Beating the Bah Humbug Blues

Have you been feeling like a Scrooge lately?

Is it just normal holiday stress or maybe something more? The holiday season can be a stressful time, full of many activities, celebrations, and happenings. We are bombarded with the best deals, difficult family members, drained checkbooks, and the pressure to be engaged wholeheartedly in the season. The perfect decor and gifts, the travel, and family can leave you feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and so ready for Spring. But how do you know if it is just holiday stress or something else?

How do you cope with stress that is related to the holiday season?

Many of the stressors involving holiday activities can be better managed by taking care of yourself and changing perspective. Here are a few ways that can help decrease stress during the holidays so you feel more like Buddy the Elf than like Scrooge.

• Let go of the perfection. There is no such thing as a perfect cookie or a perfect present. And remember that one CANNOT do it all!
• Remember that it is OK to say no. Don’t attend that holiday party. Don’t think you have to make batches and batches of cookies.
• Continue the routine, even throughout the holiday madness. Routine can provide comfort and security which in return help maintain emotional stability. 
• Identify the FREE things to love about the holiday season. Spend time participating in meaningful activities and experiences, not expensive trips or gifts.
• Express negative feelings to someone you trust. It is OK to experience some inner Scrooge during the merriment. If this time of year is difficult due to challenges, such as grief or family conflict, label your feelings, give them respect, and talk to others for support.
• Self care, self care, self care. Make sure you are eating healthy, getting out to enjoy nature, exercising, sleeping, drinking water, and participating in other wellness practices that help mind and body.

What if your gloom seems to be more than holiday-related stress?

Sometimes you might find yourself experiencing overwhelming feelings and behaviors that come before the holiday season and last until the end of the wintery period. These feelings and behaviors may be symptoms of a mental health diagnosis, not just the weight of celebration. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM–5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) states Major Depressive Disorder with seasonal pattern, formally known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, is a mental health disorder which is characterized by the following symptoms occurring during the winter months:

• Feeling blue/sad/depressed almost all day, every day for a period of two weeks or greater.
• Losing interest in almost all activities.
• Difficulties with sleep (typically oversleeping).
• Increased appetite.
• Negative feelings towards self and others.
• Isolating yourself from loved ones and activities.
• Fatigue.
• Feelings of hopelessness.
• Decreased ability to concentrate and make decisions.
• Possible thoughts of wanting to die (suicidal ideation).

The difference between Major Depressive Disorder with seasonal pattern and the typical holiday stress is the impact that it has on someone’s daily functioning. This may mean changes in relationships, occupational difficulties, or even a lack of participating in everyday activities. Also, the indicators of these depressive episodes will most likely occur nearly every day and affect one’s life in many ways compared to holiday stress which may come and go. Seasonal patterned episodes occur during all winter months, are present for a pattern of more than two years, and there is a lack of symptoms during warmer months. 

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the causes of these seasonal patterned depressive episodes have been attributed to a few factors. These factors are the changes in amount of daylight and how this affects your internal process in multiple ways, including sleep patterns.

If you think you may be experiencing depression due to the winter months, the first step is to reach out to a primary care physician or a mental health provider (counselor, therapist, psychologist, etc.) According to NAMI, typical treatments include the use of an anti-depressant medication, talk therapy, and light therapy (sitting under artificial light for a set amount of time). You and your practitioner can determine which treatments will be beneficial. The length of treatment will differ for each person, based on personal history, physical location, and available resources.

Whether it is holiday stress or depression causing the winter blues, remember that reaching out for help is okay. Take a little hint from Scrooge: remember that change comes from within with a little help from others.