Sounds familiar? Yesterday everything was in order, but today you woke up completely crushed: ordinary daily tasks are difficult, and besides, the list of tasks has been replenished with important points, “because it is a day off.”
For example,
- you need to finally find the perfect gifts for dear people for the coming holidays;
- gather strength and call relatives with whom you have not communicated for a year;
- prepare for a shopping mall expedition – try to figure out what clothes to buy for a party so as not to look fat,
- etc. etc.
Special events that are usually spread out throughout the year – like birthdays and anniversaries – suddenly concentrate in a few busy weeks. Actually, you should be happy. But somehow time seems to slow down and you fall into a deep, dark abyss of depression. Is this a situational phenomenon? Or are you suffering from seasonal mood disorder?
To answer this question, we turned to Katherine Schreiber’s article for greatist.com. We thought it might be helpful to share this important information about the traditional holiday blues as well as the newer concept of Seasonal Mood Disorder (SAD).
- What explains the emergence of a festive blues – and what we generally call a festive blues; what are the signs and symptoms of this condition and is it really a form of seasonal mood disorder?
The holiday blues are commonly referred to as the depression and stress associated with the holiday season. It can start before Thanksgiving and last until the New Year. If the opinion that centuries ago, the Blue Devil was blamed for the appearance of the blues (from the English blues – “blue”), who filled the hearts of people with melancholy. Gradually, the term took root in the medical community and began to be widely used to refer to a bad mood or depressive state. Seasonal mood disorder is a different phenomenon.
- How much is seasonal mood disorder related to holiday blues?
People with seasonal mood disorder do suffer from clinical depression, which arises from the characteristics of their bodies: for example, in this way their body can respond to the decrease in the amount of sunlight in winter. Usually the NRC lasts several months; the holiday blues are more time-limited and tied to specific situations – more precisely, the holiday season.
NRF also involves a host of physical and physiological changes associated with depression: for example, difficulty falling asleep or excessive sleepiness, increased or decreased appetite, lack of energy, difficulty remembering new information or behavior in different situations, irritability, anger, or even worse – a desire to isolate …
Light therapy methods are available to help people cope with the bodily response to seasonal shortening of daylight hours that can cause distress.
In people with a festive blues, such deep symptoms are almost never encountered. Usually their blues are associated with a specific situation and represent sadness or depression, the basis of which is purely psychological. In other words, something happened in the past – perhaps at the same time of year – and now these holidays always make you feel sad.
- How can you best prepare for the holiday blues: What strategies (behavioral or otherwise) to use to deal with these unpleasant sensations before, during and after the holidays? How to enjoy the holidays and prevent unpleasant emotions from arising after the exchange of gifts takes place – and we return to our desktops, our usual activities, and try to get back into the work rhythm?
First, you need to accept the fact that the holiday season is always special: it is full of love, empathy and generosity, not in a commercial sense, but rather in an inner, deeper sense. Be generous with smiles and laughter, empathize with others and be sensitive to their needs, especially in difficult situations (such as long lines at the checkout). Of course, your day may well have turned out to be difficult – but suddenly the man over there had it even worse! In addition, you need to find time for gratitude and well-deserved praise, which can change another’s day for the better.
Secondly, life can be made easier with good planning. If you feel that you have taken on too many obligations: attending events, struggling with the flow of people who want to buy the best gifts for loved ones and so on, ease the burden on yourself. Be as selective as possible about what you are going to do. Of course, the fulfillment of some responsibilities simply cannot be avoided – for example, it is important and necessary to visit relatives. However, you can certainly find optional tasks. Instead of rushing into the crowd of shopping malls, take advantage of the advantages that information technology offers us – shop and connect with loved ones via the Internet. Start early and / or complete tasks in your spare time. Don’t try to take too much on yourself; do not become a martyr;
Changing attitudes in a positive direction – less fussing, more empathy – will help improve your mood. And when you feel that the blues are near, be sure to remember that this feeling is temporary, you can handle it. Think about the power of a smile to illuminate your inner landscape and even the outer world.
Finally, learn to identify and manage triggers for this condition. The events of the past should not prevent you from enjoying the present. Try to correct your negative past time perspective and the behavioral changes associated with it. Stay in the moment and appreciate all the good things that are happening now. You do not have to give in to the festive blues from now on every year. Focus on the joyful, allow yourself to have new experiences; allow yourself to feel happy. Perhaps this is the year that you will be able to break the cycle of depression and missed chances and discover the wealth of opportunities that open up every day. Each of us can really afford to enjoy the moment: new season, new year, new ourselves.
- What are the main misconceptions (in the public or professional establishment) regarding the holiday blues?
The most important misconception is that the holiday blues do not “actually” exist – although, of course, they do. It is not necessary to take medications if you are susceptible to it, it is enough to think about the current situation and change something. Perhaps in a clinical sense, this is not so serious a phenomenon, but it is more than real and spoils people’s mood for long weeks, and sometimes longer.
- How does what we focus on during the holidays (or after) change our mood – and what strategies are there for shifting our focus to form a happier, healthier outlook after the holidays are over?
What we focus on throughout the holidays is really important; but perhaps even more important is how we do it. It’s all about the choice. We choose to think good or bad. In particular, if something sad or unpleasant happened last year at the same time of year, we may not replay what happened in our thoughts over and over again, mired in sadness and a sense of loss.
Instead, you can remember other good things that happened to you during the holidays. If the task seems difficult, start small: pay attention to a beautiful garland or decoration, the smell of pine needles. Remember the taste of seasonal dishes, the feeling of warmth after returning from frost. When we get stuck in past negative experiences, they can poison our sense of the present and our expectations for the future. So decide to stay positive! Strive to live a zen-like life in the happy here and now.
- Is the advice for people struggling with the holiday blues different from different age groups, with or without children, with different relationship status and gender? If so, how and what features of this condition for which population groups is it important to know?
With the exception of children and young adolescents, who find it difficult to truly grasp the concept of the future and future-oriented thinking, and older people who may develop age-related diseases (such as Alzheimer’s disease), the recommendations are the same regardless of age, gender, having children or relationship.
Elderly people are more susceptible to festive blues than others. This is quite understandable: most likely, they have experienced more losses. They are at an age when people who are important to them – spouses, family members and friends – begin to pass away. Perhaps they had to move from their home to a nursing home or to an adult child. They lose strength, energy, health. And if they suffer from age-related diseases, they may not be able to take advice that could help. However, they, like everyone else, deserve love, attention and respect. If you have to visit an elderly relative on the upcoming holidays, try to divert the discussion towards fond memories; make the past a part of your positive present.
For everyone else, there is nothing easier than feeding on positive past experiences – no matter how rough your life has been; undoubtedly something good was happening in her. The only question is to decide to remember it: the good old days or the joy in the present.
Try to cover up negative experiences with positive ones. Reduce stress: Reduce stress, simplify your agenda so that the holidays can be an excuse to have a joyful and enjoyable time. Give preference to activities that make you happier and bring you closer to the people you love. Perhaps it is worth introducing the younger generation to simple, but important traditions for you … or together to come up with something new. Finally, take some time for yourself – spare yourself.
