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Re: Am doing well on Cipralex but...
Having gone through this rough patch over the last few months has made me aware of having too much time on my hands. When one is depressed and anxious it is very difficult to find anything fulfilling to do. I have lots of plans involving some outdoor pursuits and taking some courses but these depend on me getting somewhat back to normal.
Having gone through this rough patch over the last few months has made me aware of having too much time on my hands. When one is depressed and anxious it is very difficult to find anything fulfilling to do. I have lots of plans involving some outdoor pursuits and taking some courses but these depend on me getting somewhat back to normal.
Re: Am doing well on Cipralex but...
You really do need a plan for retirement, because without one, a person can quickly become bored and begin vegetating in front of a TV set or computer screen.
You have obviously given thought to how you might use your time in pursuits that appeal to you, so the potential weak link might be in "wanting" to get out to do these activities.
I would suggest working closely with your doctor to monitor your symptoms, so that possible dosage adjustments along with added supportive psychotherapy might close that motivational gap.
Is your transition to retirement lifestyle being done alone or do you have a life partner who will be making the transition with you? Are you planning any changes in your housing status, like downsizing or moving to another location?
You really do need a plan for retirement, because without one, a person can quickly become bored and begin vegetating in front of a TV set or computer screen.
You have obviously given thought to how you might use your time in pursuits that appeal to you, so the potential weak link might be in "wanting" to get out to do these activities.
I would suggest working closely with your doctor to monitor your symptoms, so that possible dosage adjustments along with added supportive psychotherapy might close that motivational gap.
Is your transition to retirement lifestyle being done alone or do you have a life partner who will be making the transition with you? Are you planning any changes in your housing status, like downsizing or moving to another location?
Re: Am doing well on Cipralex but...
Thanks Steve. My wife and I have planned this for a while. We bought a house in a beautiful part of Canada where the weather is decent (for Canada) year round. We are keeping our other home for a while and will spend time in both places. Initially we plan to explore the area and get integrated into the community a bit. We've been out there a few times and have already made several friends. I feel like I've screwed this up a bit by going off the Zoloft (that I was on for 20 years). Now I'm in the midst of the switch back to zoloft from cipralex and it's not going so smoothly. I know I have to get things settled here with these meds and I am seeing a therapist here but this gets complicated considering we plan not being here that often. I going through a few tough days here as my Psychaitrist jumped me up to 200 mg of Zoloft from 100 (we skipped the 150 mg step) and have stopped the cipralex. I'm constantly nervous and clonezapam isn't helping much. I'll need to call him Monday and see what he says. Thanks for listening.
Thanks Steve. My wife and I have planned this for a while. We bought a house in a beautiful part of Canada where the weather is decent (for Canada) year round. We are keeping our other home for a while and will spend time in both places. Initially we plan to explore the area and get integrated into the community a bit. We've been out there a few times and have already made several friends. I feel like I've screwed this up a bit by going off the Zoloft (that I was on for 20 years). Now I'm in the midst of the switch back to zoloft from cipralex and it's not going so smoothly. I know I have to get things settled here with these meds and I am seeing a therapist here but this gets complicated considering we plan not being here that often. I going through a few tough days here as my Psychaitrist jumped me up to 200 mg of Zoloft from 100 (we skipped the 150 mg step) and have stopped the cipralex. I'm constantly nervous and clonezapam isn't helping much. I'll need to call him Monday and see what he says. Thanks for listening.
Sounds like you have an excellent head start!
Is the new home too far away to continue seeing your current doctor? If s/he's willing, sometimes you can continue consultations by telephone and less frequent visits in person, which is what I did for a few years after we moved to our new retirement City.
I wouldn't become anxious about the medication change, as has been said, giving it time to stabilize the new chemical balance should get the symptoms under control.
How far away is your target date to stop working?
Is the new home too far away to continue seeing your current doctor? If s/he's willing, sometimes you can continue consultations by telephone and less frequent visits in person, which is what I did for a few years after we moved to our new retirement City.
I wouldn't become anxious about the medication change, as has been said, giving it time to stabilize the new chemical balance should get the symptoms under control.
How far away is your target date to stop working?
Of course, you might find that the transition itself will go smooth and that in itself might be enough of a stress reducer that once things get settled you might feel better.
Have you been able to set up a new doctor for general care at your new location? We found that after moving to our new City, that the pharmacist was a good resource for locating doctors who have recently set up a practice or doctors who are taking on new patients.
I'm still waiting for the full effect of the Zoloft to kick in - I've been on the higher dosage for about 10 days but started ramping up in mid-August as I decreased the cipralex. I've had some better days but my main focus of my anxiety has become the upcomining retirement. I know I'm not in a strong mental state yet to think rationally about it.
I'm back at work and starting CBT today with my psychaitrist (my previous therapist wasn't really doing much to specifically help me). I've been tracking my thoughts and emotions and the retirement theme keeps popping up. I hear what you say about thinking of doing something and actually making it happen. I'm pretty sure that during a few months of unwinding I will focus on what retirement will actually look like.
I had always planned to continue working in my field for a while but hopefully on a limited contract basis but had also wanted to look for teaching opportunities at local colleges at some point.
I have always had an urge to work with and help people in some way. Volunteering is also an option. I'll definitely be seeking out a local mindful meditation/yoga group with my wife as I think that would tie in nicely with continuing my recovery.
Aside from that there is much to see and do in the area but as I occupy myself at work I get a little panicky thinking of leaving the workplace and whether I'll be able to fill that void.
I'm back at work and starting CBT today with my psychaitrist (my previous therapist wasn't really doing much to specifically help me). I've been tracking my thoughts and emotions and the retirement theme keeps popping up. I hear what you say about thinking of doing something and actually making it happen. I'm pretty sure that during a few months of unwinding I will focus on what retirement will actually look like.
I had always planned to continue working in my field for a while but hopefully on a limited contract basis but had also wanted to look for teaching opportunities at local colleges at some point.
I have always had an urge to work with and help people in some way. Volunteering is also an option. I'll definitely be seeking out a local mindful meditation/yoga group with my wife as I think that would tie in nicely with continuing my recovery.
Aside from that there is much to see and do in the area but as I occupy myself at work I get a little panicky thinking of leaving the workplace and whether I'll be able to fill that void.
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This seems to be a frequent pre-retirement concern among people whose careers and professions have been tied up in the identity of the person.
I cannot advise you on how to reorient your thinking toward your new and well deserved liberated lifestyle where you make the decisions as to what you choose to do, with whom and when you do it.
In my case, my wife and I had a plan in place for decades prior to stopping work, and leaving the job was simply the completion of the last step along the way to the final goal. In other words, if you can see your job or your profession as a stepping stone to the next phase of your life, then I think you're concerns might be somewhat allayed.
It should be said that retirement lifestyle should be structured to some extent, because if you sleep in until noon, eat once a day, stay out until all hours and accomplish little, you may as well find a job to regain some structure.
The fact is there are plenty of things to do, such as the management of the business of life, that can occupy a fair amount of time, especially if you have some financial assets to manage and maintain.
Your time is yours to spend with your partner, to travel, to amuse yourselves in the ways you couldn't find the time to do before.
The relaxed schedule that you yourself control can also be a great motivator for renewed romanticism between you and your partner.
If you do it right, there should be not enough hours in the day to get done what you had planned......it's been my own experience and the experience of my retired friends with whom I associate.
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making_art
Member
Do we have a section for retirement topics?
David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Not specifically, no. This one will do though (General Support and Advice).
Replying is not possible. This forum is only available as an archive.
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