Dealing with Holiday Depression

Many clients feel down during the holidays. Holidays can be a reminder of past pain, loneliness, and failures. But they don't have to be a trigger for depression. They can be a reminder to heal old traumas, mend relationships, and grieve. Instead of accepting depression, acknowledge that you may feel some symptoms but they don't need to control you. Personal growth may require some discomfort. Remember, you can handle it by applying self-care and seeking support from a professional.

Here are 3 tips to tackle holiday depression:

1. Maintain your everyday self-care by valuing it as high as the holiday special events. For example, if you jog every morning before breakfast, make a point to keep that going. Plan the special activities around that self-care.

2. Communicate expectations and boundaries that protect your self-care. Permit yourself to tell your loved ones what you will and will not do over the holidays so that you can prioritize your mental health. It may sound like, “I’m happy to join you at the holiday brunch (after I finish my workout). I will not be on time, you can expect me to arrive about 15 minutes late. I respect your time, so if my arrival time doesn’t work, I will have to miss the brunch this time around. Thanks for understanding.”

3. Gently challenge your expectation that your holidays ALWAYS feel depressing and there is NOTHING you can do about it. Words such as always and nothing may be indications of overgeneralizing and/or catastrophizing. Rein yourself in when you notice your thoughts becoming assumptions of the worst. Think to yourself, Is that really true? Is it absolutely guaranteed that I will feel depressed? Instead, think I might feel depressed again this year, but it also might not be as intense as I predict it will be. And if it hits me hard, I know that I can get through it.