer to "depressed", the last thing I want is advice. The first thing I want is for the other person to tell me …

Was unfairly dismissed
a year before I was to retire 
I worked with developmentally challenged individuals for 14 years. I worked in a group home and also in a day program where I served individuals. I …

Retirement: My Story 
I retired 6 days after my 55th birthday. I had high hopes, all of which have fallen through. I had 33 years of service credit with the state of California …

Retirement Anxiety 
The following stories on Retirement Anxiety were written by real retirees who visited this site. They are sharing their story and asking for comments …

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More on Retirement Anxiety and Depression here!

Anxious, angry and memory issues 
I retired a year ago and so did my spouse. I find myself angry sometimes, very anxious sometimes and worst of all having problems remembering how I did …

Retired & Awake at 8am? 
I lived for the weekends when I could sleep till ten. And I did, with no problem. Then I decided to retire at 65 and now I wake up at 8 and stare at …

Unexpected anxiety and depression after retirement 
Retired after 34 years teaching... didn't really expect to retire for another three years, but the hours were unending and more demands coming every day. …

Forced Retirement: Learn from others who've experience this before you. 
Did you experience Forced Retirement? Or are you about to experience this? If so, this page is written by retirees from my website who have experienced …

Retired at age 51 
Loved my job for 7 years. Last 2 years big changes for the worst. Not happy. No advancements to move me into a happier position. Husband retired. He wanted …

Problems with Early Retirement 
This page is about the Problems of Early Retirement - written by real retirees who have retired early, then asked "Now What?" If you are considering …

Retirement: From somebody to nobody 
I am about to retire from the military after almost 45 years active and reserve time. Here I am General and Sir. Outside I am nobody. Many of my friends …

Retired: Alone in a crowded room 
As a carpenter of over 40 years one poor choice cost me my job. I got enough work to reach early retirement age and got out when I could. Since my …

Retired, Extremely Busy, and Totally Confused 
When I retired from Verizon after 36 years as a technician, I was ready to go and try something new. I was tired of the Corporate life and had always …

Can A Stay at Home Mom Retire? 
I cratered eight months after my youngest son left home. I was so happy to have done a great job and thought I would love my empty nest. I decided …

Recognising the Need to Soldier-On 
I suspected for a couple of years that ‘things’ within me were not too good, a once-enjoyable job had transformed itself in a chore of almost Herculean …

Out of nowhere...
retirement anxiety and depression 
My husband and I both retired in June of 2010. I volunteer two days a week at the school where I taught for 30 years - my husband does nothing. After …

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Retired and Still Struggling at 67 
I wish that I could say that I have found excitement or even contentment in being "retired" for the past 3 years. But, I have not come to that place of …

Can I Afford To Retire? 
I am quite sure that people love the fact that their misery has a lot of company. I found some sort of weird comfort just reading the headings of people …

Retired: Not One of the Bunch  
I retired from a career that is ridding itself of older professionals. I knew with my increase in salary and age, the top was seeking to oust individuals …

Bored Silly and Not Motivated 
I have not been working for 2 years now (I am 65)... my husband has been retired the same amount of time he is just now 61. It was his choice to retire …

Granny Nanny,..
and not happy about it. 
I am sure there are loads of lovely older mums whose children have produced lovely grandchildren, but how do learn to say no !! I had six children …

retirement fears.... 
Retired at age 62, after working 30 years at a job I loved. It was my decision to retire. Hubby is retired and loving it. My problem is .... I'm waiting …

Never Seen My Husband in Such a State 
I am totally stressed out because my husband who recently retired at 60 but still works as a consultant, is having anxiety attacks. We have moved to an …

Good Life, but just not happy.. WHY? 
I'm falling into depression before I retire but I want to... I'm 68, lost my abusive husband to alzheimer's. My younger sister and I had to take care …

Regretting retirement 
I chose to retire at the young age of 55. I thought I’d walk out the door from my job and fall right into happiness, far from it. Six months after …

Retired & Can't Stop Crying 
I am a 56 1/2 Y/O male and am going into my 25th day of retirement. I have never been so depressed or anxious in my life and I think I've only had 3 or …

Retirement: 2011 not a good year. 
Lost job, best friend died, got cancer had to retire... 2011 has been a forgetful year. In February 2011 I was taking my best friend (57 years old) …

Retirement depression 
I just want to thank you all for your comments and stories. I have a similar story. I retired January of this year. I could not wait. I had a heart …

Blindsided by Retirement 
I was so ready to leave work; I just really hated it, plus it was really stressful. But now that 2 months has gone by, I really feel like I'm going …

What's worse? 
I had a job that was becoming impossible. The expectations, particularly 56 hrs/week, unreasonable managers and the dangerousness of the work was making …

Retirement: I was hoping to travel... 
I was hoping to travel, but my husband don't like to travel! His idea of vacations was always time for fishing. I hate fishing, or I should say I hate …

Retirement: what depression?  
I "retired" a lot sooner than my retirement age. All of a sudden I did not have my money to spend as I liked. Tough, we cannot have too many good things. …

Retired: I'm not living anymore.....just existing. 
I've worked outside the home all my life. I've been divorced for 11 years, have one son that is married and lives 10 hours away. I've had anxiety, depression …

Retirement and depression 
I was terminated from my job and given a forced early retirement. I was (and still am) battling depression and anxiety. I thought I hid it very well, but …

Reality set in after Retirement 
I am 67 years old and had a part-time job working from my home. I loved my job and never wanted to quit. Unexpectedly and due to the economy, my position …

Retired without a direction or reason for being 
I retired in Feb. 2010 and have been lost ever since. I call it retirement depression. We have moved to a house we inherited and the renovations …

Retired and Free to Be.. Who? 
I have been retired for a little over two years and I am still finding it hard to adjust. I retired a little earlier than I planned due to a change …

Had to retire due to health, but sure didn't want to 
I was often asked when I was going to retire and my stock answer was "I'm going to work until they plant me". I don't play golf, I have no hobbies …

Retirement: The world is waiting for you 
After retirement is the time when you can look for doing all the time what you always wanted to do, all your life. Think of two things at first: …

Retiring very soon-and already depressed 
I'll be retiring from my job of thirty years in about a month and I'm feeling a lot of anxiety already. You see, my wife retired from her job after …

Retirement - I guess I wasn't ready... 
I guess in my retirement I was not ready to go. At the time of retirement I was experiencing stress and anxiety. The first time I went through something …

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Retirement: An Extended Vacation, and Then What? 
When I retired two years ago I thought it was the greatest time in my life. I felt like I was on an extended vacation and thoroughly enjoyed my first couple …

Retirement: Whole New Life 
It is true, retirement does depress you. And why it shouldn't? When you work for an institution for all these years and then they suddenly ask you to go, …

Retirement Freefall:
From "I'm Flying!" to "Where In The Heck Am I Going?" 
After nearly 30 years, last July 1, I slept in (on a weekday!) and then sat out on my patio, enjoying two leisurely cups of coffee and reading... for two …

Retirement:
Boredom is a measure of sucess 
I retired at age 57 from civil service in New York State, I am 60 now. I have seen it all in the field of Forensic Psychology and don't want to see …

RETIREMENT: Ready or not, here comes my next chapter... 
I retired six weeks ago. I am not depressed; actually feel real good about it. However, I have taken so many naps. A lot of sleeping. It seems I am …

Retired and Destressed 
I retired a year and a half ago. I could not wait. I thought of lounging around the house and watching all the t.v. shows that I could only catch if I …

Depression in Retirement
is not Normal 
There are many stresses in life that may lead to depression, and growing old can be a key one. One very important for those suffering from depression …

Avoid Retirement Depression with Planning Activities... 
It is always hard when you have to leave anything that you have been a part of for a long time. When you have worked for an employer for a long time …

Disability, Depression at Retirement, Counselling helped me. 
Yes depression is a kind of disease which can lead to so many problems. Yes I had depression after my retirement. It lasted for 1 year and now iam …

Depression and Retirement Transition 
There are many stresses in life that may lead to depression, and growing old can be a key one. One very important for those suffering from depression is …

How To Retire
(from someone's who has been there...) 
It is always hard when you have to leave anything that you have been a part of for a long time. When you have worked for an employer for a long time …

Retired and Now: No purpose 
I am recently retired and like many longed for leisure time, time to meditate on life and to do things I had always wanted to do. The problem is that …

Making the Change to Retirement, Sucks... 
I am still in pre-retirement stage. Became severely depressed 3 years ago. Seem to have many regrets in my past family and business aspects. Too …