Dealing with the Christmas blues

Do you or someone you know get depressed at this time of the year? Yes, many people get very depressed and down. That's the Christmas blues. Depression around the holiday season is more common than we think. People get depressed for a variety of reasons:

The expectations

This is the time of year when many people have different expectations. The employee expects a bonus. Colleagues at work may be quietly expecting a gift. The children are expecting gifts and various family members and friends have their expectations. Some of these expectations are real and others imagined.

Demands on time

A lot of demands are made on our time at this time of the year. Some people have numerous parties and functions to attend and this can be very demanding. In addition, there are those relatives and friends who may be expecting us to call or visit.

The need to spend

Everything is designed to get us spending at Christmas. Every day we are bombarded with advertisements which are all designed to get us spending. There is a need to decorate the house, to prepare for people coming over and to purchase additional food, the ham, cake, and other special food for Christmas.

Grieving

Many people go through a grieving process at this time of the year. The holidays have a way of taking us back to our childhood and, for many people it brings a lot of joy but it may also bring up a lot of pain. It is the time of year when we reminisce about the times we spent with loved ones who have passed on and this can be very painful for many individuals.

Limited resources

These are tough times and many people are having challenges coping from day to day. The holiday season only puts additional burden on us.

Emotional distress

When the expectations are high, the demands are great and our resources are low this can lead to emotional distress. This distress may lead to the holiday blues or depression.

Signs of depression

The common signs of depression include sadness, lack of pleasure, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, difficulty concentrating and making decisions and having negative thoughts.

Dealing with emotional distress

1) Although the expectation may be high, remember you cannot be everything to all people all times. Do what you can and do not feel guilty if you can't meet everyone's expectations.

2) Spend quality time with family and friends. This is one of the best gifts we can give in life. Reach out to family members and friends you haven't seen in a long while a call or a visit can make the world of a difference.

3) Manage your spending. Do not be tempted to spend excessively. The reality is that shopping can be a pleasurable experience and many people shop when they are going through emotional distress. Watch your spending and shopping this holiday. Separate your wants from your needs and focus on those needs.

4) Get out and enjoy yourself. There many activities around that do not require spending. Find out what is happening and take some time to enjoy yourself. Do not allow yourself to be overcome by emotional distress.

Dr Wendel Abel is a consultant psychiatrist and head, Section of Psychiatry, Dept. Of Community Health and Psychiatry, University of the West Indies, Mona, 977-1108; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.