By Holly Schurter
The holiday season is coming, and everyone is happy, right? Wrong. For many of us, the holiday season brings stress, even depression. Instead of excitement and anticipation, we feel overwhelmed and drained. Just the thought of another holiday concert, party, or family event makes us want to hide, and our to-do list, bulging with shopping lists, menu plans, and reminders about cards, gifts, and visits overpowers our holiday cheer. In addition, the holidays can bring to the forefront difficult family dynamics, or remind us of the loss of a loved one.
Seasonally-induced holiday stress or depression, sometimes called the “holiday blues,” is most often temporary and is usually the result of tension and pressure. It can be managed by simplifying holiday plans or adjusting expectations. Once the holidays are over and the pressure lessens, we regain our emotional balance and life gets back to normal.
But clinical depression is different. According to Dr. Anjum Bashir, “Depression is a serious medical illness that significantly interferes with a person’s behavior, physical health, and interaction with others. People with depression are often unable to carry out and enjoy the normal activities of everyday life. The additional demands of the holiday season can make it even more difficult to cope with the illness.”
Common symptoms of depression are feelings of worthlessness, loss of interest in pleasurable activities, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and social withdrawal. It’s easy to see why the holiday season can aggravate symptoms that people with depression already experience on a daily basis. Who wants to shop for gifts when it’s a struggle to just make it to the grocery store? The prospect of decorating the house requires extra energy that simply isn’t there. And it may be impossible to make it through a holiday party with a smile plastered on your face, when all you feel inside is hopelessness and pain.
Whether you find yourself suffering from the “holiday blues,” or have a more serious depressive disorder, following are some tips to reduce stress and experience the joy of the season.
- Set reasonable expectations. Focus on the things that are most important to you and your family. Remember that perfect celebrations only happen in magazines!
- Budget your time as well as your money and other resources. What is reasonable, given your circumstances? Talk over your plans with a family member, trusted friend, or a mental health therapist.
- Enjoy the small pleasures of the season. De-stress after a shopping trip with a cup of cocoa, or listen to music you love while you take on a chore that stresses you. Be deliberate in looking for the positive or humorous aspects of your responsibilities.
- Get help. If you are seeing a mental health professional, consider scheduling a few extra sessions. If not, this is a good time to begin.
- Talking with someone skilled at identifying and treating issues of stress and depression can relieve symptoms and keep things from getting worse. In addition, be sure to continue taking any prescribed medication and don’t skip doses.
- Pay attention to your physical well-being. Regular exercise is more important than ever along with eating healthy, well-balanced meals — certainly a challenge during the holiday season! Make sleep a priority. Don’t stay out too late or skimp on sleep in order to get everything accomplished.
Depressive illnesses, even the most severe cases, are highly treatable disorders. As with many illnesses, the earlier that treatment can begin, the more effective it is and the greater the likelihood that a recurrence of the depression can be prevented. Typical treatments for depression are antidepressant medications and talk therapy (psychotherapy.) There is a new treatment option for depression called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) that does not involve any type of drugs or medication. Instead, TMS delivers focused magnetic stimulation to the part of the brain involved in regulating mood. Well-tolerated by most patients, TMS has been effective in treating depressive disorders in adults who have not responded well to anti-depressive medications.
Whether you suffer from the holiday blues or something more serious, taking steps to manage your symptoms appropriately will help you survive and thrive during the holiday season and into the New Year.
For more information on mental illness, TMS Therapy for depression, or Quotient Testing for ADHD diagnosis, please contact Anjum Bashir, MD, at 309-808-2326 or 217-422-0027. He is one of the few physicians in Central Illinois offering TMS Therapy and Quotient Testing. His Bloomington office is located at 205 N. Williamsburg, Suite D, and he also has an office in Decatur. TMS therapy is covered by most insurance companies, including BC/BS, UBH, and Medicare.
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