Retiring with Depression and anxiety

by Janet
(USA)

I already have depression and anxiety so retiring next year is very unnerving but also feels like the right thing to do.

I can retire in April 2016 at age 60 with two pensions (state job and retired military) and excellent health care. Everybody tells me my annual income of $60,000, before collecting SS, will be plenty but I am freaking out that it will be about half of what I make now.

Meanwhile, my boss has become an unpredictably angry man who almost scares me now. I have been working since I was 16 so not going to work daily also scares me.

Comments for Retiring with Depression and anxiety

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What Wendy said
by: Nancy

I've been retired for 4 years. I was 62, almost 63 when I retired. I made it on a whole lot less money than you will have, but I was grateful for social security, pensions, and the fact that I had no big expenditures like a mortgage or car payment.

What Wendy said about deciding how to fill up the time is huge. In my own experience, I had to find that out myself. I had some hobbies that I used to have previously,that I built on, including sewing and quilting.

One thing I never heard, but needed to hear, (that is until I found this website), is that this is a HUGE adjustment and don't beat up on yourself because of this.

I wish you all the best.
Retiring witn depression
by: Ned St Paul

Think you will be surprised on how much just going to work has cost you. there are organizations that love volunteers and you can be as busy there as you like. hope you developed some sort of hobby over your working years that can help keep up you interests or might even be the time to develop one. then too, there are all those little projects around a home that get put off for ever but do not try to do them all at once one at a time and can be at your own pace or leisure

Most of all Enjoy your retirement bet you will be like most of us and wonder when we really had time to work before

Ned
Retirement Decisions...
by: Wendy

It's never easy when you have the big decision to make... but (1) you are thinking ahead and doing the work to assure you'll be fine, (2) figure out what you will do after retirement.

#2 is huge... you need activity as you've worked all these years, and were likely too busy to have fun. Think about lunches... who can you call to go out with and enjoy a simple lunch later?

Finally, on the income side... compare net to net income, not gross income. I'd bet with two pensions you are close to equal to your working spendable income. Often -- there is far less taken from the pension checks, compared to working wages.... I would bet you are just fine.

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