Are the holidays making you feel blue? Exhausted from the endless family gatherings, parties and shopping? You are not alone.
The festive season might place people suffering from depression – or who have suffered from it in the past – under a lot of stress and these people need to be extra careful about how they cope with it.
But, all is not lost. With some conscious effort on your part, stress can be reduced, and you can even find some holiday joy too.
Here are some tips:
1. Keep your expectations modest by not worrying about holiday spirit and taking it as it comes.
2. If you are filled with holiday dread, rather than joy, at the prospect of the usual routine, decide to do something different. Spend Christmas at a movie theatre or skip the gift giving and donate the money to a charity.
3. Lean on your support system by getting together with you support team regularly during the holidays.
4. Don’t assume the worst and start the holiday season by anticipating disaster. Limit your expectations – both good and bad – and you will enjoy the holidays more.
5. Forget about the unimportant stuff and don’t run yourself ragged just to live up to holiday tradition. Give yourself a break and don’t worry about the Christmas lights on the roof.
6. Volunteer your time at a soup kitchen or toy drive – doing something for people who have less than you will comfort you.
7. Avoid situations that trigger your holiday stress. If seeing your uncle stresses you out, skip his New Year’s party and only pop in on the day for a quick hello.
8. Ask for help, but be specific. Ask your husband to dig out the decorations or a friend to accompany you to the mall. People will be more willing to help if they know exactly what you need.
9. Don’t worry about things you cannot control, like the fight your dad and uncle have every year at the holiday dinner. You cannot control them, but you can control your reaction to it.
10. People are so used to keeping ancient family traditions – up to a point where they do not even enjoy them anymore. Start a new family tradition – one that’s more meaningful to you personally.
11. Holidays often remind you of lost loved ones, but, instead of being glum, do something active to celebrate their memory.
12. Don’t worry about the perfect gift – everyone loves a gift certificate.
13. Save yourself the inconvenience, the crowds and the horrors of mall parking by shopping online.
14. Stick to a budget to avoid feeling anxious and out of control.
15. Don’t miss doses of your medication and make sure you are up to date with your refills too.
16. This is not an easy time of the year for a lot of people. Be gentle with yourself – after all, it is the season of kindness and forgiveness – save some of it for yourself.
