Retirement is associated with a small but significant increase in depressive symptoms, while moderate alcohol use reduces these symptoms by 25% and binge drinking is linked to an increase, according to a recent study.

The study explored alcohol’s role in the association between retirement and depressive symptoms among older adults in the U.S. Researchers analyzed longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (1994–2020), including responses from 27,573 participants aged 50 and older, totaling 193,642 observations. Depressive symptoms were measured using the CESD-8 scale, and alcohol use was categorized as abstinent, moderate drinking, or binge drinking. Retirement status was dichotomized as fully retired or not retired. Generalized mixed-effects models evaluated inter- and intra-individual variations and the mediation effects of alcohol use.

Published in Aging & Mental Health, the study found full retirement was associated with increased depressive symptoms (β = 0.04, p < 0.05). Moderate alcohol use was linked to decreased depressive symptoms (β = -0.09, p < 0.05), while binge drinking was associated with an increase (β = 0.07, p < 0.05). Mediation analysis showed moderate alcohol use reduced depressive symptoms among retirees by 25%, while binge drinking mediated the association detrimentally. However, the total effect of retirement on depressive symptoms (β = 0.04, p < 0.05) remained consistent irrespective of alcohol’s mediating role.

The findings emphasize addressing depressive symptoms and alcohol use patterns during the retirement transition. Moderate drinking was associated with a decrease in symptoms, though the study cautions against promoting alcohol as a coping mechanism due to associated risks like dependency and health complications. Binge drinking, in contrast, exacerbated depressive symptoms. Other factors such as higher education, marital status, and socioeconomic stability were also linked to reduced depressive symptoms.

The authors reported findings suggesting a need for interventions targeting binge drinking and mental health in retirees. Future research could examine voluntary versus involuntary retirement, unmet expectations, and incorporate objective measures of alcohol use and mental health outcomes. Study limitations include reliance on self-reported data and the inability to distinguish partial from full retirement transitions.

Full disclosures and additional findings can be accessed in the published study.