Christmas and New Year’s Eve are fast approaching and with the holidays come expectations of spending time with family and friends, feasting, time off from work, kind gestures and happy feelings.
But for those who do not get to experience the traditional holiday familial settings, or those who do but get overwhelmed and emotionally drained, the holiday blues – better known as depression – can and often do set in.
In fact, depression peaks during the holidays, according to the National Mental Health Association.
“Most of us have grown up with romanticized visions of what the holidays should look like – a large gathering of family and friends sharing love, enjoying each other’s company, exchanging ‘perfect’ gifts and feasting on a delicious dinner,” said Maureen J. Gleason, president of American Behavioral, a full-service behavioral health care organization that The University of Alabama has contracted with as of Aug. 1 to help employees cope with life challenges.
“When our personal lives do not live up to these standards, if we have lost cherished family members, are estranged from family, or family is simply too far away to visit, we tend to focus on what we are missing out on and how much better others’ lives seem,” she said. “Viewed through this lens, it is easy to experience feelings of loneliness, wistfulness, sadness and even depression.”
While there isn’t any strong data indicating that suicide rates rise significantly during the holidays, Gleason said that 66 percent of people report some level of loneliness, 68 percent report feeling financially strained and 68 percent of individuals with pre-existing mental illnesses report that the holidays make their conditions worse.
Those who don’t experience depression and loneliness during the holidays may still experience other stress symptoms such as headaches, excessive drinking, overeating and difficulty sleeping, according to the National Mental Health Association.
The New Year is even more harrowing for people than Christmas as they experience post-holiday let down resulting from disappointments during the preceding months compounded with excess fatigue and stress, according to the National Mental Health Association.
“Some of the things we may hear from people struggling through the holidays range from, ‘I can’t take the pressure … the gift giving, the gatherings, the decorating, the family interactions,’ to ‘I’m not worthy of having a family or anyone to care about me;’ ‘since my spouse passed away, I feel no joy in the holidays;’ ‘no one loves me.”” Gleason said.
So what can be done about it? How can the holiday blues be avoided and what can be done once they have already set in?
Gleason said people who successfully deal with being alone during the holidays employ coping strategies such as making plans with others who will be alone for the holidays, taking trips, going out to meet new people or just enjoying nature.
“Others find joy in volunteering – collecting gifts for underprivileged children, visiting the elderly, serving in soup kitchens,” she said. “A good thing to remember is that we cannot control the thoughts, words or actions of others, only ourselves, and to focus on what we can do to change our situation.”
Other coping tips include:
- Set realistic boundaries.
- Don’t overspend.
- Avoid negative people.
- Get enough sleep.
- Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
- Exercise.
- Leave the past in the past.
- Enjoy free holiday activities.
- Get in some “me” time.
- Try something new.
If a UA employee is experiencing the holiday blues and wants to do more about it than the tips given above, Gleason said American Behavioral is available to provide individualized assessment and counseling through the Employee Assistance Program.
“We encourage people to call when they first begin experiencing these feelings as early intervention can prevent small problems from escalating into large ones,” she said. “Help is only a phone call away: 800-925-5327.”