Ho! Ho! Ho!….Season’s Greetings….Merry Christmas…..these are the expected sentiments at this time of year. But what if you can’t muster up a “seasonal” greeting, anything “merry”, or even come close to a “jolly” laugh? What if in fact you are struggling with feelings of increased sadness and or anxiety? The holidays can often heightened these draining feelings. The culprit for these intense feelings is often tied to the stress created by unrealistic expectations we place on ourselves to achieve the “perfect” holiday experience; commercialism, or tension and unresolved issues among family members and/or a recent death of a loved one. In addition, your normal coping skills aren’t enough to manage the increased stress. If any of this sounds familiar you may be experiencing the “holiday blues” or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The symptoms you experience may mimic clinical depression:

• Ongoing feelings of sadness, anxiety, irritability or a feeling of “emptiness”
• Feelings of hopelessness, guilt or helplessness
• Difficulty thinking, concentration or making decisions
• Trouble sleeping; over sleeping
• Decreased energy; fatigue
• Loss of interest in hobbies or activities that were once pleasurable

One key difference between holiday blues and clinical depression is that the symptoms related to holiday blues fade within 2 weeks. Symptoms of depression persist for an extended period of time and may have no association with the time of the year, holidays or a particular event.

No matter which diagnosis you fall under there is hope. These are a few steps that can be taken to help lighten the holiday blues:

• Be intentional to spend time with friends that are comforting and encouraging
• Journal memories and/or thoughts and feelings
• Increase physical activity to enhance general mood
• Allow yourself to cry….tears can be cleansing and therapeutic
• Take time to serve others in some way….big or small
• Seek out a Licensed Counselor

Article by Christy Billings, MS, LPC