Coping with the dreaded holiday blues

Nov. 28--For many people, the holiday season, which extends from Thanksgiving through New Year's, is one of the happiest times of the year. But others dread the holidays and find it difficult to experience joy in the traditional activities that bring families and friends together.

Mental health professionals at Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center and mental health advocates said holiday depression can be managed if people recognize the symptoms and seek treatment and support to help them cope and thrive.

Tonya Phillips, a licensed clinical social worker in the Multi-D Behavioral Health Clinic at Kimbrough, said the holiday blues are not a cultural myth.

"The holiday blues are a real phenomenon," Phillips said. "The commercialization of the holiday season heightens the risk for depressive or anxious distress.

"Whether it's overspending, worry about the ability to spend or the over-representation of family fun, love and fellowship, some people can experience a shift in mood or joy during the holiday season."

According to Phillips, seasonal depression is also known as seasonal affective disorder or the "winter blues" and is a subtype of depression that starts and ends around the same time each year.

Seasonal depression usually occurs when the seasons change. Most symptoms begin in the fall and continue into the winter months, she said.

"This time frame correlates with the holiday season," Phillips said. "Therefore, seasonal affective disorder and the holiday blues tend to amplify each other."

Michael Cargle, a health systems specialist in the Multi-D Behavioral Health Clinic at Kimbrough, said people experiencing holiday blues may manifest different levels of depression.

"Anyone can be affected by the holiday blues, and some people may experience varying degrees of sadness or just find themselves in a bad mood," he said.

Symptoms of depression include a depressed mood; fatigue; irritability; changes in interest, sleep, appetite or socialization; suicidal thoughts with or without intent and plan; hopelessness; worthless thoughts; inappropriate guilt; and episodic crying.

Both Phillips and Cargle said the symptoms of depression usually occur due to a trigger in a person's life.

"While environmental influences can trigger feelings of sadness, this type of depression usually resolves when the trigger resolves," Phillips said.

"In addition to season change, estrangement from family and friends, financial stress, commercialization of the holidays, grief and loss, and reminders of holidays with family members that are no longer alive are also triggering circumstances that can exacerbate aa depressive mood."

Service members and their families can struggle with depression as well.

"Military life can, at times, be stressful, but it is not typically in of itself a cause for depression," Cargle said. "An individual or family member can be predisposed to experiencing symptoms of depression and those symptoms may manifest themselves during stressful times around the holiday season."

Cargle said military separations can also contribute to holiday stress.

"Military life can be especially stressful during the holiday season often due to many families being separated from their service member due to deployments and other mission-related duties," he said. "There can also be increased financial concerns due to being separated from family and friends and the desire to travel home for the holidays."

Phillips offers a variety of tips to manage the holiday blues:

--Seek professional help.

--Talk about your feelings.

--Avoid alcohol and substance use.

--Avoid isolation.

--Volunteer in the community.

--Spend time with friends.

--Spend wisely: Have realistic expectations about budgeting for holiday spending.

"Depression can be treated. However, when symptoms go undetected or untreated, they can become problematic and counterproductive to the military mission," Cargle said.

"Service members may find themselves less productive at work or unable to focus and concentrate and, therefore, unable to sufficiently complete work-related tasks."

Cargle said that while there are many ways to deal with the holiday blues, the behavioral health team at Kimbrough recommends that people become familiar with their triggers.

"Triggers can be both physical and or emotional and can manifest in many ways," he said. "For some individuals, physical triggers might cause increased pain, difficulty sleeping, a stiff neck or <FZ,1,0,46>back, or even overeating. Some emotional triggers might make one appear sad or isolated, easily angered or irritable. ...

"Anxiety is also a common symptom seen with a depressed or sad mood and can be triggered by attending family and friend gatherings during the holiday season."

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Howard County -- a local affiliate of NAMI based in Arlington, Va., that advocates for people with mental illnesses and their families -- recently held a seminar on the holiday season and stress.

Carolyn Buresh, a licensed professional counselor, spoke about "the importance of self-care and planning ahead for situations that may be particularly stressful during the holiday season," said Denise Giuliano, the executive director of NAMI of Howard County.

"For example, if you get anxious at parties, bring a 'buffer' person who understands your needs and respects them. That person can help you manage your discomfort and help you excuse yourself," Giuliano said. "Have an 'escape plan,' such as driving separately, to enable yourself flexibility if you need to leave."

It is crucial to set realistic expectations for yourself and avoid taking on more than you can handle, Giuliano said. But it is most important, she said, to remember that no one and nothing is perfect.

"We often equate the holidays with a Norman Rockwell painting but they never turn out that way," Giuliano said. "Limit social media. ... Don't isolate yourself, talk about your feelings to a trusted friend or family member. Cut back on commitments, get enough sleep."

Self-care is critical in coping with depression, said Cargle.

"Practicing self-care always helps strengthen one's ability to cope with stressful situations and may help alleviate symptoms of depression," Cargle said. "However, one should be sure to seek professional help if there are safety concerns."

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