Psychology of Retirement

Retirement is a significant life event. It is as big as graduations, weddings, purchasing a house, moving or dealing with a major health issue. Nursing a strong attachment to the workforce carries with it many psychological and emotional implications. This complex journey provides some unexpected individual experiences. One’s unique personality, values and interests come into play, as well as the reasons for why a person is leaving work. Some eagerly anticipate the transition while others leave the workforce for personal reasons. One’s attitude toward the changes in status can greatly influence the final disposition. Proactive and optimistic personalities fare better during this time of transition. At first, most retirees experience relief, excitement and joy that accompanies the exhilaration of long-awaited freedom. One positive outcome of retirement is a reduction in work-related stress and improved wellness that comes with time to rest and engage socially. This shift provides a new opportunity to pursue hobbies, travel, spend time with family and engage in creative pursuits.

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Science Based Aspirations for 2025

It is time to say farewell to 2024 and look toward setting smart goals for 2025 safety, health and happiness. Instead of the usual self-critical New Year resolutions based on ‘not being enough,’ why not use a gentler approach to set simple but measurable objectives with individual wellbeing in mind. Lasting change is rarely achieved with willpower. Instead, inform your plan based on science.

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Navigating Tension at the Holiday Table

Serving others as a clinician provides a front row seat to observe reactions to societal trends. I was surprised at how many struggled to cope following the election results. These reactions have amplified anxieties surrounding the upcoming holidays. For the last four years, the American Psychological Association has polled regarding holiday health. This year 28% of those surveyed are experiencing more stress affording holiday gifts (46%,) grieving a lost loved one (47%,) and dealing with challenging family dynamics (35%). That may be especially true this December, as revealed by a recent APA survey conducted right before Thanksgiving. A significant 45% of younger people (ages 18 to 34) and 47% of middle-aged folks (ages 35 and 44) said they plan to avoid relatives they disagree with this holiday season in the aftermath of the election. Managing a family’s political differences during the holidays can be tough, but these conflicts do not have to ruin a festive season

How does one engage constructively in family political disagreements during the holidays?

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Grieving Parental Loss

Two days before my November birthday, my father passed away. I have discovered that grief is an interesting topic unappreciated until there is a real personal encounter. Feelings of anguish are commonly experienced after any significant loss such as a job or relationship including the death of a close person. Separation anxiety, feelings of yearning and confusion accompany the state of grief. During this time, intrusive thoughts of the past or fears for the future may emerge. It is not rare to have feelings of regret over lost opportunities or remorse for a negative act that was committed by either party. An intense grief reaction can disrupt the immune system or cause physical pain enough to influence self-neglect. Grieving is deeply personal and there is no ‘correct’ way to go through the process. Gabert (2020) describes surviving the unexpected nature of grief:

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Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADS)

Pregnancy and childbirth are often thought of as times of joy, yet mental health issues can complicate this experience. One of the most famous modern cases centered around a Houston woman named Andrea Yates, who a judge convicted of murder in 2002 after she drowned her five children. Yates was later found not guilty by reason of insanity. She was also diagnosed with postpartum psychosis. The 2023 news story of Lindsay Clancy is another example of the devastating consequences of pregnancy-related mental health disturbances. Lindsay was a normal mom regularly sharing photos of herself happily smiling and hugging her three kids. Yet Clancy was charged with murdering her children before attempting to take her own life. It is difficult to comprehend what led to this mother to lose her grip on reality and harm her children. At her trial, Clancy’s legal defense emphasized that since her youngest child was still a baby, this mother may have been suffering from undiagnosed postpartum psychosis. When reviewing this case in hindsight, it is clear that appropriate intervention may have prevented tragedy. This lawsuit has sparked a nationwide conversation regarding the importance of post-partum mental health education.

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The Power of Curative Connections

What if you could be prescribed a trip to a nature preserve, a watercolor class or walking group to treat mental health issues? Social prescribing is an alternative model of care that recognizes the social, emotional and practical needs that impact people’s overall health. Our wellbeing is strongly determined by our environment. These social determinants of health are the nonmedical aspects in which we are born, grow up, work, live and age that influence our health outcomes. We all need basics to survive, such as clean air, nutritious food, decent shelter and adequate money. However to truly flourish, we need to focus on whole-person care by finding meaning in our lives, sources of joy and beneficial relationships.

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Suzette Turner-Clark, LCSW-S, RPT/S, RYT-200