MHM Magazine

14 | MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS | 2025 | Issue 2 MHM Retirement, one of life’s most significant changes, can be an exciting time in adulthood. It’s a time when we typically shift from a primarily career/productivity- focused phase where we actively contribute to the next generation through work or family, to a more reflective and integrative phase in our lives, where productivity is of secondary concern. This is a phase where we typically reflect on the life lived, feel proud of our accomplishments, experience a sense of integrity, and revel in the rewards of our life’s work and resultant contributions to the world. However, this is also a time, where for many this reflective period causes disappointment, distress and rumination about failures, resulting in negative psychological consequences. For instance, the prevalence of loneliness amongst older adults (≥60 years), a significant risk factor for the development of depression, is an estimated 28%. Unsurprisingly, the rate of depression in retirees specifically is also around 28%. Psychological aspects of retirement The retirement phase is not a one- size-fits-all experience; it should be tailored to individual needs and circumstances. For some, it occurs at the conventional and planned age of 60 – 65years; for others, it’s forced upon them due to retrenchment or permanent disability. It can also be delayed due to financial and existential uncertainty. For some, retirement signals relief from career-related stress, more leisure time to engage in novel hobbies and foster new social connections (View image – word cloud). Others may fear retirement as it signals a major change associated with a loss of a work community, a career-related identity or purpose and financial uncertainty. By Dr Erine Bröcker, Pscyhiatrist Prof Dana Niehaus, Psychiatrist Marike Botha, Occupational Therapist Dr Sihle Nhlabathi, Psychiatrist EMBARKING ON THE RETIREMENT JOURNEY – NAVIGATING RISKS, REAPING AWARDS, AND FOSTERING RESILIENCE MHM | 2025 | Volume 12 | Issue 2 | Embarking on the retirement journey – navigating risks, reaping awards, and fostering resilience H