Desert Dweller

by Louise
(Phoenix Arizona)

Four months after retiring I began experiencing the worst anxiety. Absolutely no reason for it, just started about 4:00am.

Lots of awful feelings, worrying, especially in the morning. Stomach/digestive issues. Had a complete physical with stress EKG, bloodwork, etc. All came back normal.

Now I'm reading online that this is a fairly common issue. Do not want to give in to this so I've signed up for courses at college and am exercising 3 days a week.

Will this go away?

Also retirement was my idea at age 72 although I did not plan anything great for after retirement.

Comments for Desert Dweller

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Don't Embrace Fear
by: Ben , KY

Your anxiety will move along quickly if you understand that this can be a temporary overload of emotion from your drastic change-retirement.

Anxiety is scary sometimes because of the physical symptoms it can bring on. This adds fear of the physical symptoms which adds more of them or intensifies the ones you are already having.

It can be a cycle of fear. Don't let the symptoms (now that you know you are checked out fine) scare you. Don't embrace the fear. If you can do that, this will pass rather quickly--but you really must believe it.

The best to you
So Sorry, but it Does Get Better
by: Andrea Appel/NYC

Dear Louise,

Comments by both Lynn and Elna are so, so right on. Please listen to them both-- it's kind of like having two friends, one who can teach you a little something practical and the other a POV that's spiritual. You need both to help you through this tough time.

I've just barely begun to come out of it after a year of misery and the best advice I received was to "go gently"--be gently with yourself, the way I'm sure you would be to someone else in your predicament.

We are all here for you, especially Wendy, who is an amazingly kind & generous soul!

Andrea
Anxiety
by: noreen/PA

Yes, I'm afraid I'm going to have anxiety attacts. I have been planning my retirement for the last year with the plans of traveling the US with my husband.

Unfortunately he died suddenly 2 months ago and I lost one of my dogs 2 weeks ago. Both deaths seemed to come out of nowhere. Both were living life and one week later gone.

I do not want to keep my present job as it is becoming more and more stressful and that is continuing to add to my anxiety.

With all that I have a lot to be thankful for. I have good health, my daughter lives with me, I'm not rich but I will be comfortable money wise but..., I do wake up feeling scared, worried and nervous. Almost like I'm short of breath.

I'm sleeping terrible and before my husbands death I was a 7-8 hr a night sleeper.

I am hoping all this passes with time. Time the great healer they say.
Living the Dream
by: John

It's been 1 year and 8 months for me and I'm living every minute of retirement. Thought if I got bored I'd get a part-time gig but haven't had time to get bored. Love to hunt and fish and help with my 7 grand kids. You have to stay busy. Get up eup every morning and do something even if it's a trgoing to the library or yard work or fixing somethings around the house. I guess you can say I'm living the Dream. Thank God for that. Just have to stay healthy and enjoy life!!
Better Desert Days are coming
by: Elna Nugent, Lenox, Mass/

Dear Louise:

You are going through a huge adjustment, so of course it will take time.

(1) Try getting up every morning and pick one thing for which you are grateful for. Why this works, I'll never know but try it every day.

(2) Know there is a Universal Creative Intelligence and Consciousness that offers an unconditional love far greater than anything we know on earth. People call it God. We have a spark of this within us and we can trust it utterly to care for us. Ask and know you will receive.

Trust in this Universal Love is not easy because we are distracted by ego, Mind, and Senses. Just trust the future. It has great power and It sounds as if you are making a good start.

Many Blessings.
LivDays
by: Lynn

Hi,
I must agree there is no point to retirement if you enjoy your job. But now that you have done it you are doing the right thing.

Take classes. You may find a new career for part time work. Definitely exercise and find a walking grouop and walk with others (when I lived in Phoenix and Las Vegas we did it early in the marning, fishing u at STarbuccks). You are healthy and will carveout a "secod" wonderful life.

I left teaching which I loved and started my own tutoring service, very satisfying. You never know what lies ahead, hopefully it's wonderful.

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