A friend of mine

http://www.dailystrength.org/people/369802

He's lovely :)

Hi, Gramps.
Well, I'm and 71 and that feels pretty senior to me, in fact it feels downright OLD! If you want to checkout my profile you'll see I got depressed a good while ago and, right now, I feel it's all pretty much behind me. I still get what I call my 'dark days' but I've learned how to handle them and not mind too much. It's no big deal - they come, they go.
How's it for you?

Thanks LD---I sent a note to your friend.

B----Mainly I am lonely. I have a long history of anxiety, panic, and depression problems that interferred with my work.

Well this a very good start.

Well I am 61 and a lot more creaky in my body than I ever expected to be at this age and that's pretty damned depressing! Does that quailfy me?

I have a mate too and I would like more friends because I get lonely at times too.

I'm alone for large parts of the day because my wife is still working (although she's going to semi-retire end of November). Now and then that gets to me and I can feel a touch lonely too. Mostly I can keep myself amused by doing stuff I enjoy. When I was really depressed though I wasn't able to enjoy anything much and used to wander around aimlessly wondering what the hell had happened to me and whether it was ever going to change. Sure is a hell of a thing isn't it?
Guess like me you've been retired a good while now. How do you spend your time?

I'm not quite a senior; I'm 45, halfway between legal drinking age and receiving Social Security checks (if in fact Social Security is even there when I'm 65, a thought that depresses me), but OOHH I get in my funks at times.

What helps me is continuing to physically move. Exercise. Even that is getting harder, as I'm developing horrible back pain, but I push through the pain anyway, and always feel stronger and happier for it. Of course, baby steps, only do what your doctor says is OK for you. While I'm exercising, I converse with other people at the gym or at the beach too. We need exercise, challenge, for the mind too. Hope this helps!

True friends won't try to sugarcoat everything you do and kiss your ass--no they'll call it like they see it and call you on your shit. If you're going to form strong friendships, be prepared to take some shit from them. Good news is, you get to call them on their shit too!

This is why we need friends as well as spouses. Spouses walk around each other's feelings all the time, for fear of losing each other. Friends, while I'm sure we're afraid of losing each other as friends, at least the friendships I've been involved in, have had to be a bit thicker skinned and more tolerant, and we've walked out on each other several times.

You need that challenge in your life. It's what's been missing since retirement. My whipper-snapper two cents.

kool------that is good about true friends, and shit.

lol gooch ..... and shit! You'd fit in well with my sons and they're 17, 15 and 10!

I'm 42 and I am studying dementia care. Not to say you're old therefore you're dementing, but the issues with depression is that elders are often dismissed as "miserable old gits". Depression in later life has additional challenges, but your wealth of experience will make you a great sounding board for those who are younger than you.

I'm not on here often now, but I'm around if you have a message that needs answering.