Holiday Stress and Depression
The holiday season for most people is a fun time of the year filled with parties, celebrations, and social gatherings with family and friends. For many people, it is a time filled with sadness, self-reflection, loneliness, and anxiety.
Sadness is a truly personal feeling. What makes one person feel sad may not affect another person. Typical sources of holiday sadness include:
Stress
Fatigue
Unrealistic expectations
Over-commercialization
Financial stress
The inability to be with one's family and friends
Balancing the demands of shopping, parties, family obligations, and house guests may contribute to feelings of being overwhelmed and increased tension.
People who do not view themselves as depressed may develop stress responses, such as:
Headaches
Excessive drinking
Over-eating
Insomnia
Others may experience post-holiday sadness after New Year's Day. This can result from built-up expectations and disappointments from the previous year, coupled with stress and fatigue.
Tips for having and amazing Holiday:
Coping with Holiday Stress and Depression:
Make realistic expectations for the holiday season.
Set realistic goals for yourself.
Set your Boundaries.
Make time for yourself, Self-Care, Self-Love
Pace yourself, Do not take on more responsibilities than you can handle.
Make a list and prioritize the important activities. This can help make holiday tasks more manageable.
Be realistic about what you can and cannot do.
Do not put all your energy into just one day (i.e., Thanksgiving Day, New Year's Eve). The holiday cheer can be spread from one holiday event to the next.
Live and enjoy the present full of Positivity & Gratitude
Look to the future with optimism.
Don't set yourself up for disappointment and sadness by comparing today with the good old days of the past.
If you are lonely, try volunteering some time to help others.
Find holiday activities that are free, such as looking at holiday decorations, going window shopping without buying, and watching the winter weather, whether it's a snowflake or a raindrop.
Limit your drinking, since excessive drinking will only increase your feelings of depression.
Try something new. Celebrate the holidays in a new way.
Spend time with supportive and caring people.
Reach out and make new friends.
Make time to contact a long-lost friend or relative and spread some holiday cheer.
Let others share the responsibilities of holiday tasks.
Keep track of your holiday spending. Overspending can lead to depression when the bills arrive after the holidays are over. Extra bills with little budget to pay them can lead to further stress and depression.
Happy Holidays,
Tammy
Learn more about coping:
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©Tammy Drummond-Rowland,RN HN, Luneau Holistic Wellness