7 Practical Tips for Relieving Holiday Depression

For highly-sensitive folks and people predisposed to sadness, the holidays create a perfect storm for depression. There’s the added stress of holiday shopping, decorating, and parties — not to mention dealing with strained family relations; snowball and gingerbread cookies seem to stalk you; and a sense of forced merriment has a way of making you feel like a total loser if you change the radio station when “Jingle Bells” comes on. According to research posted by the American Psychological Association, two-thirds of people said they felt stressed and fatigued during the holidays. Half said they felt irritable, and one-third felt sad. So even though you may feel like the only one struggling this time of year — especially after opening all of your holiday cards — you’re hardly alone. Every year, I write one of these pieces on how to get through the holidays. And every year my advice changes, because I’m always in a different place where I need new tools. Here’s this year’s list of ideas on how to maintain your sanity during the “most wonderful time of the year.” 1. Feel the Sadness Every time I see the movie Inside Out, I’m reminded of the critical role of sadness in our lives despite our unease with this emotion. We may try like heck to eradicate it completely — or at least confine it to a small corner of our brain — but the truth is that our sadness is intimately connected to our joy, and vice versa. Kahlil G...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Anxiety and Panic Depression Family Holiday Coping Mindfulness Self-Help Stress Bipolar Holiday Stress Mood Disorder Panic Attacks Relaxation Rumination Self Care stress reduction winter blue Worry Source Type: blogs