How to Get Through The Holidays When You’re Depressed
Everyone around you seems to be celebrating, but you’ve got a bad case of the holiday blues. Here’s tip 4 how to cope.
4. KNOW YOU’RE NOT ALONE
Whether you’ve experienced a loss that is weighing on you or you’re simply not feeling all that festive, the holiday blues are common. One study by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that 44% of women and 31% of men report increased stress during the holidays due to issues such as lack of time and money and pressure to give or get gifts.
Another study by the National Alliance on Mental Illness found that 64% of people who have been diagnosed with a mental illness say that the holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day makes their condition “somewhat” or “a lot” worse. The “holiday blues” are often caused by high expectations, loneliness, and stress. Just understanding that you’re not the only person feeling this way can alleviate some of the loneliness you feel, Saltz says.
