| Not everyone shares in the celebration
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| | cheerful. Accept how you are feeling. If
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| and joy associated with the holidays.
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| | you have recently experienced a loss, you
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| Many people feel stressed and unhappy in
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| | can't expect yourself to put on a happy
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| response to the demands of shopping for
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| | face. Tell others how you are feeling and
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| gifts, spending large amounts of money,
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| | what you need.
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| attending parties and family gatherings,
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| | Have a spending limit and stick to it.
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| and entertaining houseguests. It is not
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| | Look for holiday activities that are
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| uncommon to react to these stresses with
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| | free, such as driving around to look at
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| excessive drinking and eating, difficulty
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| | holiday decorations. Go window-shopping
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| sleeping, and physical complaints. The
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| | without purchasing anything. Look for
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| holiday blues are a common result. If you
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| | ways to show people you care without
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| experience reactions like these during
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| | spending a lot.
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| the holidays, you are not alone. Let's
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| | Be honest. Express your feelings to those
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| take a look at what causes the holiday
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| | around you in a constructive, honest, and
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| blues and what you can do about them.
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| | open way. If you need to confront someone
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| What Causes the Holiday Blues?
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| | with a problem, begin your sentences with
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| Fear of disappointing others. Some people
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| | "I feel."
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| fear disappointing their loved ones
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| | Look for sources of support. Learn about
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| during the holidays. Even though they
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| | offerings at mental health centers,
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| can't afford to spend a lot of money on
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| | churches, and synagogues. Many of these
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| gifts, some people feel so obligated to
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| | have special support groups, workshops,
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| come through with a fancy gift that they
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| | and other activities designed to help
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| spend more than they can afford.
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| | people deal with the holiday blues.
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| Expecting gifts to improve relationships.
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| | Give yourself special care. Schedule
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| Giving someone a nice present won't
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| | times to relax and pamper yourself. Take
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| necessarily strengthen a friendship or
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| | a warm bath or spend an evening with a
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| romantic relationship. When your gifts
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| | good book.
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| don't produce the reactions you had hoped
| |
| | Set limits and priorities. Be realistic
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| for, you may feel let down.
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| | about what you will be able to
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| Anniversary reactions. If someone
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| | accomplish. Prepare a To-Do list to help
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| important to you passed away or left you
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| | you arrange your priorities.
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| during a past holiday season, you may
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| | Volunteer your time. If you are troubled
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| become depressed as the anniversary
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| | because you won't be seeing your family,
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| approaches.
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| | volunteer to work at a hospital or food
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| Bad memories. For some families, the
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| | bank. Volunteering can help raise your
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| holidays are times of chaos and
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| | spirits by turning your focus to people
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| confusion. This is especially true in
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| | who are less fortunate than you are.
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| families where people have substance
| |
| | Get some exercise. Exercise has a
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| abuse problems or dysfunctional ways of
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| | positive impact on depression because it
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| relating to each other. If this was true
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| | boosts serotonin levels. Try to get some
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| in your family in past years, you may
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| | type of exercise at least twice each
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| always carry memories of the
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| | week.
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| disappointment and upheaval that came
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| | After the Holidays
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| with the holidays. Even though things may
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| | For some people, holiday blues continue
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| be better now, it is difficult to forget
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| | into the new year. This is often caused
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| the times when your holidays were ruined
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| | by leftover feelings of disappointment
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| by substance abuse and family
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| | during the holiday season and being
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| dysfunction.
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| | physically exhausted. The blues also
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| It could be SAD. People who live in
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| | happen for some people because the start
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| northern states may experience depression
| |
| | of a new year is a time of reflection,
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| during the winter because of Seasonal
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| | which can produce anxiety.
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| Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD results
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| | Is It More than Just the Holiday Blues?
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| from fewer hours of sunlight as the days
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| | Clinical depression is more than just
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| grow shorter during the winter months.
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| | feeling sad for a few weeks. The symptoms
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| Strategies for Dealing with the Holiday
| |
| | generally include changes in appetite and
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| Blues
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| | sleep patterns, having less interest in
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| While the holiday blues are usually
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| | daily activities, difficulty
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| temporary, these ideas can help make this
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| | concentrating, and a general feeling of
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| year's holiday experience more pleasant
| |
| | hopelessness.
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| and less stressful:
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| | Clinical depression requires professional
|
| Be realistic. Don't expect the holiday
| |
| | treatment. If you are concerned that a
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| season to solve all past problems. The
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| | friend or relative may be suffering from
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| forced cheerfulness of the holiday season
| |
| | more than just holiday blues, you should
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| cannot ward off sadness or loneliness.
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| | express your concerns. If the person
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| Drink less alcohol. Even though drinking
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| | expresses thoughts of worthlessness or
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| alcohol gives you a temporary feeling of
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| | suicide, it is important to seek the help
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| well-being, it is a depressant and never
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| | of a qualified mental health
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| makes anything better.
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| | professional.
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| Give yourself permission not to feel
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|
