Many people believe that suicide is at its highest in December and January or right after Christmas. That is not true according to the US Center for Disease Control (CDC). Suicides are actually higher in the spring and summer. I think the reason people believe that suicide is highest following the holidays is because the holidays are so hard on most of us. We spend too much money, we eat too much food, we feel excluded or over-included and we feel so much pressure to enjoy all of this stress!
The reality is that the holidays can trigger depression for many reasons. You may not be able to make it home for the holidays or perhaps your children can’t make it home this year, or you can’t afford the gifts you feel you need to buy or the lavish meals you want to make. Or, you realize during the holidays that you do not have people in your life with whom you can celebrate. It makes you more lonely than you normally feel. It can be very difficult to see others feeling joyful when we are feeling sad.
Speaking of SAD, or “seasonal affective disorder”, which has nothing to do with the holidays and has everything to do with the change in seasons, it is much more common than you think in December and January affecting nearly “14% of Americans. And it’s often beginning to peak over Christmas and New Years.” (1) To read more on sad click this link – SAD ARTICLE This is true of people who may or may not be dealing with depression already. It includes:
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Problems making dinner
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Difficulty staying focused at work or school
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Inability to enjoy friends
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Difficulty getting out of bed
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Overeating
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Not Exercising
The important thing to remember though is that there are many ways to manage the holiday blues that have been shown to be very effective. The following is a list of some of the strategies that I have found the most helpful for my patients.
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Limit alcohol – first and foremost is to limit your alcohol intake. The best way to do that is to try not to keep it at home.Likewise, if you’re attending a party and you know alcohol will be served, limit yourself to one or two drinks. Alcohol is a depressant. People forget about that because it relaxes you. But it damages the brain every time you drink and it has very negative side effects and consequences even in small amounts.
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Get plenty of sleep – sleep is probably the most important thing that you can do and the worst thing that you can ignore especially during the holidays. Good sleep restores us. It enables us to do the extra things that need to be done during the holidays. So if you’re one of those people that stays up all night, just stop! Put that social media to bed, turn off that TV, stop obsessing about work and get a good night’s sleep.
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Be open to new traditions – better yet start your own traditions 🙂 Maybe a tradition that you always loved is virtually impossible for whatever reason. Let it go. On the other hand, there are some traditions that we should keep because they have so much meaning and because they give us such peace. Know the difference and act accordingly.
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Say “no” – to the things you really don’t need to do and really don’t want to do. Don’t be guilted into overcommitting and overextending yourself. Overscheduling is one of the worst things you can do during the holiday season to compromise your peace of mind and your physical well-being.
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Spend time with your loved ones no matter what it takes to do so. Have everybody over for cards, or monopoly, or get everybody together for an old Christmas movie and have some homemade popcorn. The point is to avoid spending the holiday alone. Meet your best friend at a coffee shop during the holidays in between shopping. Visit someone in a nursing home who isn’t likely to get many visitors. Volunteer to serve in a soup kitchen.
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Decorate. Even if it’s just a little, even if it’s a tiny tree with the adorable little Christmasy ornaments. Or go all out if you can and turn the house into a winter Wonderland. Whatever makes you feel good.
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Don’t forget to exercise, especially if you are accustomed to regular exercise. Be sure that you work it into your schedule no matter how busy you get. Worst case scenario, plug in your headphones and go for a walk.
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If you have recently experienced a break up, avoid sitting at home and dwelling on the other person. This is crucial. Fill up your calendar with activities, especially activities where you may meet new people such as meetup.com. https://www.meetup.com/ If you are a churchgoer, join some of the groups at church . The point is to do something fun instead of giving into the sadness.
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Avoid overeating – I try very hard not to let the holidays be a time of changing the way I take care of myself when it comes to food. I like to pull a Scarlet O’Hara and what I mean by that is I eat before I go to a big party. I know my food is going to be better and healthier. But if I don’t eat something before I go, I may give in to the urge and I’m always sorry when I do 🙂
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The holidays can be especially difficult for older adults so if you are an older adult make plans accordingly. If you know an older adult, include them in your plans.
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Finally, go to church ( or your place of worship) even if you are not a regular. There is nothing more peaceful to me than a midnight mass or the candlelight service at my childhood church.
Whatever you decide, Happy Holidays from all of us at the Norton Wellness Practice!
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(2008). Phychicitary(Edgemont) 2008 May : 5(5): 31-33. published online May 2008.
