A MENTAL TAKE ON THE HOLIDAYS: THE CHEER AND THE BLUES

By Marisha Copeland, MA, LPC-S, CAMS II

THE HOLIDAYS ARE PORTRAYED as a time of cheer and gladness. During the holidays, business campaigns with the concepts of family, togetherness, thankfulness, and generosity begin to appear. The media inundates us with commercials, ads, and images of families that are happily coming together to put out their seasonal decorations. There is a spread of traditional dishes prepared from family recipes. This is the holiday mentality that our society warmly embraces.

However, there’s another side to this season that tends to be absent from the holiday infused media. This side is not as warm, inviting, or excitedly anticipated. This particular side of the holidays can tend to be depressing, stressful, overwhelming as it provokes anxiety. This side can bring forth the “Holiday Blues,” which can be described as a downward fluctuation in one’s mood. This can result from the anticipation of a season or holiday. Symptoms can consist of a depressed mood, feelings of sadness, anxiousness, irritability, changes in appetite, restlessness, feelings of worthlessness, and the loss of pleasure in activities that were once enjoyable.

The holidays can result in a sense of inclusion for some, but a lack of belonging for others. It’s human nature to seek a place or group that provides an environmental sense of comfort. The holidays are associated with large family gatherings. But some professionals may lack a family unit to gather with during the holidays. These same professionals may battle with issues pertaining to their identity, isolation, and sense of self worth.

The holidays can either highlight family unity or dysfunction. The lack of healthy familial relationships can cause one to feel dreadful, unsupported, sad, anxious, and fearful during the holidays. This is due to an anticipation for embarrassing, dramatic, and negative interactions with particular members of their family. The anticipation for this type of conflict can cause one to want to avoid their family gatherings altogether.

The holidays can also point out one’s financial ability, generosity, or lack thereof during the holidays. The expectation for one to be able to contribute a homemade dish, provide specific beverages, or buy particular gifts can be extremely stressful for those who don’t have disposable income. The anticipation of having to express one’s inability to meet a request can often cause one to feel shameful. This can compel someone to overextend themselves financially to avoid public embarrassment.

Lastly, the holidays can celebrate life and simultaneously remind us of death. During the holidays, we want to fill a void resulting from the physical absence of loved ones that have passed. This can be difficult to cope with during the holiday season. The holidays can start to be perceived as depressing and emotionally painful as family traditions have now been impacted by the absence of certain family members.

I encourage those that may have to face similar situations to seek professional counseling services. A great place to start may be with your HR professional at your current employer. Most organizations have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that offers counseling services for their employees. The assistance of counseling can develop more effective ways of coping with the circumstances one can face around the holiday season. Your holiday blues can become cheerful when equipped with the right tools and skillset. u