WHILE THERE ARE MANY WHO LOOK TO THE HOLIDAYS WITH EXCITEMENT - MEASURED, THESE DAYS, BY CURRENT ECONOMIC REALITIES - THERE ARE THOSE WHO CONTEMPLATE THE HOLIDAYS WITH MORE THAN A LITTLE DREAD. WHILE IT THE SHORT RUN, THE HOLIDAY BLUES CAN MIMIC CLINICAL DEPRESSION, IT REALLY IS USUALLY SHORT-LIVED, LASTING FOR A FEW DAYS FROM A FEW WEEKS .
A FEW DAYS OF "FEELING BLUE" IS DIFFERENT FROM CHRONIC FEELINGS OF SADNESS.*
EVENTS THAT COULD RESULT IN HOLIDAY BLUES:
FIRST HOLIDAY AFTER A SIGNIFICANT LOSS - SUCH AS A FAMILY MEMBER, AN IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP, A JOB, ETC.
ANNIVERSARY OF A SIGNIFICANT LOSS.
CONCERNS ABOUT FINANCES.
INCREASED STRESS.
FEELING OVERWHELMED ABOUT "GETTING IT ALL DONE" AND "GETTING IT ALL RIGHT"
WAYS TO DEAL WITH YOUR "BLUE" HOLIDAY:
KEEP TO THE ROUTINES THAT WORK FOR YOU - INCLUDING GETTING PLENTY OF REST. HOWEVER, "PLENTY OF REST" DOES NOT MEAN SPENDING THE DAY IN BED, IT MEANS GETTING @ 7-8 HOURS OF DAILY REST.
ASK FOR HELP.
BE SURE TO PLAN AHEAD FOR THINGS YOU CAN DO - PARTICULARLY IF THERE IS A SPECIFIC DAY ABOUT WHICH YOU ARE CONCERNED.
FORCE YOURSELF IF YOU MUST - BUT HAVE A PLAN. DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A COMPLICATED OR EXOTIC PLAN - BUT YOU MUST HAVE A PLAN.
REMIND YOURSELF THAT YOU ARE LIKELY TO BEGIN TO FEEL BETTER AS THE STRESS OF THE HOLIDAYS SUBSIDE.
IF YOU THINK THERE IS A PATTERN TO THE CYCLE OF YOUR SADNESS - THAT YOU CANNOT ATTACH TO AN EVENT - MAKE A PLAN TO MEET WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN/MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TO WORK AT DETERMINING THE CAUSE.
CREATE A BUDGET AND STICK TO IT!
DO NOT DRINK TOO MUCH. STRESSFUL TIMES ARE NOT WELL SERVED BY ATTEMPTS TO MEDICATE YOURSELF WITH FOOD OR DRINK.
IF THERE ARE CHILDREN:
WHILE YOU MAY FEEL DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU ARE NOT ABLE, PERHAPS, TO PURCHASE WHAT YOU HAD INITIALLY INTENDED. IT COULD WELL BE THAT YOU ARE MORE DISAPPOINTED THAN YOUR CHILD.
DO NOT IMPOSE YOUR DISAPPOINTMENT ON YOUR CHILD.
REMEMBER THAT CHILDREN ARE REMARKABLY RESILIENT.
CHILDREN ARE OFTEN MORE PLEASED WITH SPECIAL TIME SPENT WITH A PARENT THAN THE THINGS PARENTS OFTEN FEEL COMPELLED TO PURCHASE.
CREATE A BUDGET FOR SPENDING AND STICK TO IT! TEACH YOUR CHILDREN THE SAME.
ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILDREN TO COME UP WITH CREATIVE WAYS OF GIFT GIVING.
IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT NOT EVERYONE WHO IS CHOOSING NOT TO CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS IS DEPRESSED OR SAD. THERE ARE MANY WHO, FOR RELIGIOUS AND/OR PHILOSOPHICAL REASONS, DO NOT "CELEBRATE" THE "HOLIDAYS". REMEMBER, CHOOSING TO BE CURIOUS VS. JUDGMENTAL IS OFTEN YOUR BEST COURSE OF ACTION.
* IF YOU ARE FEELING BADLY FOR MORE THAN TWO WEEKS, PLEASE MEET WITH A PHYSICIAN OR MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER FOR AN EVALUATION.