Coping with Depression and The Holidays
The holidays can be a very challenging time for those struggling with depression. Often times, the holiday season can come with a lot of stress and can be very demanding, as there is a significant increase in the number of things we may have to manage. The holidays can even bring up unpleasant memories, grief, or you may feel like an outsider looking in at people who are having a good time.
Know that if you are experiencing depression during the holidays, you are not alone. Your feelings are normal and valid.
Below are some tips on how to manage depression during the holiday season:
- Begin a new tradition
Trying something new this holiday season can help bring some excitement
- Set boundaries for yourself: don't give in to too much pressure
Ensure that you prioritize yourself; you can't pour from an empty cup
- Volunteer
Volunteering and helping others can help you feel like you have a place during the holiday season and be part of something larger than yourself
- Spend time in nature and try to be active
It's proven that spending time outside and exercising can help you relax and avoid loneliness
- Share how you're feeling with loved ones
Surrounding yourself with those you can rely on can help make you feel less alone
- Create a coping sheet or depression toolkit
A coping sheet/depression toolkit consists of all your favourite activities you can partake in when you feel depressed
- Take part in self care activities
Self care is extremely important when we feel depressed. Along with a depression toolkit, taking care of yourself when you're feeling low is extremely helpful
- Get enough rest
Getting rest can help us feel better, and the better we feel, the better the holidays may be for us
- Seek help and reach out
Whether that be reaching out to someone you know locally or on 7cups, there are so many people who are happy to support you throughout this challenging time
Feel free to share with us below:
☃️ How are you feeling about the upcoming holidays?
☃️ What are you going to do this holiday season to cope with holiday depression and keep a positive mindset?
There are so many ways we can help ourselves, and I am the first to show you my gratitude, happy holiday to us all. I think now is a great time change the way I'm thinking it's good for me so I am looking for a better hobby in creative thinking, I can draw or thanks to you all I took up reading.
This holiday I can tell will be alot of fun and I will get to share all the excitement happy holidays.
I can't say I feel depressed, I'm not the type to show a cold shoulder during this time, I'm glad to still be here where I can share joy with all.
@EmmaE These are some really great tips, Emma! Thank you for sharing!
☃️ How are you feeling about the upcoming holidays? I am feeling a little sad about the holidays because my mom is sick, so we have to be careful with who she is around. We are going to get take out still, so that will be yummy!!
☃️ What are you going to do this holiday season to cope with holiday depression and keep a positive mindset? I am going to spend time with the people I love and that I know care about me! We don't have time for extended family who are wishy washy. No ma'am!😂
Since we moved into new house right before the Christmas holidays and been to relatives one day now I’m starting to get real sad and depressed everyday this sadness just won’t go away like it used before🥺😭🙌🏻🙏🏻holidays been very sad for me this time😿🏡missing my big family missing my old home missing everything still try to write out everything express my feeling reaching for help I want this to come to end very soon😭🙏🏻💚💜I just don’t want to be this sad all the time of the holidays but I can’t do anything to cheer myself up I’m good a while then back to immense sadness😿🤍🥺🙏🏻💙rip me this time but I promise to pray🙏🏻💜god will surely find a way🥺🙏🏻💙for me and us to feel better it’s just that now I don’t know the way haven’t figured it out yet💙💙💙Goodnight all💚💚💚it’s okay to feel this that way❤️😇💕🥹not alooone🙏🏻😭💚💙alone in my room but not alone here and with plushies of course💚💜😇💙
I am feeling bad and sometimes ashamed, bad memories and feelings of a past period that slowly declined and ended in tragedy. That was my childhood. I feel lime I am being ordered and imposed to do things about Christmas and having money, even if your family struggles with money. Social spectations are also hard.
