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 4 days where I haven't cried uncontrollably. I can hardly do the simplest functions.

If my wife looks at me the wrong way, I cry.... if I think about the wrong thing, I cry. I can't sleep and am exhausted.

I had a high stress job that was affecting my health, which is why I punched out early..... but I am more stressed now than when I was working.

I've lost 30 pounds in only 25 days and am miserable. I have a doctors appointment coming up to see if there are any other physical issues I may have that are affecting my thought processes....

I'll do medication and/or counseling if need be. At this point.... I just don't know what to do... but I have to do something because I'm in pure misery right now.

Any feedback is appreciated.

Wendy: Will you PLEASE contact me tomorrow? Use the CONTACT ME on the bottom left of the website. Put IMPORTANT or something on the subject line so I don't miss it (I get tons of emails).

I don't know what I can do, from afar, but having someone who's got new ideas for you -- just might help!

I also have a Retirement Transition Group... simple email group where all member are going through the same thing. They are a little quiet now, but they are normally a chatty group. It often seems to help to know that you aren't alone, many others feel the same way!

It's not you, it's the retirement transition, and you just gotta figure out who you are now --

Comments for Retired & Can't Stop Crying

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I am like you
by: Michael

I feel your depression. I am a 55 year old male and into my 8th week of early retirement.

Early retirement that was taken to avoid the try and stem the depression of a job that no longer was satisfying yet by doing so has caused the depression to get worse.

Depression about the finances and whether we are going to lose the house or not.

My wife is disabled and with her disability our yearly income is approx. 42000.00.

I blame myself for the situation we are in. My wife says everything is going to be okay yet is an optimist by nature to her illness which has taken its toll on her.
What is ironic is I have lost all sense of who and what I am by retiring even though it was from a job I could no longer stand to go to.

I cry for no reason and sleep is not easy.

I feel I am already dead inside, I just have not laid down.
An empty life?
by: Anonymous

you sound like me, my job was pretty much my whole life, never married and I don't have kids.

my advice to everyone here is to find a hobby, I like working with my hands. I was a tech in the phone company, so I fix things now. Often bring home stuff from swapmeets etc.

My coworker likes hunting, shooting bow and arrow. each of us has different likes, you have to find something. My dad set up a workshop and did wood craving, wanted to teach me but I don't think I would be any good at it.
I want to sign up !
by: Anonymous

How do I join this site? I can't find a sign up page!

Wendy: Start here: Retirement Community.

You will get several emails to walk you through the options here!

Ehanks!
I am retired and I can't stop crying... I am so depressed
by: marcia

I thought I would be so happy when I retired and life would improve. I had a terribly stressful job and it was killing me. They offered buyouts and I took one. Now I think that I made the worst mistake of my life. I feel like nothing will ever change and I will always be depressed. I don't want to leave the house, I feel like a fish out of water, and I am scared to death. Please tell me it will get better.

Wendy: It WILL get better. It will...

You do go through a grieving period, what was bad and stressful suddenly looks better (we have short memories). Give yourself time to figure out who you are now, and where you are headed...

Join my newsletter (free) and you'll see stories every week on retirement...

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