# syndrome byDrDH
/
ROPSCHITZ
Fear is a biologically vital emotion, linked to the instinct of self-preservation. It gives warning in life-endangering situations and promotes prompt reactions of fight, flight or other adequate responses. Once the appropriate reaction has been elicited, fear usually subsides. Some fears, however, do not abate, because no effective response can be summoned to stop them. Such prolonged, morbid fears occur in situations of helplessness, where one is impotent to change the course of events. Compulsory retirement is one of these situations. Other diffuse, irrational fears, with no apparent motivation, stem from the unconscious and are known as anxieties. Those affected by 'redundancy of age', express various fears, illustrated by letters which have reached me recently, following the discussion of the 'gold watch syndrome' in the national press. Fears of insolvency predominate, 'It is a horrible
to think that one's salary suddenly ceas^' and one's way of life must change, and one pinch and scrape to make ends meet'. Anotbc common fear is boredom, 'The man has now tin1' to spend as he wants?in the majority of cases nothing to do?and the best the grateful employ^ ^ can do is him an
thought
give
which he
can measure
implement [gold watch]
how much time he has
sp5"
doing nothing'. Some letters voice the fear of loss of presti^. 'Now that my income has gone, useful and influence, who will care for me?' One write expressed an outright fear of poverty, 'We are 0? without money, but one does not know how lo& one will live, and one is always wondering if ?c\ will come to be poverty stricken'. People witbol) savings are even more terrified of the future. There are also the unconscious fears or anxiety For many, whose upbringing had a puritanic
contacIJ
'
^nge, inactivity
of time which is synonymous They feel guilty when doing Nothing and cannot relax. Those who felt unwanted in childhood may have forgotten memories fe-activited by society's rejection and may think themselves subconsciously as 'good for nothing'. Retirement has an aura of decadence and death ^bout it. It is in death that one remains inactive; arid, in fact, most anxieties at retirement age stem r?m the unconscious fear of death. Primitive s?cieties abandon their old folk or bludgeon them l? death. We are more civilised today. We bludge?n them with a presentation watch at the retiremeans
waste
with sin.
!tlent lng
ceremony. This procedure, aimed
at
allay-
well as appeasing the still smells of blood sacrificial rites and may be awe inspiring to the victim. Many look forward to retirement. These are ^ell-balanced personalities, full of interests outS|de their work. They never found sufficient time ,0 cultivate their hobbies and look forward to Pursuing them now. It is the one-sided, rigid pers?nality, the hard, conscientious worker, who will resent his retirement most. His resentment, frustraand fear of the future will be much stronger ' he happens to be single, widowed, separated or forced. For him his place of work was a substitute for home, his companions at work a replacement of family. And what if he became ill? Who
society's guilt recipient's hostility,
as
!j?n .
Vv?uld look
after him? This group is particularly retiring age and deserves society s attention, for it is from their ranks that
vulnerable
at
sPecial ^Qst suicides
are
recruited.
Retirement coincides with the autumn here is something melancholy about it,
of life, in
even
he
well-adjusted. Activity enforces extroversion. Activity breeds introspection. In the late autumn life most people ponder over the 'might-haveK ens', the lost opportunities, and are prone to ^-commiseration. One of my patients, a very retired bank clerk, told me: 'I never used sorry for myself. Now I often do. I guess I
peasant
,? feel
ave too much time to brood.' ^hen immersed in active life, we can discharge * great deal of aggressiveness on to our environWe scold the office boy for being late, the for being slow, etc. The retired have to discnarge their hostility upon their family?if any upon themselves. This self-aggression evenly may lead to suicide. Insomnia increases with years and the retired man has all the "?ht in which to brood and ruminate over his
ment. ^P'st
^vancing
*?rries and fears. Prom early childhood
we are
urged
on
to com-
e*e in the rat race. Each parent aims at his offreaching the top, ascending on a vertical ane\ Having thus been conditioned to excel, 0111 pete and push, it is hard to suddenly switch
j'Pring
off the steam and relax. The change is too sudden allow for adaptation. Besides, our adaptive capabilities decrease with age. Retirement age, therefore, may be rather late to find effective remedies for loneliness and fear. Educational systems ought to instil the values of social usefulness, of thriving on the 'horizontal plane', in contrast to self-elevation. The desire to be useful can never be frustrated. Besides, the fall from the verticle plane is most painful, and forcible retirement is no doubt to
such a fall, involving the loss of status, prestige and income. Several of my patients voiced the same resentment about people in high positions, who continue in high office after retiring age. One of them wrote: 'What never ceases to amaze me is that the M.P.s, who make the decisions [on retirement] go blithely on until they are in their seventies and eighties.' There is something in their argument for, if retiring age is synonymous with decrepitude, old men ought to be removed from state affairs, where they can do much harm; but where would this island have been without the old Churchill! Salutary measures, such as pre-retirement in various courses, have been already instituted concerns and factories. Many more are needed. Years before retirement, new interests and spheres to be gradually instilled. There of action
ought
almost limitless field of voluntary social which they should be encouraged to join. If work, exmentally alert, their wisdom of age and life an benefit organisation, would many perience reservoluntary or professional. This untapped voir of retired voluntary workers has enormous is
an
potentialities.
I also believe that
appointments ought
a
great number of honorary
to be made for
retiring people
boost their from all walks of life. This would do. Golf to them something morale, besides giving at present, is a status symbol in this country but, Provision of mostly confined to the upper crust. for the retired cheap golf courses and equipment on a national scale. This measure, are
suggested
a healthy physical outlet, apart from providing effect and increase selfa socialising have would retired people of both esteem. Social clubs for as well as a central organisaadvocated; are sexes
tion
so
that their voice might be heard. Special to be paid to the single, widowed,
attention ought
retiring age, as they suicidal potentialities. carry great a first Gradual retirement is recommended as aim ought to be the abolishultimate the but step; at the age of 65. Rement of forcible retirement separated
and divorced at
and related to tirement ought to be optional at 65 for it is mental and capabilities, one's physical build their inhuman and immoral to let the young happiness on the misery of the old. 13
/
ROPSCHITZ
Fear is a biologically vital emotion, linked to the instinct of self-preservation. It gives warning in life-endangering situations and promotes prompt reactions of fight, flight or other adequate responses. Once the appropriate reaction has been elicited, fear usually subsides. Some fears, however, do not abate, because no effective response can be summoned to stop them. Such prolonged, morbid fears occur in situations of helplessness, where one is impotent to change the course of events. Compulsory retirement is one of these situations. Other diffuse, irrational fears, with no apparent motivation, stem from the unconscious and are known as anxieties. Those affected by 'redundancy of age', express various fears, illustrated by letters which have reached me recently, following the discussion of the 'gold watch syndrome' in the national press. Fears of insolvency predominate, 'It is a horrible
to think that one's salary suddenly ceas^' and one's way of life must change, and one pinch and scrape to make ends meet'. Anotbc common fear is boredom, 'The man has now tin1' to spend as he wants?in the majority of cases nothing to do?and the best the grateful employ^ ^ can do is him an
thought
give
which he
can measure
implement [gold watch]
how much time he has
sp5"
doing nothing'. Some letters voice the fear of loss of presti^. 'Now that my income has gone, useful and influence, who will care for me?' One write expressed an outright fear of poverty, 'We are 0? without money, but one does not know how lo& one will live, and one is always wondering if ?c\ will come to be poverty stricken'. People witbol) savings are even more terrified of the future. There are also the unconscious fears or anxiety For many, whose upbringing had a puritanic
contacIJ
'
^nge, inactivity
of time which is synonymous They feel guilty when doing Nothing and cannot relax. Those who felt unwanted in childhood may have forgotten memories fe-activited by society's rejection and may think themselves subconsciously as 'good for nothing'. Retirement has an aura of decadence and death ^bout it. It is in death that one remains inactive; arid, in fact, most anxieties at retirement age stem r?m the unconscious fear of death. Primitive s?cieties abandon their old folk or bludgeon them l? death. We are more civilised today. We bludge?n them with a presentation watch at the retiremeans
waste
with sin.
!tlent lng
ceremony. This procedure, aimed
at
allay-
well as appeasing the still smells of blood sacrificial rites and may be awe inspiring to the victim. Many look forward to retirement. These are ^ell-balanced personalities, full of interests outS|de their work. They never found sufficient time ,0 cultivate their hobbies and look forward to Pursuing them now. It is the one-sided, rigid pers?nality, the hard, conscientious worker, who will resent his retirement most. His resentment, frustraand fear of the future will be much stronger ' he happens to be single, widowed, separated or forced. For him his place of work was a substitute for home, his companions at work a replacement of family. And what if he became ill? Who
society's guilt recipient's hostility,
as
!j?n .
Vv?uld look
after him? This group is particularly retiring age and deserves society s attention, for it is from their ranks that
vulnerable
at
sPecial ^Qst suicides
are
recruited.
Retirement coincides with the autumn here is something melancholy about it,
of life, in
even
he
well-adjusted. Activity enforces extroversion. Activity breeds introspection. In the late autumn life most people ponder over the 'might-haveK ens', the lost opportunities, and are prone to ^-commiseration. One of my patients, a very retired bank clerk, told me: 'I never used sorry for myself. Now I often do. I guess I
peasant
,? feel
ave too much time to brood.' ^hen immersed in active life, we can discharge * great deal of aggressiveness on to our environWe scold the office boy for being late, the for being slow, etc. The retired have to discnarge their hostility upon their family?if any upon themselves. This self-aggression evenly may lead to suicide. Insomnia increases with years and the retired man has all the "?ht in which to brood and ruminate over his
ment. ^P'st
^vancing
*?rries and fears. Prom early childhood
we are
urged
on
to com-
e*e in the rat race. Each parent aims at his offreaching the top, ascending on a vertical ane\ Having thus been conditioned to excel, 0111 pete and push, it is hard to suddenly switch
j'Pring
off the steam and relax. The change is too sudden allow for adaptation. Besides, our adaptive capabilities decrease with age. Retirement age, therefore, may be rather late to find effective remedies for loneliness and fear. Educational systems ought to instil the values of social usefulness, of thriving on the 'horizontal plane', in contrast to self-elevation. The desire to be useful can never be frustrated. Besides, the fall from the verticle plane is most painful, and forcible retirement is no doubt to
such a fall, involving the loss of status, prestige and income. Several of my patients voiced the same resentment about people in high positions, who continue in high office after retiring age. One of them wrote: 'What never ceases to amaze me is that the M.P.s, who make the decisions [on retirement] go blithely on until they are in their seventies and eighties.' There is something in their argument for, if retiring age is synonymous with decrepitude, old men ought to be removed from state affairs, where they can do much harm; but where would this island have been without the old Churchill! Salutary measures, such as pre-retirement in various courses, have been already instituted concerns and factories. Many more are needed. Years before retirement, new interests and spheres to be gradually instilled. There of action
ought
almost limitless field of voluntary social which they should be encouraged to join. If work, exmentally alert, their wisdom of age and life an benefit organisation, would many perience reservoluntary or professional. This untapped voir of retired voluntary workers has enormous is
an
potentialities.
I also believe that
appointments ought
a
great number of honorary
to be made for
retiring people
boost their from all walks of life. This would do. Golf to them something morale, besides giving at present, is a status symbol in this country but, Provision of mostly confined to the upper crust. for the retired cheap golf courses and equipment on a national scale. This measure, are
suggested
a healthy physical outlet, apart from providing effect and increase selfa socialising have would retired people of both esteem. Social clubs for as well as a central organisaadvocated; are sexes
tion
so
that their voice might be heard. Special to be paid to the single, widowed,
attention ought
retiring age, as they suicidal potentialities. carry great a first Gradual retirement is recommended as aim ought to be the abolishultimate the but step; at the age of 65. Rement of forcible retirement separated
and divorced at
and related to tirement ought to be optional at 65 for it is mental and capabilities, one's physical build their inhuman and immoral to let the young happiness on the misery of the old. 13
