Many of us look forward to retirement for a variety of reasons, but retirement may have drawbacks, too. Coping with those changes in lifestyle may lead to a decline in mental health, but a new study observed that excessive alcohol use may make matters worse. The study, in the journal Aging and Mental Health, analyzed data from twenty-seven thousand people. It found retirees showed more signs of depression than those still working and those who reported binge drinking were likely to be more depressed than those who did not drink. However, moderate use of alcohol by people in this group showed fewer symptoms than those who abstained. Authors say alternative coping opportunities to heavy alcohol use among older adults is crucial.