“I think I may be depressed. What do I do?”
I retired 6 months ago and have been experiencing ongoing symptoms of depression. Where can I turn for help?
15 Answers
I find Psychology Today helpful, for some of the articles that could give you more ideas of your symptomatic issues. The Website can also provide you possible referral sources.
Your best option is to make an appointment with a Mental Health professional for therapy. Retirement is a major transition and you may be having difficulty adjusting to the changes. If you are having suicidal thoughts or difficulty functioning day to day, then this is urgent. You could also talk to your primary care doctor (or make an appointment with a Psychiatrist). Medication may help after you have taken it a few weeks (for depression). For an online depression screen, you can search for depression screening or go to http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/mental-health-screen/patient-health.
Guidance: If the screen is mild "depression", go ahead and find a therapist. If it is more severe (moderate or severe), get the appointment with a therapist and an MD. If you have more than fleeting suicidal thoughts or worried that you might act on them, call either a Suicide help line (1-800-273-TALK (8255) ) or 911.
Cloyd Taylor, PH.D.
Guidance: If the screen is mild "depression", go ahead and find a therapist. If it is more severe (moderate or severe), get the appointment with a therapist and an MD. If you have more than fleeting suicidal thoughts or worried that you might act on them, call either a Suicide help line (1-800-273-TALK (8255) ) or 911.
Cloyd Taylor, PH.D.
Adjustment to retirement can be difficult for many people. We work hard and expect that retirement will be a relaxing, enjoyable time for us. The difficulty is that many people have their identity tied to what they did for a living and gleaned a great deal of satisfaction from the sense of having a purpose each day. If feeling down has lasted for 6 months, it is time to speak with a professional. I recommend meeting with your medical doctor and discussing your symptoms to rule out any medical causes. I also recommend speaking with a therapist who can help you identify thoughts and feelings that are contributing to your depressed mood and using cognitive-behavioral techniques to help you adjust to this new life phase.
First of all, where are you located? If I know your location, I can make some specific recommendations. Depending on the nature of your depression, I would recommend a cognitive-behavior therapist, a psychopharmacologist or both. If your depression just started when you retired, you might just need some counseling for help with dealing with the transition. I can suggest specific resources, if you get back to me with more information about your location and your symptoms.
Bill Golden
Bill Golden
It is common to experience mood changes following major life changes, such as retirement. During this adjustment process, it often helps to speak with a professional psychologist about your emotions, which in turn often alleviates depression.
Good luck,
Dr. Hirshfeld
Good luck,
Dr. Hirshfeld
It certainly feels rotten to feel depressed. Depression has so many causes – the first thing, after admitting it (good for you!) is to visit your primary care doc or nurse practitioner for a checkup, including blood work, to assure that there is no obvious physical cause that needs to be addressed. If there is not, ask for a referral to a mental health practitioner who can make a good evaluation. Perhaps you need to talk to someone about the stresses of retirement (social worker, psychologist, counselor). Or perhaps you would benefit from a group around the topic of retirement. Or a combination of both. Perhaps you would benefit from medication, although that might be your last consideration, unless you already have had previous depressions in which medication was the treatment of choice. Good luck!
Peace,
Marian
Peace,
Marian
Regarding your depressive symptoms, I would suggest that you either meet with a psychotherapist to "pull those terrible feelings out by the roots, or meet with a psychiatrist to see whether antidepressant medication might be in order.
I would certainly be happy to speak with you over the phone.
Wishing you the best,
Dr. Bill Player
I would certainly be happy to speak with you over the phone.
Wishing you the best,
Dr. Bill Player
Anna Selena Cho
Psychologist
I am free tomorrow to speak over the phone you can leave a message at 310-880-3825
Lauren Ashley Shapiro
Psychologist
Check with your insurance provider about your health insurance policy's mental health coverage. Note that mental health is often labeled Behavioral Health for insurance purposes and covers therapy services.
Major life transitions can trigger a number of thoughts and feelings if the retirement occurred as a result of circumstances the individual has no control i.e. lay-off due to downsizing or relocation etc. A good place to start is with your primary care physician to rule out any medical concerns needing to be addressed such as high blood pressure, diabetes etc. Based on insurance coverage a physician can assist in identifying psychological assistane.
Brandi M. Buchanan
Psychologist
Depending on the severity of the depression, depends on the suggestion. If
you feel suicidal, I would suggest calling 911 and finding emergency
services or calling 1-800-SUICIDE. If you are feeling depressed and not
suicidal, I would suggest seeing a psychologist for a diagnostic interview
to determine if a psychiatric referral needs to be placed (for medication
treatment) and to begin therapy to address the depressive symptoms.
Medications are not always the answer, and studies indicate improved
results if therapy is combined with medication treatment, if medication is
needed.
I would also suggest visiting you PCP to have blood work drawn to rule out
any vitamin deficiencies or medical issues that could be contributing to
your mental health presentation.
I hope this helps and you find appropriate help. Depression is real and not
something to push under the rug.
Dr. B
Brandi Buchanan, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist/Neuropsychologist- 37022
buchanan.brandi@gmail.com
214-620-5580
you feel suicidal, I would suggest calling 911 and finding emergency
services or calling 1-800-SUICIDE. If you are feeling depressed and not
suicidal, I would suggest seeing a psychologist for a diagnostic interview
to determine if a psychiatric referral needs to be placed (for medication
treatment) and to begin therapy to address the depressive symptoms.
Medications are not always the answer, and studies indicate improved
results if therapy is combined with medication treatment, if medication is
needed.
I would also suggest visiting you PCP to have blood work drawn to rule out
any vitamin deficiencies or medical issues that could be contributing to
your mental health presentation.
I hope this helps and you find appropriate help. Depression is real and not
something to push under the rug.
Dr. B
Brandi Buchanan, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist/Neuropsychologist- 37022
buchanan.brandi@gmail.com
214-620-5580
You can always go see a therapist or a wellness center which is big now a days. They use more alternative methods and just a few times with the right therapist can boost your brain into producing the right amounts of serotonin that helps us naturally from getting depressed.
It would be important to first make certain that you do not have a new medical condition that could be creating the depression and to be evaluated by your family physician. If the depression is not due to a physical ailment and you believe it is due to the fact that you retired, you might consider receiving some counseling from a psychologist who could help you to discover ways of managing this transition in your life positively.
There are many qualified therapists (masters and doctoral) in the community, but research them well. Too, it is important to have a social network around you, this can include family, friends, and even community church.
If you are experiencing symptoms of depression, talking with a counselor can be very beneficial in alleviating those symptoms. It's not uncommon for there to be a period of adjustment post-retirement. Retirement can bring a mix of emotions and it's important to have a strategy or plan as you go through the transitioning from structured days of work to the unstructured days of retirement. A mental health counselor will be able to evaluate the source of your depression and assist you in find meaning and purpose in this new season of life.
