How To Beat Holiday Blues
Posted by katie at 11:40 am
With Christmas right around the corner there is so much to think about. Did you get all of your gifts? What are we going to eat? When will there be time to clean the house? The list goes on. While it is a very enjoyable and wonderful time of year it is important to remember that for some, it simply isn’t. With the loss of loved ones, a depressed economy, war, and broken relationships this time of year can be very hard for some people. As we go through our days with the hustle and bustle of shopping, cheer, carols, and busy take time to comfort those you know and don’t know. Be kind to the people in line, be patient if the sales clerk takes a while, you never know what kind of Christmas this person is having and whose father, daughter, brother, sister, friend, or mother has recently fought for your freedom, died unexpectedly, or is simply nowhere to be found. We need each other. Be a part of making someone else’s Christmas just a little brighter. We know the reason for the season… shouldn’t our thoughts, actions and words reflect it? I think so. Recently I found an article about holiday blues. pass this on or use it for yourself.
If you feel blue, try to:
Get out and about: Ask family and friends for help traveling to parties and events. Invite family and friends over.
Volunteer: Helping others is a great mood lifter. To volunteer contact your local United Way (it’s listed in the phone book or check www.unitedway.org); or call local schools, churches, synagogues or mosques and ask about volunteer opportunities in your neighborhood.
Limit the eggnog: Too much alcohol can lower your spirits.
Accept your feelings: There’s nothing “wrong” with not feeling jolly; many people get the blues during the holidays.
Confide in someone: Talk about your feelings; it can help you understand why you feel the way you do.
Recognize warning signs of depression: Holiday blues are usually temporary and mild but depression is more serious and can linger unless you get help. Look for these signs:
- sadness that won’t lift; loss of interest or pleasure
- changes in appetite or weight or sleeping a lot more or a lot less than usual
- crying often
- feeling restless or tired all the time
- feeling worthless or helpless or guilty
- slowed thinking
- thoughts of death or suicide
Start the healing: If you’re depressed, see your healthcare provider. Depression is very treatable.
If an older loved one has the blues or seems depressed:
Include them: Invite them out and to get-togethers. Take into account their needs – for transportation or special diets.
Lend a hand: Offer help with shopping, and preparations for get-togethers in their homes.
Be a good listener: Encourage your loved one to talk about how he or she is feeling. Acknowledge “difficult” feelings, including a sense of loss if family or friends have died or moved away.
Encourage him or her to talk with a healthcare provider: Many older people don’t realize when they’re depressed, so if you suspect depression, you may need to bring it up more than once. Let your loved one know depression is a medical illness and is nothing to be ashamed of.
Where to get more information: For more on depression in older adults visit the Web site of the American Geriatrics Society’s Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA). Go to http://www.healthinaging.org/agingintheknow/chapters_ch_trial.asp?ch=32.
