From the Experts

Story by LISA ANDERSON

Holiday Stress: Tips for Managing Stress, Anxiety, & Depression This Season

Dr. Mary Driscoll

Dr. Mary Driscoll is a licensed psychologist and has had a private practice in the Ocala and Gainesville area for 35 years. An internship at the University of Florida prompted her to move to the state in 1984, and she never left. “I had a daughter that was into horses [at] 10 years old. I finally bought a farm that was on the boundary of the two counties, [Marion and Alachua].”

Mary sold the farm and moved to Ocala after her daughter graduated. She has been practicing exclusively in Ocala since 1992. She specializes in treating depression and anxiety, marital and family issues, trauma recovery, gender identity, substance abuse, and aging issues.

AGREE TO DISAGREE

It is especially important this year to agree to disagree at holiday gatherings. “Because of COVID and the fact that people probably didn’t have as many get-togethers over the holidays last year, there’s a lot of expectation to do more of that this year. As a country, we’ve gotten more divided on a lot of things; families have gotten divided to the point that they can’t sit down together, because they argue over things. Ground rule: Just set family differences aside during that time.”

MAKE A PLAN AND SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

“Stress, anxiety, and depression can be moderated through some planning and having reasonable expectations of the outcome,” Mary explains. There’s a massive build-up to the holidays and unrealistic expectations of how good one should feel. This can cause a big letdown when the expectations aren’t met, and the letdown can be worse for someone with depression. It’s best to avoid the perfectionism. “Things are rarely, or never, perfect,” declares Mary.

KNOW YOUR LIMITS

Learning to say no when you don’t have time to add another project to your list is all part of the self-care process. “Take care of yourself. We need to do that all year round, but during the holidays it’s easy to let those things go,” and it’s the exact time of year you shouldn’t let it all slide.

FIND YOUR STRESS MANAGEMENT TOOL

Reading, meditation, exercise, and eating right are all forms of stress management. Mary points out even mindless TV watching, for a short period of time, can be beneficial, if it helps you clear your mind. You just need to find something that works for you.

Bottom line, understand that things are rarely, or never, perfect. Set realistic expectations and boundaries. Don’t let the busy-ness of the season overwhelm you.

ABOUT MARY DRISCOLL PH.D

Mary has a master’s in guidance and counseling and a doctorate in counseling psychology.

Dr. Mary Driscoll, Dr. Brent Mruz, & Associates

Visit: ocalarecovery.com