Depression in older adults is a common phenomenon but something that is not spoken about enough. This is because even though retirement appears interesting and is something that you may have been looking forward to for years, when it actually arrives, you may be blindsided. This is a significant life change and as a result, may cause you to experience negative thoughts like anxiety or depression. Other reasons that may cause your negative thoughts might be health problems, loneliness or feeling a reduced sense of purpose. If you are worried that a health problem might be the reason behind your negative emotions, reach out to a trusted medical professional for the best course forward. Negative thinking can happen to any of us but there are certain tips that can help you to feel better about these emotions. Read on to find out the best ways that can help you in coping with negative thinking.
Taking Control of Your Thoughts
Negative thoughts arise because you let your mind spiral and think of the worst-case scenario. By reframing these situations as something that benefits you, you get to see the world in a better light which can decrease feelings of negativity.
Expressing Gratitude
Negative feelings arise when you’re unable to see the good in your current situation. Hence, expressing gratitude for what you already have might assuage feelings like jealousy! You can either write down three things that brought joy to you in a journal or simply take a few moments before sleeping every night to be thankful for the day you had.
Speaking to Someone
Speaking to loved ones, like friends and family, can be extremely useful if you are facing negative emotions. Your loved ones can remind you of the positive things that you have going for you so that you can be more objective and less negative. However, if you are uncomfortable with speaking to your loved ones about this, you can go to a licensed therapist. Speaking to trained individuals can be extremely useful for you as it might reassure you and teach you to look at your life in a more positive light. Getting the negative feelings off your chest and out in the open can help you feel lighter!
Moving to a Retirement Community
A retirement community may just be the answer to your negative thoughts, especially if these feelings are occurring because of a lack of purpose in your life. If you feel as though you have not been engaged in meaningful activities over the course of your retirement, being a part of a community like ours can be really useful. We have a ton of amenities and different activities that we organize for our residents, such as dining and entertainment experiences that are supposed to fill up their days in an enjoyable manner. Additionally, we have a supportive community of loving residents and a great team that can allow you to remain socially connected to keep feelings of loneliness at bay. If this sounds like something that you’re interested in, contact us to find out more about life in our community.
