The festive season is expected to be fun, yet in one survey nearly half the men reported feeling depressed over the holiday season. Regardless of whether these feelings reach the level of clinical depression, even the “holiday blues” are important. Fortunately, these types of feelings can be successfully addressed. Our private psychology clinic and private London psychiatrist are able to provide essential support to sufferers, but there are also other steps that individuals can take to make your holidays happier.
Dreaming of a White Christmas
If visions of the perfect holiday season are running through your head, you are not alone. Most of us have an image of what we expect from the holiday season from time with family, traditional foods, and Christmas decorations to the feelings we expect. The problem is no holiday is perfect. Unrealistically high expectations can leave us feeling disappointed, frustrated or depressed.
Before the holiday season begins, take a look at your expectations and consider if they are likely to result in disappointment. It will be important to put things into perspective. Annoying Uncle Joe dozing off during dinner or overcooking the turkey will not be the end of the world. In fact, this year’s disappointments could be funny stories your family will enjoy in the years to come. Often minor mishaps are more memorable than a “perfect” anything. Plan now to ignore or laugh off the unexpected when it happens.
It’ll Be a Blue Christmas with You
We tend to think of the holidays as a time spent surrounded by family and friends. In fact, a study in 2014 found that an estimated 4 million Brits were expected to spend Christmas alone. Some people also reported feeling alone, regardless of if they would be spending the holiday with others. Rather than wait to feel lonely, start making plans now.
This could be the perfect year for you to get into contact with family or old friends again. Making arrangements to volunteer over the holidays is another way to keep busy and find new ways to enjoy the season. Of course, for many of us, simple solutions like this just aren’t enough. Where this is the case, our consultant psychiatrist or experienced psychologists can meet with you to openly discuss how you feel, your mental health history, your possible treatments and any other options.
If you’ve lost a loved one this year, the holidays can be particularly difficult. The Chelsea Psychology Clinic offers bereavement therapy to help you cope with your feelings of loss. It is best to be proactive rather than wait until the middle of the holiday season, and while your feelings of bereavement are natural, it can be difficult to sort through them on your own. Working together with one of our experienced therapists can help you through the range of challenging emotions that so often accompany a sense of loss.
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
For some people, feeling down in the winter has little or nothing to do with the holidays. The shorter hours of daylight during the winter can lead to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This may sound scary but it is a condition brought on by the lack of sunlight. Susceptible people may start feeling down in the autumn and then have the symptoms clear up in the spring. In the meantime, professional support can prove invaluable.
If you are concerned about how you or someone you know is feeling, and if you think caring, professional support could be beneficial, call the Chelsea Psychology Clinic to make a confidential booking or enquiry.
