Holiday Blues Article

by: Dr. Charla Waxman - BS, MBA, EdD - Director of Business Development

Here Come the Holidays…. Here Come the Holiday Blues

The holidays are here. What an inspirational, and joy-filled time of the year... for some. Others feel the tension begin to build, crescendoing with depression, anxiety, anger, sadness; a whole host of complex feelings that seem incongruent with the very idea of a holiday.

Don’t think for a minute that the holiday blues are made up by some generally unhappy complainers. The holiday blues are very real. Beginning just before Thanksgiving and ending sometime around New Year’s Day, the holiday blues are a temporary time of additional life stress that can bring on some pretty high levels of emotional discomfort and distress. According to NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness, the causes of the holiday blues are many, but often focus on additional stress, high expectations of productivity and positive outcomes, and memories of holidays past. A survey cited by a NAMI article indicates that 64% of us indicate that the holidays affect us in some way and 24% of us say we are affected a lot by the holidays. NAMI also reminds us that although the holiday blues are temporary, even short term issues can lead to long term difficulties, especially if not explored and not taken seriously.

Signs and symptoms of the holiday blues are varied and everyone is different, but consider the following:

1. Fear of failing in the coming year 2. Changes in appetite 3. Sleeping problems 4. Moodiness and general irritability 5. Exhaustion 6. Increased use of substances or gambling 7. Isolation or avoiding behaviors 8. Overspending 9. Intense feelings of depression, anxiety or anger 10. Feeling disconnected and unable to focus 11. Expecting too much of oneself and others 12. Loss of enjoyment 13. Lost in painful memories

Try not to let the holidays get the best of you. Do your best to give yourself a break. Be honest about your feelings. Get support. Listen to feedback from friends. Spend time with friends and family that make you feel good. Engage in enriching activities. Pay attention to negative thinking and feelings. Eat well. Exercise. Try not to give into excess.

Most of all, if the negative thoughts, feelings and actions seem to stick around after the holidays, Get some help. Connect to places like: 1-800-273 TALK, NAMI, Alcoholics Anonymous, Gambler’s Anonymous and never forget faith based communities who always stand ready to help. You won’t have to look too hard to find places in your community that provide mental health support. You can get through the holiday blues. You really can.

If you or someone you love are struggling during the holidays, please don’t hesitate to call our team of caring professionals. Assessments are free and will help you learn about what level of care will help you feel better. Call us today or anytime; 24/7/365, at 855-990-1900.