|
Issue Date: December 16, 2001
No joy this noel?
If you're feeling blue amid all the red and green, help is available.
For most people, the approaching holiday season is a reason for celebration. But for those who suffer from "the holiday blues," this time of year actually can be particularly difficult and stressful. There's a confluence of factors that contribute to being sensitive now, and some of them are not so obvious.
One such factor is the shortened light cycle during the day, which tends to increase the probability of depression. I recently read a book about Abraham Lincoln that explained that he ascribed a lot of his mood disturbances to wintertime and bad weather.
During the holidays, there often is more celebration and hence more substance abuse, which can accelerate depressive symptoms.
There are lots of psychological factors that come into play, the foremost among them being disconnect, loneliness and spoiled expectations. This is a time when people expect to be happy and expect to be with family. If they're not, that stands out in bold relief against how other people seem to be enjoying the holidays, and it can be very depressing.
If you're feeling disconnected and empty to begin with, you can really feel it around the holidays. There also can be painful remembrances of not-so-hot Christmases past, or, conversely, you can feel like your holidays can't possibly compare to those gone by. Losses of loved ones also can be particularly poignant around this time of year.
Go to top
Some tips to reduce holiday stress:
Keep expectations manageable. Pace yourself. Organize your time. Do not expect the holiday season to cure all past problems.
Do not feel obligated to feel festive.
Leave "yesteryear" in the past and look toward the future. Don't compare today with the "good ol' days."
Do something for someone else, such as volunteering.
Enjoy free activities, like looking at holiday decorations or window shopping.
Don't use drugs or drink to excess.
Try celebrating the holidays in a new way.
Spend time with supportive and caring people.
Save time for yourself!
Source: National Mental Health Association; CDC Safe USA
|
