They can do an individualized assessment to help determine what that specific person needs in order to get better. Our organization has care teams who can help at:. Instead, make a point to express feelings of hope. You can also offer to serve as a distraction. Invite them to go see a movie or try out a new restaurant with you. And be sure to educate yourself. The Make It OK campaign has some great resources.
It may help you with what to say and not to say to someone who is struggling. There are many ways to help your mental well-being during the holidays. Some of these strategies may work better for you than others. But be sure to try a few to find what works best for your needs. Everywhere you look, on TV, billboards, even in your inbox, the message is spend spend spend.
Then suddenly, it seems like everyone else around them is spending festive time with loved ones, and loneliness rears its head. Loneliness is not always resolved by going to parties and participating in holiday events. Physical environment triggers memories. The sights, sounds, smells of holidays past can have a significant impact on us in the present. Holiday nostalgia passes on from year to year, which is part of what makes this time special. But for anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one or who suffered some kind of trauma during previous holidays, uncomfortable feelings and memories are likely to rise to the surface during this time of year.
Most of know that we need to manage the stress in our lives, so we work to prevent it or mitigate it as it arises. But during the holidays, the importance of this is often forgotten because so much of what we pack into our calendars is meant to be fun and celebratory. We rush from one event to the next, make cookies, buy gifts, hang decorations, travel, get together with friends, and all manner of tasks that fill up our to-do lists and cause a great deal of stress.
Television commercials pluck at our heartstrings and trigger nostalgia. When she needed support during "black bouts of depression," she leaned on close friends. She and her husband had two couples in particular that helped them through difficult times. Exercise—one of the first activities to get lost in the holiday shuffle—should be placed high on your to-do list. Exercise has been shown to improve mood.
Taking a brisk walk for 35 minutes five days a week or 60 minutes three times a week can do the trick. If you are consistently tired, irritable, and down at this time of year, it may not be due to the holidays as much as to the lack of exposure to the sun, Dr. Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, can be treated by long walks during daylight hours or exposure to a light box for about 30 minutes a day.
It can be good to intentionally turn your attention away from the holidays, says Dr. This can be especially useful for people who struggle with depression that's related to the holidays.
Bea admits. However, that doesn't mean you can't escape them for a little while by busying yourself with unrelated activities. If being social keeps you comfortable, consider making plans with friends that have nothing to do with the holidays. Bea recommends exploring any activity that pulls you outside yourself, which will disconnect you from your depression.
The holidays shouldn't be all about the presents, but financial woes can make it easy to lose sight of that. Rein in the stress and cost by organizing a gift exchange with friends or family. You can also bake your gifts, or create traditions such as having a large potluck meal followed by a walk outside or board games by the fire.
For some, overindulgence is as much of a holiday tradition as opening gifts. Harra tells Health. Harra recommends preparing for holiday dinners by eating healthy meals the week prior. And don't use alcohol to deal with holiday depression. Alcohol can intensify your emotions and leave you feeling worse when it wears off. Wallin recommends figuring out what you need to get through those 24 hours, such as volunteering, going on vacation, or visiting a shelter or someone who is alone. Focusing on others can help alleviate depression.
To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter. By Tammy Worth Updated November 10,
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