What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who is worried about their mental health during retirement? How have you prioritized self-care and well-being?

Retirement is an important, enjoyable, and also challenging phase in many peoples lives. I believe that it can be helpful to create a simple daily check-in by taking a short mindful walk each morning, which can help you notice how you feel and make small adjustments to your day. It can also help you identify and process your emotions, particularly due to the highly emotional phases of retirement in the beginning. Personally, I do a 15 to 20 minute mindful walk at the start of each day and pair it with yoga, which keeps me centered and supports my mental health and this routine can be accommodated to support most individuals without too much physical strain.

If you are worried about your mental health during retirement, take time to reflect on the important pillars in your life and how often they will continue to show up. These pillars may include time and relationships with family, close friends, and your local community. Connection and community are core pillars to health and well-being and while it is important across the lifespan, during retirement it may be even more crucial for physical, emotional, and mental health to continue going on a positive track. When we are actively engaging in genuine, quality time with others, our stress hormones go down leading to a longer, healthier life. Community engagement may lead to increased physical movement as well depending on the activities you enjoy. Overall, having community and relationships in your life that are strong, consistent, engaging, and active will have a positive impact on your mental health. If these areas already feel like a worry, check out your local community center and volunteer opportunities to see how you can get involved and increase your connections. I've prioritized my own self-care and well-being by increasing my time with meaningful friendships in-person and over the phone for those who are long-distance. I have also continued to go out and explore nature, get fresh air, movement, and sunlight with my significant other while having meaningful, connecting conversations.

One of the biggest traps during retirement is dwelling on what feels missing—structure, status, certainty about the future, or fears of decline. Those worries are understandable, but they can quietly shrink our world if we let them take over. My advice is this: take the initiative to open new doors rather than waiting for meaning to find you. Retirement isn't the end of purpose—it's a transition that requires intention. I encourage people to shift their focus from what they no longer have to what they still have and can actively build: curiosity, experience, relationships, time, and choice. That mindset shift alone can significantly improve emotional well-being. Personally, I prioritize self-care by staying engaged in work that matters to me, continuing to learn, maintaining physical activity, and protecting time for reflection and connection. I'm deliberate about staying mentally active, saying yes to new opportunities, and reframing challenges as invitations rather than losses. Mental health in retirement isn't about avoiding anxiety altogether—it's about choosing perspective, staying engaged, and recognizing that meaning is something we create, not something we retire from.

Start thinking about what you're retiring to, not just what you're retiring from. I've seen too many people go from a full schedule to nothing overnight, and that sudden loss of purpose and routine can be really hard on mental health. My advice is, before you retire, start building a life outside of work. Get new hobbies, volunteer work, and build social connections that aren't tied to your job. The people who do well in retirement are the ones who already have things they care about and look forward to. Don't wait until your last day of work to figure out what comes next. How have you prioritized self-care and well-being? I had to learn the hard way that I can't take care of others if I'm running on empty. For me, it's about protecting certain things, I exercise, and I actually take my vacation days. Working in mental health, I'm around people's pain and struggle every day. I need those spaces to recharge and process. I also lean on my colleagues. We check in with each other, and that support keeps me going. It's really just practicing what I tell others that asking for help isn't weak, it's necessary.

Hi there, I am the Clinical Director of Taproot Therapy Collective. I often treat high-achieving professionals who enter retirement and immediately crash into depression or severe anxiety. Here is my advice on managing this transition: 1. Advice for the Worried: Beware the "Cortisol Crash" "Do not underestimate the physiological addiction to productivity. If you have spent 40 years in a high-stress career, your nervous system is adapted to running on adrenaline and cortisol. When you retire 'cold turkey,' your body goes into withdrawal. The silence feels like a threat. My advice is to titrate your retirement. Don't go from 100 to 0. Find a 'bridge' activity—volunteering, consulting, or mentorship—that mimics the structure of work but lowers the stakes. You have to wean your brain off the need for validation-through-labor." 2. Prioritizing Well-Being: "Useless" Hobbies "In my own practice, I prioritize self-care by aggressively protecting time for 'useless' things. In our culture, we try to monetize our hobbies or turn them into side hustles. I force myself to engage in activities that have zero financial or status metric—like hiking or bad watercolor painting. Teaching the brain that it is allowed to exist without producing capital is the most radical form of self-care you can practice." Best regards, Joel Blackstock Founder & Clinical Director Taproot Therapy Collective GetTherapyBirmingham.com personal cell 205-999-9240

If someone wants to protect their mental health when they retire, I would recommend working with a functional practitioner who will test their bloodwork, genetics, evaluate their diet and lifestyle, and create a plan for a longer health span not just a longer lifespan. Also, rediscovering your purpose in retirement and being involved in your community, whether it is volunteering at the food pantry, animal shelter, even spending more time with family or neighbors, can make a huge impact on boosting mood and preventing loneliness. I prioritize moving my body everyday and avoiding food or substances (like sugar, alcohol and THC) that will increase my risk for dementia since it runs in my family. I also think it's important to prioritize friendships and family, because when you look back on your life you will never say "I wish I worked more". Instead you might say, "I wish I put more effort into my friendships." Live your life today so your future self will be proud of you.

As a clinician, the best piece of advice I would give is this: do not wait until you feel overwhelmed to tend to your mental health. Retirement is a transition, and transitions deserve support. Create structure and purpose in your days, and stay connected to your community. Allow yourself time to grieve what you are leaving while embracing what is ahead. I have prioritized my own well-being by building rhythms that support my mind, body, and spirit. I do regular check-ins with myself, set healthy boundaries, exercise, stand firm in my faith, rest without guilt, and have a strong support system. Self-care is not indulgent at this stage of life; it is essential to thriving, not just aging.

Retirement can be an opportunity for individuals to rediscover their identity, interests, and hobbies. Major life transitions are not easy, and it takes time to acclimate to a new reality. People who may struggle most during these transitions are those whose identity, self-worth, or purpose is tied to their work, titles, or credentials. However, retirement can be a time when people can learn about themselves and what they find meaningful aside from their work. Individuals can also have true autonomy over their time and decisions because they are no longer tied to their roles or responsibilities. For those worried about their mental health during this process, I'd suggest building meaningful connections and establishing a community. In doing so, it increases the likelihood of creating new positive memories, which improves mood and helps offset feelings of loneliness. There are multiple ways to prioritize self-care, including making time for themselves, scheduling events, and prioritizing their needs to emotionally recuperate rather than being goal-oriented. Self-care can look different for everyone. Retirement is a wonderful time to experiment and explore what self-care means, or to reconnect with parts of themselves that have been neglected.

If you're feeling anxious about your mental health in retirement, my best advice is to lean into small, joyful rituals each day--whether it's making a cozy cup of tea, walking in the garden, or cooking a favorite meal from your childhood. For me, getting my hands into food--chopping fresh herbs or simmering a pot of soup--grounds me and reminds me to savor life's simplest pleasures. Give yourself full permission to pause and reconnect with what makes you feel alive, even if it's something as simple as sharing a homemade crepe with a friend.

Mental Health and Self-Care in Retirement I'm William Deihl, Ph.D., founder of Doc Hypnosis, where I help people manage major life transitions using hypnotherapy. What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who is worried about their mental health during retirement? - Train your nervous system to tolerate unstructured time before you retire. Practices like brief self-guided imagery or slow, counted breathing teach the brain that calm and direction can exist without deadlines, which reduces anxiety when work-based structure disappears. How have you prioritized self-care and well-being? - I treat my body's stress signals the same way I treat a client's symptoms during assessment. After decades of seeing how ignored tension becomes chronic illness, I address physical stress immediately instead of waiting until my body forces me to stop. Dr. William Deihl Founder of Doc Hypnosis https://dochypnosis.com/

One of the biggest mental health issues with retirement is the lack of purpose or usefulness. Self-care and well-being are, therefore, a top priority, but they need to be placed within the social context of life. What helps here is to examine the roles one plays within their community, society, and world at large. By identifying the different parts we play, we can better learn what our responsibilities and duties are to the world around us. Think of roles like a parent, a sibling, a partner, a friend, a volunteer, etc. Once you have identified these roles, then focus on executing the duties and responsibilities the best way you can. These will give you clear goals and objectives to work towards. Their success isn't the target; the manner of execution is. When we only identify ourselves with the job we have performed, we forget all the other connections we have. Learn to reinvent yourself and focus on what matters to you and those around you.

To me, "retirement" seemed like a tired old world, waiting to die. I refuse to lay down to the word; I see it as "my next journey". I like to use the word 'journey,' because it invites me to embrace the next chapter of my life with enthusiasm. It's a wonderful chance for me to focus on myself, care for myself as I did for others, and still be able to look back fondly on the beautiful pages I've already written. This perspective makes the transition feel more welcoming and full of possibility. This journey I am on is made possible because the past is with me, and the present is my reward.

In my fifteen years of clinical practice, I have seen countless individuals crash into retirement rather than glide into it. We often prepare financially for retirement, but we rarely prepare psychologically. The most crucial advice I give to anyone worried about this transition is to understand that you are not just leaving a job; you are losing a primary source of identity, structure, and social connection. The "honeymoon phase" of sleeping in and traveling usually lasts about six months, after which a sense of aimlessness can set in. To combat this, you must retire to something, not just from something. You need to build a new scaffolding for your day before you tear the old one down. I remember a patient named "Arthur," a sixty-five-year-old high school principal who had been the pillar of his community for decades. Six months after retirement, he came to my clinic showing signs of deep depression and anxiety. He told me he felt invisible. Without the school bell, he didn't know when to eat or when to wake up. We worked on a plan to "restructure" his retirement. We didn't focus on leisure; we focused on purpose. Arthur began volunteering as a literacy tutor two mornings a week and joined a local woodworking guild. These commitments gave him a reason to set an alarm and, crucially, a community that relied on him showing up. He needed to feel useful again. Within a few months, the light returned to his eyes because he had rebuilt a sense of relevance. As for how I prioritize my own self-care and well-being, I have learned the hard way that as a nurse practitioner, you cannot pour from an empty cup. Early in my career, I suffered from compassion fatigue because I brought my patients' trauma home with me. Now, my self-care is rooted in strict boundaries rather than indulgences. I have a strict rule: once I cross the threshold of my front door, I am no longer "The Expert." I do not check emails, and I do not discuss patient cases. I prioritize "grounding" activities that get me out of my head and into my body. For me, that is gardening. Digging in the dirt requires physical effort and patience, and it reminds me that growth takes time. It is a humble, quiet practice that balances the high-stakes noise of the clinic. Establish a "Morning Anchor" routine immediately upon retiring. When you no longer have a commute, the days can bleed together, which destabilizes your mood. Create a non-negotiable appointment with yourself every morning at the same time.

One piece of advice I'd give is this; don't wait for things to fall apart before you give yourself structure and emotional support. Retirement removes routines, roles, and a sense of being needed all at once. That shift can quietly affect mood, identity, and confidence even if life looks "good" from the outside. Try to replace work structure with intentional anchors. This could be a daily walk, volunteering, learning something new, mentoring, or setting small weekly goals that give your days shape. Also pay attention to how you talk to yourself during this transition. Thoughts like "I'm no longer useful" or "I should be happier than this" can deepen distress. Those thoughts are common, but they're not facts. Checking in with a therapist, counselor, or even a structured mental health tool early can help you process the change before it turns into isolation or depression. Retirement is not an ending. It's a major life transition. Treat it with the same care you would give any other big change.

One piece of advice I offer to retirees who are feeling self-conscious about their mental health is - do NOT stop the things you like to do, just make them more intentional. The thing is, our brains do NOT enjoy shrinking our "role" and our day-to-day in retirement. Not having a routine or a predictable day can also make us feel less purposeful than when we have a 9-to-5 job. What I often recommend is a "3-anchor week" - schedule in three regular commitments. Say, Monday-morning neighborhood walk group, a Wednesday volunteer shift, or a Friday grandkid pick up or class. While identity is often seen as the culmination of self-discovery, even when retired, people can re-discover their hobbies and create new interests. It's also best to pick up on some small, trackable habits.. If you find yourself pulling away, or if your sleep is out of control for a couple of weeks, do not "push through" - it's always best to schedule support in advance.

I'm nine years sober after battling alcohol addiction, and I've learned that mental health doesn't magically fix itself when external pressures disappear--sometimes it gets worse when you lose structure. Retirement can trigger the same emotional void that substances used to fill for me, so I'd say create non-negotiable daily rituals that aren't optional. Every morning I write in a gratitude journal before anything else happens. It sounds simple, but retraining your brain to notice three good things daily literally rewires the neural pathways away from negative spiraling--I've seen this work with my clients at The Freedom Room who struggle with depression after major life changes. The HALT principle saved my recovery and it applies perfectly here: never let yourself get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. I keep hydrated, eat before my mood crashes, and force myself to have face-to-face contact even when I don't feel like it--like FaceTiming my mum during lockdown instead of isolating. Honestly, the biggest shift was stopping the comparison game. When I quit judging my insides by everyone else's social media outsides, my anxiety dropped massively. Your retirement doesn't need to look like anyone else's highlight reel--just find what makes you feel present and alive, even if that's small daily wins like doing laundry or taking a 5am bike ride like I do.

For decades, you lived for a purpose and identity which was connected with your job. It is completely natural that you are worried, as one big chapter of your life is closing. It's a kind of "lost at sea" feeling. As I recommend to my clients, one should rediscover their purpose in life. You can do this by exploring "Ikigai." It's a Japanese method of finding your love and expertise so that you can help the world and live your life for a purpose sustainably. Start small with actions which can spark positivity. Remember, emotions guide your actions, but it is also true that your actions guide your emotions; so take action, and you will feel better.

Retirement can look like freedom on the outside, but inside it can quietly feel like, "Who am I now?" If that's you, here's my most human advice: don't wait until you feel better to build a life that supports you. Put gentle structure back into your days people to see, places to go, something that needs you. Meaning is medicine. For self-care, I've learned not to romanticize "being fine." I try to check in with myself honestly, slow down when I'm carrying too much in my head, and choose the next right step instead of spinning. That's why I lean on practices like SEW—Stop, Evaluate, Wise Response, because it gives you a simple way to steady yourself when emotions rise. And I keep returning to what actually restores me: sleep, movement, quiet reflection, and relationships that feel safe and real not performative. And if your worry feels heavy or persistent, please take it seriously. Reach out to a doctor or mental health professional. There's strength in getting support early, not later.

I've seen this from both sides--as a former firefighter/EMT dealing with trauma calls and now leading a healthcare organization. The single biggest thing that protects mental health during retirement is having a structure that includes service to others. When I left frontline emergency work, I felt that identity loss hard. My advice: commit to regular volunteer work before you retire, not after. I sit on the Board for Calvert Animal Rescue and volunteer with the Baltimore Child Abuse Center, House of Ruth, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. That wasn't random--I intentionally built those commitments because crisis work taught me that helping others is the fastest way to silence the "what's my purpose now?" voice in your head. The specific routine that works: I block out Tuesday and Thursday mornings for Board work and volunteer coordination, treating them like non-negotiable business meetings. When ProMD won the BBB Torch Award in 2017, the recognition felt hollow until I realized I could leverage that credibility to recruit other professionals into service work. Now I bring at least two new volunteers into these organizations annually. Start small but start now--one 4-hour shift per month at an animal shelter or food bank gives you something concrete to build around when the work calendar disappears. The people struggling most in retirement are those who waited until day one to figure out what comes next.

I've worked with hundreds of aging adults through home health and caregiver services, and the biggest mental health struggle I see in retirement isn't loneliness--it's the loss of being *needed*. The clients who thrive mentally are the ones who find a new role where their expertise actually matters, not just busywork. One of our veteran clients was spiraling after retirement until he started mentoring younger vets through their VA disability claims. He told me "I finally have a reason to check my phone again." His wife said it cut his anxiety medication in half within three months. My advice: before you retire, identify one specific skill from your career that solves a real problem for real people, then commit to using it for 4-6 hours per week minimum. Not hobbies, not self-improvement--actual contribution. I've watched this pattern play out enough times to know the mental health difference is measurable, not just feel-good. The trick is starting this *before* retirement, not after the depression sets in. I've seen too many families wait until crisis mode to seek help, and recovery is ten times harder then.