Dealing With Holiday Depression

There are plenty of reasons during the holidays to make you stressed. So many gifts to buy or wrap. Some have office parties to go to and buy gifts for. Others have neighborhood Christmas parties as well. For some, the biggest source of their stress is family. Many travel during the holidays, which is a pain if you have to fly. The family dinner, along with family that you haven't seen in a while.

Ken Duckworth, MD, medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said that there is a notion that family reunions during holidays are joyful and stress-free, but that's not the case. He concludes that family relationships are complicated, but it does mean you should skip them. So to help you prepare for those stressful moments, I have listed some tips for dealing with your stress.

First, think of what makes you bummed during the holidays? It could be unhappy memories from your childhood. You can be put in a room to share with someone that you've avoided all year. Not all family relationships are good ones. Think about what's changed in your life. It may be a divorce, a death, a son or daughter, even a sibling home from college. For some people it is the same old faces, stale jokes and criticisms that linger on all year.

Deal with them directly. Stop doing the same old things. Maybe if you always eat dinner at your Aunts house , try eating at a siblings house this year. Quit expecting miracles to happen. If you have family conflicts, don't expect to solve them all during the hectic holiday season. Don't stay as long. If you normally stay a week at mom and dads, maybe you should only stay a few days. Stop overdoing it, and don't worry about how things should be anymore.

For many people battling holiday stress, changing expectations and behavior can make a big difference. But not always. David Dunner, MD, director of the Center for Anxiety and Depression in Mercer Island , Wash. , says that sometimes the apparent connections between the holidays and depression may just be coincidental.

Sometimes for people who battle holiday stress, behavior and expectation changes can be enough. But not for everyone. David Dunner, MD and director of the Center for Anxiety and Depression in Mercer, Island , Washington said that depression and the holidays may be coincidental. He is concerned though that some folks may write out serious depression as the holiday blues. It not health to ignore the signs of depression for weeks or months, waiting for the holidays to end.

Holiday stress may be seasonal, but depression can last all year long. If you feel that your holiday stress is interfering with your job or home life, you should talk to a counselor or your physician about it.

Source:http://www.webmd.com/depression/holiday-depression-8/family-stress