Anxiety/Depression in Retirement
by Sharyn
(Canada)
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 limitations. l then took a year off to find my bearings.
Moved in with my daughter & family ( lower flat of their home.) l enjoyed my 2 grand-daughters immensely, doing some gardening, just hanging out, doing housework, looking after the litter box etc., all because l wanted to at that.
l also was employed part-time (PSW) with a community nursing agency.
After a while, driving all around from client to client, l became very anxious & the depression kind of developed. Oh, the job l enjoyed 99% of the x, however, mostly it was the x constraints.
Driving from 1 place to the next, hoping l would get there on time. Most times l did, but with much anxiety~~ so l kept my eye out for a job that didn't require as much driving. l really didn't want to give that job up however, secretly, l was becoming very depressed & l knew l had to make a change.
So then came my job as a nanny to 3 young children~ was a good job, every 2 weeks 3-11pm.
That lasted only a few months, my left hip was bothering me to a point that l could only walk a short while maybe 20 min. So, off to the doctor, then to a surgeon, within 2 weeks l was in hospital having a left hip replacement, bone on bone, no wonder l was having a lot of pain. Anyhow, cause l was still young ( 60 )
l re-cuperated quickly, thank God. Because l left my nanny job for this & was off a while, l was on the move to find another. Good to go, so they say. LOL*
Because l was off awhile & feeling much better, l gave community nursing another try? Hoping l would get 1 or 2 clients on a regular basis and not all over the city. & l did except l had to be up at 5 in the morning ( not since 2002 ) was l up at that x.
Oh well, off l go to give this a try? The first few weeks were just OK, however as x went on l became very tired because l was waking up sooo early & out the door! The job was super, l had great clients, but l just couldn't kick being soo tired ALL the x.
I'm a bu--er for punishment.
Checking the want ads on Kijji, found another nanny job, so l went for interview, job was after school for 2 very young ladies 5 & 10 yrs. This was Jan. & the job was till end of June, great, l was hired, mother called the next day & the girls picked me.
Was happy for the next few months and didn't even think about another position until Sept. All was good - hours were from 3 till 6pm. Kool.
Landed another job for Sept. young boy & his younger sister. l was getting anxious again because l live in an apt. which is rent geared to income & as the new year was approaching & l started receiving Canadian Old Age Security!
People in the building KNEW l was working & it was only a matter of x before someone gave this information to the landlord, which is the corporation of (------)
& my rent would increase because l was working.
l was becoming anxious & depressed again. It is now Dec. 2012, & rather than take a chance & lose my GIS, so l had no choice but to give my notice & leave that position too ( unless l wanted a rent increase & on my limited budget, l did not want that.
l THOUGHT l could go to the casino once in a while for fun! But once in a while soon became more & more! WELL, l lost all my savings, my car l had to give back to the dealer ( at a loss ) Just awful.
Stupid me, but l was lonely, have no really good friends & l wasn't telling my son or daughter! Talk about anxious & depressed!
Here l am with just limited funds ( after ALL my debts) & still hiding it from family. Lying by omission is not fun~ they have no IDEA !
l get from Peter to pay PAUL - Pay day loans~ l've taken to walking dogs ( anybodies ) lol ~
l'm settling down now, l'll be 67 in Oct. this year. This is all true - l have lived it ~ CASINO WAS FUN BUT VERY VERY EXPENSIVE & so u win big once in awhile but that doesn't last.
Wendy: I do hope the Retirement Community here will write suggestions below for Sharyn --
1) things she might do at no cost, things to keep busy and happy.
2) ways to cut her bills to recover from her debt
3) does she tell family and get this corrected... stop hiding?
Sharyn has helped many on my pages... she sends her two cents often, and I thank her for that. I hope others will Pay It Forward with their own suggestions in the hopes that one (or a few) would work for her! Thanks!
