How to Manage the Blues this Holiday Season

Blue Christmas, anyone? Holiday time can be wonderful, worrisome, energizing and depressing — all at the same time.

There is no doubt about it: The holidays can be darn hard, especially when the season dredges up painful feelings or memories. Rather than stirring merry and joyful feelings, the end of the year can feel sad, dark and lonesome — especially when you are missing someone or wrestling with stressors such as financial strain.

“It’s important to know that it’s OK to not feel festive during this season,” Katie Godshall, a clinical assistant professor in social work at the University of New Hampshire, said.

Realize that these feelings are perfectly normal, she advises.

“If you’re coping with loss or loneliness, it can be significantly more difficult to feel joyful,” Godshall said, stressing that feeling a little blue doesn’t mean that you have failed. “It’s important to remember to be kind to yourself, look for a little help and try to find some comfort,” she notes.

If you, like many others, are managing loss, anxiety and stress around the holidays this year, consider how to give yourself a little grace and focus on your mental health.

Godshall offers basic tips and steps to help beat the blues or comfort a loved one who are struggling this holiday season.

15 Steps to Help Ease the Holiday Blues

1. Try not to feel guilty. There may be regret or guilt around not feeling jolly and that can lead to even more isolation. “Shame is such a universal experience and yet it is so isolating,” Godshall noted in a news release. “It’s easy to question yourself. ‘What’s wrong with me?’ ‘Should I be feeling this way?’ Trying to be aware, be active and communicate your feelings can help normalize the situation.”

2. Get out and about. Take a walk. Exercise can help stimulate the body’s feel-good endorphins. Even a short walk can help you feel energized.

3. Volunteer. Getting involved can boost your mood and help others who may be struggling during the season.

4. Reach out to someone you know you can talk to. Call a friend and invite them to coffee. Visit. If they don’t live locally, send them an email, or even a holiday card.

5. Be kind to yourself. Accept your emotions and remember that you are not alone. Many people experience sadness and feelings of loss, according to Godshall. If you’re missing a loved one, celebrate them — watch a favorite classic movie, make a family dish or continue a family tradition that they loved.

6. Expand your idea of self-care. It’s not just about bubble baths and manicures, says Godshall. Making the bed or doing the dishes can give a positive sense of taking back control, she stated.

7. Practice moderation. Beware of triggers like drinking. Alcohol is a depressant and it can interfere with your sleep cycle.

8. Focus on your breath. To help with jaw-clenching moments of stress or anxiety, Godshall noted to take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Repeating this several times can slow down your thoughts and help create calm.

9. Tap into and embrace your senses. If there was a shortcut to mindfulness, it would be paying attention. Focus on sights, sounds and smells, Godshall said, adding that “the cold air on a walk or the taste and smell of hot cocoa, can help ground the body.”

10. Check on those around you. It’s important to also keep an eye on family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers who are having a hard time. Remember to check in.

11. Help others who are struggling. Make time for people who have dealt with emotional challenges recently. Call, drop by with coffee, or send a note.

12. Don’t be shy. Be honest and ask how they are doing, or tell them you can see they are having a hard time.

13. Offer to help. Seniors or friends with chronic conditions may need help decorating, shopping, cooking, or getting to church services or events. Alternatively, you can just be there and listen.

14. Notice new symptoms. Watch for warning signs of depression, such as sadness that lingers, loss of interest in doing anything, changes in appetite or weight, frequent crying, decreased energy, increased fatigue or trouble concentrating, Godshall added.

15. Get help if you need it, or even if you might need it. If you suspect depression or anxiety in someone or in yourself, remember that good treatment is available.

If someone expresses thoughts of self-harm or suicide, dial 988 for the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

More information

The American Psychological Association has more on managing grief around the holidays.

SOURCE: University of New Hampshire, news release, Dec. 12, 2024.

Source: HealthDay