5 Tips for Managing Depression During the Holidays

Tis the season to be jolly, unless you’re plagued by depression. The financial strain, overwhelming schedules, and fraught family dynamics that often accompany the holidays can compound feelings of worry and despair.

To help you better cope during this chaotic time, board-certified psychiatric nurse Tammie Smith, ACNS-BC, and her team at Mindful Mental Health in Springdale, Arkansas, offer the following five tips:

1. Plan ahead for socialization

The holiday season places an inescapable emphasis on family, togetherness, and celebration. If you have recently lost a loved one, live far from family, or are estranged from them, the contrast can trigger grief and isolation. 

Combat this by planning a few activities, so you have something on the calendar to look forward to. Allow yourself time to focus on the positives of spending quality time with a few friends or family members, and feel gratitude for their presence in your life.

2. Know the power of no

If you’re already feeling overwhelmed, understand how powerful the word no can be. Saying yes to everything can increase your stress and lead to a worsening of your depression.

If you’re asked or expected to participate in events that don’t appeal to you or activities for which you don’t have time, be confident in the decision to protect your own time by saying no.

3. Stay focused on your health goals

Even though there’ve been many changes to people’s everyday routines in the last few months, you must stay on track with the goals you’ve set for yourself throughout the holidays.

If you are working on improving your healthy eating habits, don’t use the holidays as an excuse to overindulge. Setting yourself back on all your hard work can lead to depression long after the holidays have ended.

Spend time every day recommitting to a healthier you. If you enjoy yourself a little too much at a holiday gathering, make a point to do more exercise to burn off the excess calories and stress.

4. Avoid using drugs and alcohol to cope

Substances are unhealthy coping mechanisms that can worsen your feelings of anxiety and depression. They may offer temporary relief by numbing pain, but they eventually deplete stabilizing neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA. Over time, this causes a severe chemical depletion and fuels a cycle of worsening depression.

5. Seek professional help

If your symptoms are escalating, we’re here to help. Contact the compassionate psychiatric professionals at Mindful Mental Health in Springdale, Arkansas today.