Even though the holiday season brings joy and happiness to many, there are others where the holiday season causes grief, anxiety, depression and stress. Some of the anxiety people might experience could be due to the loss of a loved one, loneliness, unhappiness, or just “the season.” The holiday season is especially hard for people with chronic anxiety or depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 40 million adults (18% of the population) struggle with anxiety. About half of people with depression also experience anxiety. Thankfully there are a number of treatment options including therapy and medications which can help relieve anxiety, yet only about a third of people seek treatment.
Stress caused by the holidays on the other hand can affect people who are already dealing with depression or anxiety, and people who are not, but are just overwhelmed with all of the activities of the holidays. Some people pride themselves on being “super- moms or dads” and want every holiday detail perfect, but the reality is this is just not possible with all of the things going on in the world today.
When people experience stress, people’s daily lives are often impacted with changes such as your health or the health of your loved ones, difficulty or changes in your sleeping and eating, difficulty concentrating, worsening of chronic medical conditions, or increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.
Although everyone has their own set of coping skills on how to manage difficult situations, here are some suggestions that might make the holiday season a more enjoyable and less stressful for you and your loved ones:
- Take care of your body. Exercise, sleep, eat healthy, and limit alcohol and caffeine. Physical activity will help ease anxiety.
- Pay attention to your breathing. If you are breathing quickly, slow it down. Practice breathing exercises by taking long breaths through your nose, holding it for the count of three, and exhaling slowly.
- Take notice of your surroundings. Take breaks from watching, reading or listening to the news, including social media. Changes to your environment can help reduce anxiety.
- Take care of your soul. Pray.
- Listen to music. Listening to music can lower blood pressure and heart rate.
- Take care of your mind. Learn to meditate and practice mindfulness.
- Take care of your emotional self. Make time to unwind. Relax.
- Try and find some laughter in your life. Laughing increases oxygen levels and helps muscles relax.
- Connect with others and talk about your fears and concerns. Talking to someone can offer a new perspective on how you feel. If you feel you cannot talk with a friend or relative, consider reaching out to a priest, counsellor, or healthcare provider.
- Find an activity or hobby that takes your mind off yourself.
- Consider starting a gratitude journal which will help reduce negative thoughts and help you remember the good things in your life.
- Practice self-care. Try and relax and do something that makes you feel good.
If you or someone you care about are feeling overwhelmed, sad, depressed, and are having difficulty coping, or feel like harming themselves or others:
- Call 911
- Call the Macomb County Community Mental Health Crisis Line call 586-307-9100, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.