It’s not uncommon for baby boomers to view emotional challenges as a sign of weakness—to be stoic and not likely to admit to problems, and to worry about costly treatment. However, you might be experiencing depression, anxiety, substance abuse, suicide, loss of a family member, loss of social connections, or fear over losing your independence—all common issues affecting people of all ages.

In 2021, almost one in five retirement-age Americans sought help (medications, therapy, or both) for mental or emotional problems.¹ With increasing health concerns, social/political stress, and other factors, life can be challenging. And retirement creates its own social and financial challenges.

Unlike physical ailments, you can’t get a vaccine to lower your risk of mental decline or emotional distress. But there are steps you can take to maintain a healthy status quo. Here are ways to ease some of these concerns.

Safeguarding mental wellbeing in retirement

Mental health is a mindset that informs daily life—especially in retirement, when the structure of your days is undergoing a makeover. Consider these tips for keeping your brain active and spry:

• Healthy lifestyle basics: If you’re already practicing good general health habits (physical activity, regular sleep, strong social connections, healthy diet, limiting alcohol, quitting tobacco), don’t stop now. If those haven’t been your routine, consider making them more of a priority.
• Exercise your brain: Learn new skills that complement the ones you already have. Find a new hobby—or dig deeper into existing interests; volunteer; take a class; share your expertise; consider mentoring a student or professional in your field; seek out puzzles that interest you; do more math in your head.
• Engage the senses: The more you can engage your five senses, especially in unfamiliar settings or unexpected ways, the more enriched you may feel from the activity. Experiencing events and activities in new ways can also enhance memory and retention.
• Use memory wisely: Find a reliable method that works for you—like your smart phone or a day planner—to help you remember details like dinner plans, birthdays, addresses, grocery lists, and more. By maintaining a to-do list, you can be better organized while freeing up brain cells to better focus on new and exciting activities.
• Say it again: Repeat things you want to remember, like people’s names or dates of upcoming events. Say it out loud. Write it down. Just the act of repeating information can help your brain to remember it.²
• Listen up: Research shows music’s positive effect on emotional well-being, including improving mood, decreasing anxiety, and managing stress, whether in the background, by focused listening to recordings, or at live performances. So, tune in to your favorite songs to help boost your mental health.³

Tweak your diet to boost mental wellness

Just as your diet can help you stay physically healthy, it can do the same for your cognitive abilities. One approach is to make dietary changes that reduce levels of cortisol (the hormone associated with stress) and help you feel more at ease.

• Mediterranean diet: Include more fish, fruits, healthy fats (like avocado and olive oil), poultry, veggies, and whole grains in your diet.
• Vitamin B-12: Choose more foods high in this nutrient, including beef, chicken, eggs, fortified cereal, nutritional yeast, and organ meats.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: Eat more anchovies, herring, mackerel, and sardines; avocados; chia and flax seeds; olive oil; oysters; salmon and tuna; and walnuts.
• Magnesium: Eat more bananas, broccoli, dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, and spinach.
• High-protein foods: Stock up on lean meats, fish, seafood, and legumes.
• Fermented foods: Eat more yogurt (especially Greek), kefir, kimchi, kombucha, and sauerkraut.⁴

What could go wrong?

Despite our best efforts, life doesn’t always go exactly as planned. If you’re having difficulty, acknowledge it and seek a solution—just as you would with any medical concern. And it helps to know what kind of issue you’re experiencing.

Mental disorders and illnesses fall into several categories.⁵ Some common ones that retirees may face include:

• Anxiety: Disorders marked by expectations of fear and danger. Examples include panic disorders and phobias.
• Bipolar: Alternating periods of high and low energy that cycle uncontrollably.
• Depression: Marked by constant sadness, loneliness, low energy, and bleak moods that don’t lift.
• Obsessions: Repetitive fears and behaviors, including hoarding and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
• Substance abuse/addictions: Inability to moderate consumption of alcohol, prescription drugs, and other substances. Also includes gambling and other addictive behaviors.
• Trauma-related disorders: Trouble coping during or after a stressful life event. A notable example is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)⁶.

Treating mental illness

Psychology has multiple ways to address various mental and emotional conditions. Some common treatment options include:

• Talk therapy: Individual or small-group sessions with a therapist are held at regular intervals. They may take place in person or by phone, telehealth, or online chat. Modalities include traditional therapy, long-term psychoanalysis, cognitive behavioral therapy (a goal-directed approach to address specific behaviors), and others.
• Medications: Prescription drugs that relieve or reduce symptoms, including those that target depression and anxiety, stabilize moods, and reduce symptoms of psychosis.⁶
• Rehabilitation: Intensive, focused therapy for patients recovering from eating disorders, addictions, and other life-disrupting issues. Many rehabilitation programs require patients to live on-premises, but some admit patients who live at home. Aftercare programs help patients avoid relapsing after treatment is complete.
• Hospitalization: Focused initially on keeping patients safe from self-harm, this approach provides inpatient treatment for severe illnesses that cannot be managed at home.

There’s help for getting help

Medicare can help with financial concerns about the cost of mental health care:

• Medicare Part A covers mental health hospitalization, subject to the separate deductible. You pay your deductible for days 1-60, then $408 per day for days 61-90, and $816 per day for days 91 and beyond. Lifetime limits and other conditions apply.
• Medicare Part B covers most outpatient services, and you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after you meet your deductible.
• Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) covers mental health services at the same levels as Parts A and B, or more.
• Medicare Part D (prescription drugs) covers medications that treat mental health conditions, subject to the plan’s monthly premium, copay/coinsurance, and terms of the plan’s formulary.^{7, 8}

¹Mental Health by the Numbers
²6 Simple Steps to Keep Your Mind Sharp at Any Age
³The Transformative Power of Music in Mental Well-Being
⁴De-Stress Eating: Foods to Help Reduce Anxiety
⁵What is the DSM-5?
⁶Mental Illness
⁷Does Medicare Cover Mental Health?
⁸Medicare Costs