Mental Health through the Holidays

It’s a full on holiday season. Mariah Carey’s All I want for Christmas is about to be on full blown blast. As much as the holidays are a beautiful thing let’s not forget that people’s mental health is on the line too!

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Holiday Meter

Not everyone is happy and jolly during the holidays. There are real life traumas that come up during the holidays. Some of that includes death of family or friends. Or some people when the holidays come along remember how their childhood holidays were and just dread this time of year. Also single people also don’t like this time of year because the holidays emphasis on couples and couple events. Everyone’s holiday meter is not high. So depending on your holiday meter will start the holiday blues.

Mental Health and Decorations

Did you know the simplest of decorations makes people who isn’t in the right mental space go left? It’s true. Target sent their holiday email before Halloween even got here. Now that Thanksgiving is around the corner all you see is Christmas decorations on overload. It’s no wonder there are real life Grinches.

So how do you deal with decorations if you’re struggling? Many won’t put them up. Can we respect that? We don’t know why people don’t put things up. If you make the choice to put up decorations up November 1st that’s okay for you. We tend to push personal preferences on others. Let’s pull back! Mental health issues don’t always include people’s ability to push through.

Seasonal Depression and Holidays

Seasonal depression is real. If you feel a little heavier lately and find your moods are off you’re not alone. Increased irritability, depression, hopelessness and social withdrawal are symptoms of seasonal depression. It appears usually as soon as the nights get darker sooner. This weekend is daily light savings that will also increase it too. It’s a normal occurrence. As more and more studies happen people are more inclined to see it for what it is.

The holidays don’t help in helping it better. If you haven’t already gotten help during this time here are some things you can do:

• Go outside for 10-15 a day-Vitamin D
• Increase self care
• Therapy
• Medication may be necessary
• Light therapy

Single During the Holidays

Let’s talk about being single during the holidays. Wanting or not wanting to be coupled up is your choice. You don’t have to be on either side. If you are single and desire to be with someone else don’t let your married or coupled friends may you feel bad for wanting that. I hear the biggest complaint is for those wanting to be with someone is that being happy and single means you can’t openly say you are lonely. That is crazy to me. You can enjoy being single but also lonely.

If you are single and don’t desire to be with someone that’s okay too. You don’t have to be shunned for wanting to spend your time by yourself. Also there are single people who have companions that are for only travel or go to dinner, etc. with and without being a couple.

Relationship with Others but Feeling Alone

Just as much as some don’t want to be alone, there are others who are dealing with being with others in a relationship and feeling alone. If you are feeling alone don’t necessarily think that it’s time to call it quits. It may be a call for help for you to seek therapy for personal issues. Trauma or triggers happening while being in a relationship mask themselves as relationship issues. In order to know the difference I always suggest couple and personal counseling. Personal and couple therapy is helpful in healing so you can become a better person.

New Traditions

During the holidays you are being told what traditions are best. Remember that you can make your own. When I was single and with no children I used to put the tree up and have my other friends over to make ornaments. I’m talking about wine, ornament making, and talks about what we wanted to make the holidays. It was good to hear their traditions. As I became a mom, I began to make traditions on my own as well.

Take Control of your Time

The things that I do with mental health during the holidays are pace myself. I don’t overload my calendar. I cut back on media events that I truly don’t want to be at. This time is devoted to my family. I don’t allow commercials to dictate when I should enjoy certain aspects of the holidays. I say NO a lot during this time. I don’t go to every thing I’m invited to. I have a Christmas tree up all year long. It’s not decorated for Christmas. I decorate for all of the holidays. The lights help me to deal with my mental health. The more the lights are off, the more I notice my mood.

Take care of you. Do daily self care as often as you can. Try to eat well during this time. I use my light therapy every night it helps me sleep. I use my weighted blanket too. Whatever you need your mental health is and should be top priority!