Ways to Cope with the Holidays When your Sad
Ways to Cope with the Holidays When your Sad
For most of us celebrating the holidays is happy and joyous time. But that isn’t the case for everyone. There are people who actually feel the opposite about celebrating the holidays. If you have experienced a loss, difficult family dynamics, spending the holidays alone or heartbreak; it can be a harsh reminder.
You are not alone in struggling to get through the holiday season. The holiday blues can start as early as November for some people. But there are some coping mechanisms that may help.
Start a new tradition
Everyone always thinks that traditions have to be decades old but they don’t have to be. You can start new traditions at any time! Planning a new tradition can help distract you from the sadness you may be feeling. There are a number of new traditions you can start alone, with friends or with family. Some ideas can be traveling, baking or watching holiday movies.
Solid support system
Surround yourself with people who care about you the most during the holidays can help ease depression. Try not to isolate yourself. Having someone to talk to when you feel down can help you feel better and less disconnected.
Exercise
Exercising can also help with depression symptoms. Taking care of your body is beneficial to a better life. Try and do some walking. Get out and move around.
Avoid Alcohol
As tempting as it is having a drink is; it will only make you feel worse. A lot of people use alcohol as a coping mechanism.
Deep Breathing
Another way to calm the mind and body is with deep breathing.
Change your expections
TV shows, movies and social media constantly show you what an “ideal” Christmas season looks like. People often feel that they are not measuring up. Do you look at facebook and see a friend or acquaintance and see how they celebrate and feel like you are a bad parent or person because you are not doing the same things? This can make you feel depressed.
Share your time
Giving your time to help others can make you feel better. There are plenty of opportunities to help out the unfortunate:
- donate to a toy drive
- give time to an animal shelter
- donate clothes
- visit and assisted living
- write cards to show your appreciation to health care workers/ police officers
- provide holiday meals to the homeless
- adopt a family
Symptoms of Holiday Depression
- discontent
- unhappiness
- irritability
- agitation
- cognitive impairment
- poor concentration
- indifference
How to holidays affect mental health?
- The “holiday blues” may even lead to episodes of clinical depression. In 2014, a National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) report found:
- the majority of people feel the holidays contribute to feelings of sadness
- 68% feel financially constrained
- 66% experience loneliness
- 63% feel too much pressure
- 57% are burdened by unrealistic expectations
- 55% feel they were happier in times past
- 64% living with mental health conditions felt the holidays made symptoms worse
Ways to Cope with the Holidays When your Sad
