Addictions often stem from a lack of stimulating activities or connection to others. The recent retirement supports this, as he would have lost both at that time. So he needs to get into some hobby that’s less likely to leave him homeless, but that is gonna fill those needs. You gotta find him somewhere to go that’s outside the house that he can:
mostly rest/vegetate
occasionally get rewarded
do either alone or with a trusted friend
consume mind altering substances while vegetating (usually alcohol)
With all this in mind I now realize why there’s so many jokes about old dudes fishing. Do with that what you will.
But yeah. You should start some kind of multi generational hobby club for how to sit around and all be dudes together. There’s probably some younger men out there who missed that part during COVID too so like. And figure out some activity that’s not going to be horribly boring to the younger adults that won’t be horribly overstimulating to the older adults.
I’ve always thought the answer to the whole men’s mental health crisis we’re seeing today (I work in inpatient mental health) was getting men to connect better with each other in addition to women. A lot of guys say they weren’t taught to talk about their feelings which means not only are they losing a lot of opportunity for emotional validation, but they’re losing that validation from where it would matter most; the people most like them. I say this because a bunch of young male patients keep asking me for life advice and I’m like bruh we both know nothing I say is gonna make a lick of sense I wasn’t raised in that box.