Relaxing Family Holidays for the Taking at Alvor » stress depression http://www.unknownsoldiermovie.com Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:55:38 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 Stress, Depression, and the Holidays: 12 Tips for Coping http://www.unknownsoldiermovie.com/stress-depression-and-the-holidays-12-tips-for-coping/ http://www.unknownsoldiermovie.com/stress-depression-and-the-holidays-12-tips-for-coping/#comments Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:01:41 +0000 admin http://www.unknownsoldiermovie.com/stress-depression-and-the-holidays-12-tips-for-coping Author: Arthur Buchananbr
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Stress and depression can ruin your holidays. Heres how to keep the sparkle.
For some people, the holidays bring unwelcome guests ? stress and depression. And its no wonder. In an effort to pull off a perfect Hallmark holiday, you might find yourself facing a dizzying array of demands ? work, parties, shopping, baking, cleaning, caring for kids on school break or elderly parents, and scores of other chores. So much for peace and joy, right?
Actually, with some practical tips, you can minimize the stress and depression that often accompany the holidays. You may even end up enjoying the holidays more than you thought you would.
The trigger points of holiday stress
Holiday stress and depression are often the result of three main trigger points. Understanding these trigger points can help you plan ahead on how to accommodate them.
Here are the three issues that commonly trigger holiday stress or depression:
Relationships. Relationships can cause turmoil, conflict or stress at any time. But tensions are often heightened during the holidays. Family misunderstandings and conflict can intensify ? especially if youre all thrust together for several days. Conflicts are bound to arise with so many needs and interests to accommodate. On the other hand, if youre facing the holidays without a loved one, you may find yourself especially lonely or sad.
Finances. Like your relationships, your financial situation can cause stress at any time of the year. Overspending during the holidays on gifts, travel, food and entertainment can increase stress as you try to make ends meet while ensuring that everyone on your shopping list is happy.
Physical demands. The strain of shopping, attending social gatherings and preparing holiday meals can wipe you out. Feeling exhausted can increase your stress, creating a vicious cycle. Exercise and sleep ? good antidotes for stress and fatigue ? may take a back seat to chores and errands. High demands, stress, lack of exercise, and overindulgence in food and drink ? these are the ingredients for holiday illness.
12 pre-emptive strategies for holiday stress
When stress is at its peak, its hard to stop and regroup. Take steps to help prevent normal holiday depression from progressing into chronic depression. Try these tips:
Acknowledge your feelings. If a loved one has recently died or you arent near loved ones, realize that its normal to feel sadness and grief. Its OK now and then to take time just to cry or express your feelings. You dont have to force yourself to be happy just because its the holiday season.
Seek support. If you feel isolated or down, seek out family members and friends, or community, religious or social services. They can offer support and companionship. Consider volunteering at a community or religious function. Getting involved and helping others can lift your spirits and broaden your social circle. Also, enlist support for organizing holiday gatherings, as well as meal preparation and cleanup. You dont have to go it alone. Dont be a martyr.
Be realistic. As families change and grow, traditions often change as well. Hold on to those you can, if you want to. But understand that in some cases that may no longer be possible. Perhaps your entire extended family cant gather together at your house. Instead, find new ways to celebrate together from afar, such as sharing pictures, e-mails or videotapes.
Set differences aside.
Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they dont live up to your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. With stress and activity levels high, the holidays might not be conducive to making quality time for relationships. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are, theyre feeling the effects of holiday stress, too.
Stick to a budget. Before you go shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend on gifts and other items. Then be sure to stick to your budget. If you dont, you could feel anxious and tense for months afterward as you struggle to pay the bills. Dont try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Donate to a charity in someones name, give homemade gifts or start a family gift exchange.
Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make one big food-shopping trip. Thatll help prevent a last-minute scramble to buy forgotten ingredients ? and youll have time to make another pie if the first ones a flop. Allow extra time for travel so that delays wont worsen your stress.
Learn to say no. Believe it or not, people will understand if you cant do certain projects or activities.
If you say yes only to what you really want to do, youll avoid feeling resentful and overwhelmed. If its really not possible to say no to something ? your boss asks you to work overtime ? try to remove something from your agenda to make up for the lost time.
Dont abandon healthy habits. Dont let the holidays become a dietary free-for-all. Some indulgence is OK, but overindulgence may add to your stress and guilt. Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you dont go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks. Continue to get plenty of sleep and schedule time for physical activity.
Take a breather. While you may not have time every day for a silent night, make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Steal away to a quiet place, even if its the bathroom, for a few moments of solitude. Take a walk at night and stargaze. Listen to soothing music. Find something that clears your mind, slows your breathing and restores your calm.
Rethink resolutions. Resolutions can set you up for failure if theyre unrealistic. Dont resolve to change your whole life to make up for past excess. Instead, try to return to basic, healthy lifestyle routines. Set smaller, more specific goals with a reasonable time frame. Choose resolutions that help you feel valuable and provide more than only fleeting moments of happiness.
Forget about perfection. Holiday TV specials are filled with happy endings. But in real life, people dont usually resolve problems within an hour or two. Something always comes up. You may get stuck late at the office and miss your daughters school play, your sister may dredge up an old argument, you may forget to put nuts in the cake, and your mother may criticize how you and your partner are raising the kids. All in the same day. Expect and accept imperfections.
Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for several weeks, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. You may have depression.
Have it both ways
Remember, one key to minimizing holiday stress and depression is knowing that the holidays can trigger stress and depression. Accept that things arent always going to go as planned. Then take active steps to manage stress and depression during the holidays. You may actually enjoy the holidays this year more than you thought you could.
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They are calling Arthur Buchanans methods of recovering from mental illness REVOLUTIONARY! (MEDICAL COLLEGE OF MICHIGAN) Arthur Buchanan has given us a revolutionary blue print for recovery in these uncertain times, when Mental Illness at a all time high in the United States of America, yet if you follow this young mans methods, we assure you of positive results and I QUOTE If these methods are followed precisely, their is no way you cant see positive results with whatever illness you have -Dr. Herbert Palos Detroit, Michigan
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