Some Tips for Managing Depression During The Holidays

“Happy Holidays”

Paradoxically end of year and new year celebrations can cause the blues.

The holidays can be an especially stressful time.  Even though we understand that we are dealing with extra pressure on top of our everyday stress, we may expect ourselves to handle more than we can.  We may not feel happy but we may feel pressured to “be happy.”

Having a list of simple reminders on how to manage sad feelings can help.  Here is a sample to get you started on you list.

Take a quiet moment for a cup of tea or hot chocolate.

                          Use the time to make a list of simple activities that make you feel better.

HEALTH

o   First thing in the morning. Give yourself a foot massage before you get out of bed.  Use some of your favorite body lotion or aromatic oil.

o   Sleep eight hours a night.  If you don’t have a good night’s sleep take a 20 to 30 minute nap during the day.

o   Go for a thirty minute walk in the fresh air.

o   Be sure to drink plenty of water.

o   Use 15 minutes during the day to pray, meditate or just to sit still and listen to yourself breathe.

o   Keep fresh fruit in the house so you can nibble on an apple or plum.

o   Remember to listen to music to help lift your mood.  Music is amazing.  You can wildly dance out your stress all alone in your kitchen or listen to soft classical music while you waltz around your living room.

TAKING BREAKS

o   Shut off the phone and relax in a warm bubble bath.

o   Look at photographs which remind you of nice times in your life.

o   Call a dear friend or family member who you have been thinking about.

o   Play with your pet for awhile.

o   Keep a pile of your favorite poetry, book of quotations or even the farmer’s almanac so you can have a short reading break whenever you like.

o   Each day take one thing off of your “Must-Do for Christmas” list.  Unless the task will cause the end of the world, you will probably be better off giving yourself permission to do less.

CREATE

o   Write a few lines in your gratitude book.

o   Bake YOUR favorite Christmas cookies.

o   Perhaps you don’t think of yourself as an artist but it can be fun to keep a set of colored pencils on the kitchen counter so you can doodle a little bit with the colors when you need to change your thoughts.

FEELINGS

o   Pay attention to your inner voice.  When you catch yourself thinking a negative thought; write it down.  Under the negative thought rewrite the thought in a positive way.  For example,

§  Negative thought. “I wish I were a better mother like all the parents I know from Jenny’s school.”

§  Positive thought.   “I’m too busy to volunteer at the school like other mothers but Jenny is a healthy, happy child. I am a good mother.

o   Ask for help when you start feeling tired.

o   Louise L. Hay has some excellent tips and positive affirmations in her book “You Can Heal Your Life.”  At times when you have given up on ever having a nicely organized house again, that’s the perfect time to start “creating a change.”  Ms Hay suggests you start reminding yourself several times during the day “I am now very well organized.”  You won’t immediately be able to see your floor under the wrapping paper or find the cinnamon on your kitchen counter, but one has to start somewhere.  Take the first step by deciding what you want to change, then “create the change” by reminding the universe and yourself about your great organizational skills.  Starting this habit can help lift a person’s spirits surprisingly quickly.

o   Before you fall asleep for the night.  Practice giving yourself compliments on all you accomplished during the day.

Louise Hay’s books can be found at this weblink, www.hayhouse.com.

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