Category: depression

Holiday Depression Doesn’t Have to Affect You

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Preparing for & Overcoming Holiday Depression

depressionHolidays bring with them a form of joy and excitement in anticipation of the fun activities that you will be involved in with friends or family. There are wedding ceremonies, summer camps, get-together functions and many other social activities. Holidays are simply about festivities and being merry.

However for some of us, holidays end up ruining our mental fitness by interfering with our high emotions and it is normal since holiday activities demand a lot from an individual, mainly their time and finances. Some of us may end up having what is commonly called holiday depression or anxiety.

There are various ways to cope with this issue among them being planning ahead, learning to be assertive-where you do not say yes to every invitation and planning committee and seeking help and support.

Let us focus on the last coping way listed above-seeking help and support, which is probably one of the most effective ways of dealing with holiday depression.

People find it difficult to expose their issues because they fear embarrassment, judgment or criticism. Some tend to think that they are alone in the particular matter and this greatly inhibits their desire to reach out for help. Meanwhile, the issue continues to burrow its way through our hearts and minds.

One thing you need to know and appreciate is that holiday depression is a common problem.

The whole idea behind seeking support is getting someone to know your problem so that they can bear with you as they help you out of it. There are various things you can do in seeking support against holiday anxiety as listed below.

 

1. Seeking Professional help

This involves people like trained counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists. Make an appointment with well renowned and trustworthy professionals who can help you out of the situation.

These type of people are trained to handle depression and anxiety issues as they guarantee confidentiality and constant check-up as agreed with them.

Psychiatrists go beyond talking sessions since their profession is based on a medical perspective. They can prescribe drugs that will help you, depending on how the situation is.

2. Talk to a close confidant

A confidant is someone you can confide in. It can be your spouse, your boyfriend or girlfriend, a colleague at work, your teacher, your parents/guardian etc. This is someone who you are sure they can listen to you and sympathize with you. However you need to be sure that they will not only bear your issue but they are wise enough to help you out or commend you to trustworthy people who can.

The best people to talk to are older experienced people, or people you know that have been through holiday depression and they got out. Their recovery journey can inspire your own well enough to get out of it.

3. Join a Support Group

A support group is a group of people who share a common problem/disorder. They get to share their experiences through their journey hence providing emotional support and encouragement to one another.

The main advantage of this is to help you discover that you are not alone and that you may not be going through very tough situation compared to others. It enables you to place yourself based on the depression and you can even extrapolate your time of recovery.

Another major benefit is to help you relate with others better. Most depression and anxiety disorder cases are based on relationships at various levels, i.e. from professional to intimate relationships. Community groups will bear with your weak points and walk you through how to develop counter strength.

4. Reach out socially

One characteristic of holidays is people. You get to meet many new people as well as reconnecting with old friends and family in social events and activities. Do not let the anxiety confine you or limit you to withdrawal. Interact with old friends, family and make a point to know a new friend.

In the course of the interaction, you may get to meet someone who can help you out of your problem too.

Holiday depression is real and can seriously impact you, your family and friends not to mention your health.

Use the above tips to help you overcome any holiday depression that may arise during this festive season.

To your success

Michael W

Michael W

You can contact Michael by using the form below.

Winter Depression Can Be Beaten If You Know How

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Overcome Your Winter Depression

seasonal affected disorderIn North America, it is estimated that 50 to 60 percent of the population is affected by winter depression. There is a broad spectrum of symptoms that arise, from a change in sleep patterns and weight gain, to overwhelming suicidal thoughts and the unfortunate results. This means about half of the people you know are depressed in the wintertime!

Wintertime depression is most common north and south of the equator. People who live near the equator have a very low incidence of winter depression. The reason for this is they live where there are enough daylight hours to avoid triggering the hormone imbalance that causes depression. What matters is the length of the day (daylight hours), not the weather. Depression in the winter is called “Seasonal Affective Disorder.”

People who live in northern climates suffer because of the seasonally shortened days. Just as trees lose their leaves when the days shorten, people lose their happiness. People who live where the days shorten seasonally are victims of the brain’s chemical reaction to lesser hours of daylight.

If you live in a climate where daylight hours are shortened there are a few things you can do to help overcome Season Affective Disorder.

You can use light therapy to extend the hours of daylight in your day. Light therapy is the most effective depression treatment known. Sit near a small bank of lights for a couple of hours each day.

You need a fixture that will hold four-foot long fluorescent bulbs. Buy the best ‘grow’ lights. The kind that is best for plants. They are the closest match to the spectrum of sunlight. Do not use standard fluorescent bulbs. They are too green and will actually drain the energy out of you. Research shows the best time to treat winter depression with light therapy is early in the morning. The best time is probably the first task of the day. You could sit quietly near the lights to read uplifting material before you begin your day.

In addition, try to following tips:

  • stick to a daily routine.
  • go to bed on time so you can do your light therapy first thing in the mornings.
  • try to avoid annoying people.
  • arrive at work early. Plan your day. Make a list of what you want to accomplish and check things off as you accomplish them.
  • have challenging projects for when you are not fighting winter depression.
  • decide that the weather not affect your mood. You cannot change the weather.
  • if the weather is bad, allow a little extra time to get to work. Accept the weather as it is and move on.
  • improve your health. Eat healthier foods.
  • exercise. Walking is one of the best exercises for depression. It is nearly impossible to think bad thoughts while you are walking briskly.
  • drink plenty of water.

In conclusion, don’t give up on yourself. If you still feel bad after you have done the entire above mentioned, yell for help! If you can’t talk to your family or a friend, talk to your personal physician. See a nurse in a clinic, or a psychologist. Do not keep your feelings inside. There are all kinds of help for people who suffer from any kind of depression.

Seasonal depression can be defeated, you just need to understand it and make some small changes to your daily routine and you can beat winter or seasonal depression.

To your success

Michael W

Michael W

You can contact Michael to talk about this and other issues by using the contact form below.