"I’ve been thinking about why that is. I think that question represents something that most of medicine has slowly abandoned: the idea that a person’s sense of meaning is a clinical one."
I have to agree with you wholeheartedly here. During my practice years I observed a very common phenomenon among my recently retired patients. During the first six months or so, it was the bliss of owning your own time, traveling, and doing all things work obligations interfered with in the past. After all that was done, a different realization set in.
For most people work becomes a part their identity through the years. Whether you realize it or not, your occupation defines your place in society and for the better part of your adult life, it constitute one endeavor that gives you a sense of purpose. Most retired people are empty nesters, children have since moved with their own lives. After the initial go-free phase of retirement the loss of purpose starts pressing heavily on you. That invariably led to many of my newly retired patients to an existential crisis eventually ending in depression.
Purpose is at the center of every human being sense of self-worth, provides us the drive to keep going, to thrive, to be. For all of you getting close or recently retired, along with all the other planning that goes with such a life changing event, add to those calculus — purpose. What am I going to do in retirement? What will drive me to get up every morning? What will be my new sense of purpose?
Yes, thanks for your comment Dr. Carlos. This exact thing is what I’m trying to influence my husband to explore since retirement, but he resists and he sits. Purpose!
Somehow, it seems “finding their sense of purpose” comes harder for men.
“ Somehow, it seems “finding their sense of purpose” comes harder for men.”
I don’t know for sure you are right here, but I can say my experience with patients dealing with this issue, they in fact were overwhelmingly male. That’s completely anecdotal and not any evidence, but supports your assertion here.
Wish you and your husband the best of luck in finding your purpose together.
Thank you. I have been blessed with both my primary care physician and my team of specialists who adhere to what your Dad experienced. And what you suggest here. They are rare from what I have learned from others with my same or similar affliction. Keep up the good work, we notice, we care, and we appreciate you and your colleagues.
"I’ve been thinking about why that is. I think that question represents something that most of medicine has slowly abandoned: the idea that a person’s sense of meaning is a clinical one."
I have to agree with you wholeheartedly here. During my practice years I observed a very common phenomenon among my recently retired patients. During the first six months or so, it was the bliss of owning your own time, traveling, and doing all things work obligations interfered with in the past. After all that was done, a different realization set in.
For most people work becomes a part their identity through the years. Whether you realize it or not, your occupation defines your place in society and for the better part of your adult life, it constitute one endeavor that gives you a sense of purpose. Most retired people are empty nesters, children have since moved with their own lives. After the initial go-free phase of retirement the loss of purpose starts pressing heavily on you. That invariably led to many of my newly retired patients to an existential crisis eventually ending in depression.
Purpose is at the center of every human being sense of self-worth, provides us the drive to keep going, to thrive, to be. For all of you getting close or recently retired, along with all the other planning that goes with such a life changing event, add to those calculus — purpose. What am I going to do in retirement? What will drive me to get up every morning? What will be my new sense of purpose?
Yes, thanks for your comment Dr. Carlos. This exact thing is what I’m trying to influence my husband to explore since retirement, but he resists and he sits. Purpose!
Somehow, it seems “finding their sense of purpose” comes harder for men.
“ Somehow, it seems “finding their sense of purpose” comes harder for men.”
I don’t know for sure you are right here, but I can say my experience with patients dealing with this issue, they in fact were overwhelmingly male. That’s completely anecdotal and not any evidence, but supports your assertion here.
Wish you and your husband the best of luck in finding your purpose together.
I appreciate your comment. We all have to commit to making choices to help ourselves enjoy life.
Thank you!
Thank you. I have been blessed with both my primary care physician and my team of specialists who adhere to what your Dad experienced. And what you suggest here. They are rare from what I have learned from others with my same or similar affliction. Keep up the good work, we notice, we care, and we appreciate you and your colleagues.
You touched on practically everything, i think. Im glad to know you notoce such and refard them highly.
Now that i am old i can reare.
Thank you.
No TED talk for me, either, i guess