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Strategies to combat loneliness and depression
Keep Busy
If you are lonely, do with eagerness whatever is in front of you to do: write letters, visit people, take up a hobby, start collecting something of value. Keep busily involved in everything that gets your attention. Cure loneliness by keeping busy.
Involve yourself
If you are lonely, involve yourself in community affairs. Many times when people retire they find themselves in a burned –out condition. Involvement in work keeps one away from loneliness and depression.
Help others
If you are lonely, look for and strive to cure the loneliness of someone else-It will cure your own. There are thousands of people who need help, find them and help them by providing companionship.
Choose to be happy
If you are lonely, you are probably depressed and unhappy. Choose to be happy in difficult circumstances.
Avoid escapes
If you are lonely, avoid day dreaming, sleeping too much and watching TV as it is harmful. TV can be a life-saver on occasions, but constantly watching TV leads t depression and loneliness. Discuss with others about your problem, and try to find out solutions yourself.
Collect good thoughts
If you are lonely and depressed, collect inspirational thoughts, good religious books, literary works, read novels etc. Read lots of good books and magazines if you can; if you can't, have someone read to you. Collect good thoughts to share with those people who come your way.
Join a social group
If you are lonely, join one of the many social groups in your community. Visit Senior Citizen Clubs and meet new people. Join religious groups and enjoy long hours with them. Loneliness is often caused by wanting people to do something for us. When we do things for other people, we are never lonely. Think around towards all the exciting things of life and avoid thinking too much about yourself and your loneliness and depression will disappear.
Loneliness generally occurs at specific times of the day or during specific days. Planning for the holidays, birthdays and anniversaries in advance makes you involved, active and busy. This provides a very effective means of dealing with loneliness.
Retirement brings a sense of identity crisis, which adds up to depression. Therefore, it is very important to plan much earlier about the post-retirement life, regarding both financial and emotional aspects. Consult your financial planner to work out the financial issues of retirement. You need to consider the size of your pension schemes, make plans regarding insurance, which includes insuring your health, plans for saving and assets and investment plans as well.
The key to being happy post-retirement is an essential attitudinal change. It may be spending time with your pets, enjoying with grandchildren, gardening, volunteering in residence welfare associations, join NGOs, following past hobbies such as photography, educating children or writing. Or you may simply seek diversion in the daily pleasures, such as, walking, reading, listening to music, surfing the net, and so on. For women retirees, it is necessary that you go out at least once in a day, leaving the household and its chores from occupying centre-stage. Spouses can then join hands to simply enjoying leisure and even travel together, thereby ensuring a blissful marital life. It is also important to get regular health and medical check-ups. Retiring can be fun. It is not a halt to a journey but merely a shift in gears and speed. Even after retirement one may stay forever young and happy.
Bibliography
Birren, J.E.; (1996), Encyclopedia of Gerontology – Age, Aging & the Aged, Volume I & II, USA : Academic Press
Dhillon, P.K. Psychosocial Aspects of Aging in India. New Delhi : Concept Publishing Company. 214-240
Mallick, A. (2006) “Dealing with Loneliness in Elderly”. Help-Age India – Research & Development Journal. Vol.12 (3), Pg. 32-35
Prakash, I.J. (1999) Ageing in India. Geneva. WHO Report.
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