What is holiday depression and how to deal with it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

On holidays, not everyone succeeds in sharing the atmosphere of universal joy. But it is quite possible to cope with melancholy and melancholy.

New Year is most often associated with a long-awaited vacation, an opportunity to spend time with loved ones, a herring under a fur coat, gifts and fireworks. But for many people, holidays, alas, are not at all a reason for joy. This is the period when they have to fight melancholy or even depression, when they just want to wrap themselves in a blanket, lie down and cry. And so that no of your New Year's films, Christmas tree garlands and tangerines. This condition is called holiday depression. We figure out why it occurs and how to cope with it.

Where does holiday depression come from?

There are several main reasons for this.

1. Exacerbation of chronic conditions

Holiday depression is not diagnosed in any medical reference book. But it used to be seasonal affective disorder, which is now called recurrent depressive disorder with a seasonal nature. This is a condition when sadness, melancholy, changes in sleep and appetite, lack of pleasure, weakness and other symptoms appear several times a year, usually in autumn and winter, and disappear by summer.

If holidays, such as New Years, coincide with a depressive period, stress, fuss and fatigue may worsen the condition a little. This is often stated by people with mental disorders. As a result, all the pre-holiday weeks and vacations after them turn into an unpleasant dreary time.

2. Loneliness and social isolation

90% of Russians celebrate the New Year with family or friends. With other celebrations and important dates, things are hardly different. Accordingly, a person who has no loved ones feels thrown overboard of this celebration of life.

If on ordinary days such a person has things to do and work, then during a long vacation he is alone with himself, with his problems and experiences. And this can be very difficult.

3. Experiencing loss

If a person recently lost a loved one, the sadness and feeling of loss during the holidays can become even stronger. A festive atmosphere, joyful companies, an empty seat at the New Year's table - all this will be a very sharp reminder of the loss.

4. Stress, fatigue and waste

These are holidays for children - sheer joy and no worries. And adults, in order to provide this joy for themselves and their loved ones, need to do a lot: earn money (on average, about 25 thousand rubles), buy food, prepare and organize everything.

It can be difficult to find time and energy for the pre-holiday chores, and even so that a good mood remains and is not covered with a heavy blanket of melancholy.

5. Unrealistic expectations

We planned a holiday like in a movie: with a huge shining Christmas tree, identical pajamas for the whole family, a mountain of gifts and happy household members - but it did not turn out quite like that. There was not enough space for a large Christmas tree, all the pajamas were dismantled, and relatives managed to quarrel right on New Year's Eve. Here comes annoyance, painful reflections and lingering sadness.

How to deal with holiday depression

Here are the recommendations given by doctors and psychologists.

1. Don't be afraid to destroy traditions

Who said that the holidays must be met at the family table? Maybe the ideal option is to go to the snow-white beach of Tanzania, uncork a bottle of wine there, light a sparkler and look at the starry sky alone. Or order yourself some delicious food and watch all the films in one gulp for which there was not enough time in the past year. Or dress warmly, go to the city skating rink and circle there on the ice, enjoying the atmosphere of universal joy and fun.

In fact, there are no hard and fast rules. We ourselves try to drive ourselves into tight boxes of conventions, and when we fail, we get upset. You definitely need to celebrate exactly the way you feel comfortable. Or even not celebrate at all if you don't feel like it.

2. Try to lower expectations

A modest budget celebration doesn't mean a bad one. A family that wants to sit at home and watch cartoons instead of going tobogganing like you planned does not necessarily spoil the holiday to spite you.

Try to adjust your requirements, match them with reality and accept everything as it is. It can be difficult, but taking this approach is a much healthier practice than worrying about things that cannot be changed and thus poisoning your mood.

3. Talk to loved ones

Tell them what is happening to you. First, so they will know that you are not offended or angry with them, but sad, and you need help. And secondly, together you will be able to compose such a holiday scenario so that you all feel good. Maybe go on a visit or celebrate at home in a very narrow circle. Or - again - not celebrate at all.

4. Don't compare yourself to others

If necessary, even uninstall social networking applications for the time being and do not access them from your browser. All these illustrations of a happy holiday, rich life and fabulous romance, licked to an ideal state, are created precisely in order to show off to others and cause envy. And a person who is not very stable anyway, they can seriously upset: everything is not so sugar with him.

It is better to focus only on yourself, your capabilities and needs, and not try to keep up with a glossy picture that does not correspond to the truth.

5. Do not get out of the regime

Try to stick to roughly the same lifestyle as during non-holiday time. Eat regularly, stay up not too late, and stay awake until lunchtime. Yes, during the holidays, slight indulgences are possible, but it is important that life does not turn into complete chaos. Stability and habitual rituals help not to stick out and keep the mood more or less even.

6. Get professional help

If it is very difficult for you, you cannot cope on your own, you have suicidal thoughts - be sure to go to a psychotherapist. He will help to understand the causes of the condition and choose a treatment.