5 TIPS FOR COPING WITH SEASONAL DEPRESSION (HOLIDAY DEPRESSION)

Written By MCK

Seasonal depression or holiday depression is real, and it’s not something  anyone should take lightly. This post will cover 5 major causes of seasonal depression and tips that can help you or someone you know cope with it, and potentially overcome it. 

Stats on Depression

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, a whopping 17.3 million American adults deal with major depression.  For those who are already battling with depression, holiday time such as Christmas can worsen their depression.

Let’s take a look at major causes of seasonal depression, also known as seasonal affective disorder, and how to cope with it.

Hi Friends,Are you or someone you know dealing with seasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD)? It also goes by different names - holiday depre...

5 Major Causes of Seasonal Depression

1. Loneliness

Loneliness is this feeling of emptiness and aloneness. It is feeling being unloved and unwanted. According to the National Public Radio (NPR), more than 60% of Americans are lonely, and the number is rising. 

Loneliness increases your risk of depression.

How to Cope with Loneliness

Here are 5 things you can do to help you deal with loneliness during the Christmas holidays.

  1. Avoid isolation
    Don’t isolate yourself. Resist the temptation of locking yourself at home. Get moving. Go on a short trip, visit your favorite restaurant. Go to the bookstore. Isolating yourself will only exacerbate depression

  2. Visit friends and family
    Spending quality time with family members or friends, can help address the issue of loneliness, which can lead to depression. Plan in advance. Take a trip and visit a close relative you haven’t seen in a while. Or visit colleagues or church members.

  3. Volunteer
    Sign up to volunteer at a local charity. There are several charitable events that take place during Christmas time, find some in your local area. Work at a soup kitchen, organize or volunteer at a gift or toy drive, visit orphanages. Visit the elderly homes.
    Spend some time with them. Christmas can be a very tough time for them too. There is a special joy that you feel when you serve others, especially those who can pay you back.

  4. Talk to someone about your struggle
    Let someone you trust know about your struggle, preferably a professional or your pastor, priest or spiritual leader. And know that you are not alone. Christmas is a time of joy and goodwill and you have the right to partake in it. Don’t suffer in silence!

  5. Reflect on the true meaning of the season
    It may sound commonplace, but sometimes, when we focus on ourselves, our struggles and everything around us, we tend to lose focus of what Christmas is all about.
    Take some time to think about what Christmas means - Jesus Christ came to the world to save humanity from the grip of sin, sorrow, pain, death, and even depression. Invite him into your heart and ask him to help you deal with and overcome your struggle with depression. And he will.

2. Loss

The second cause of holiday depression is loss of a loved one. Losing a loved one is a painful experience, which can get worse during the holiday period such as Christmas. The memories you shared, the gifts exchanged, the dinner ate together, and some other Christmas traditions you once shared, can cause you to sink into depression.

Or if you are already battling depression, it can get worse around this time of the year.

Couple of things you can do include:

  1. Learn to move on
    Easier said than done, huh?
    True, but learning to heal from the wound of losing someone close to you will help you fight off depression. Part of learning to move is not allowing guilt to keep you from enjoying and celebrating Christmas.
    You may feel like being happy and in a celebratory mood without your loved one might seem disrespectful to the memory of that person.
    As a result, you feel like you have to mourn or at least not go all out to enjoy the season. I’m convinced that if the person you lost were to talk to you, he or she would tell you to enjoy your life to the fullest.
    Enjoy your Christmas the way you’ve always enjoyed it.

  2. Memories
    Instead of allowing the memories to hunt you, use them against depression. Be thankful for the years you had the loved one with you before he or she passed away. Cherish those memories. Focus on the good ones - the laughters, the trips, the silly things you did together.
    In other words, change your mindset from constant mourning to appreciation and celebration. It’s okay to tell yourself and others that you miss your loved one the holidays, but don’t let that keep you down.

  3. Start a new Christmas or holiday tradition
    Instead of a typical family dinner on Christmas, plan a family outing or vacation instead.

3. Failing health

The 3rd cause of holiday depression or seasonal affective disorder is failing health. Minor or major health challenges can put a serious dent on someone’s Christmas celebration.

When everyone is busy preparing for Christmas, you are driving from doctor’s office to lab office to pharmacy. It can lead to depression. Instead of letting health diagnoses sink you depression, do these instead. And by the way, depression will only worsen your health problems

  1. Be thankful
    Be thankful that you are alive. Don’t forget that only the living hope for a better and healthier tomorrow.
    The fact that you are still alive means that you are better than those desired to be alive but are not. Praise the Lord for the life that you have. An attitude of thanksgiving and gratefulness will take you far.

  2. Have a positive attitude
    Remind yourself that your condition is temporary. Have faith that you will beat the sickness.
    And don’t forget to take tangible steps towards getting healthy.
    Recently, I was speaking to an individual who has been battling with cancer for many years. He told me that he does allow his cancer to bother him, and that too many people who get the news that they had cancer and sink into depression end up dying sooner.
    I walked out that conversation with some wisdom: your attitude toward any difficult circumstances in your life will determine whether you will outlast your circumstances or not.

  3. Accept what you can’t control
    Accept what you can’t control and live with it. Tough, but not stressing about what’s beyond your control will save you from worsening your health condition.

  4. Seek support
    Ask family members to visit you. There is nothing as challenging as going through a health crisis without support, especially during the holidays season.

4. Missing Christmas past

The fourth major cause of winter blues is missing Christmas past.

When I was growing up, Christmas was a big deal - big deal with an emphasis. You are sure to see all the family members you hadn’t seen in a year. The big meal, and several other festivities made Christmas really fun.

When I moved to the United States, it was a whole different experience. I was by myself. No family member. It was different. I enjoyed Christmas as much as I could with new friends and family here, but the experience has not been the same up to this date, and may never be.

However, I have learned to make the best of what I have, and I am grateful for that. For some, missing Christmas spirit - traditions and memories can cause them to be depressed. This can be worse if your current situations are not as best as they used to be. That yearning and longing to be happy as you once did in the past can lead to depression.

How to deal with missing the holiday past

Similar to what I shared previously

  1. Start a new tradition. Don’t get stuck in the past. Create new ones.

  2. Focus on the present.

  3. Don’t let the past experiences - good or bad - keep you from enjoying the present.

  4. Learn to live in the moment.

Who says you have to celebrate Christmas at home and have big family dinner, gift wrapping or gift giving? Get away for a few days. Visit new places. Get yourself a gift and enjoy it.

5. Financial hardship

The fifth major cause of Christmas depression is financial hardship. Not being able to afford gifts for yourself, your kids, or other close relatives can lead to depression, especially if you used to afford them but can’t now due to financial hardship. Instead of letting financial difficulties keep you from enjoying the holidays, consider these instead:

  1. Remember the purpose of Christmas
    Christmas is the celebration of Christ’s birth and not spending money and buying gifts. Gifts are okay, but that’s not what Christmas is all about

  2. Focus on spending the season with people you love, and not stressed about money.

  3. Shop off season. If finances are tight, you can find cool ways to buy necessary things you need at very cheap prices.
    You can shop for next year’s Christmas gifts and decors a day after Christmas. I learned this from a friend about a year ago. Go to Walmart or other major stores a day after Christmas - virtually everything is sold at a crazy discount. Buy and store the items for next year’s Christmas. Most Christmas gifts and decor don’t go bad fast.

  4. Keep it simple.
    You don’t need your entire house - exterior and interior - decorated with Christmas light. There’s nothing wrong with it if you can afford it, but you don’t have to have it. Remind yourself that. You don’t have to buy a bunch of gifts if you can afford them. Remind yourself that. And remind yourself that as often as possible. Also, you can buy decent items from Goodwill or thrift stores.

  5. Focus on need, not want.
    What do you and your family need for Christmas? Only you can answer that. But don’t let yourself or people guilt you into depression by making you feel like if you don’t spend $1000 on Christmas you’re a failure.

I’ll leave you with this quote from an unknown author

“Don’t let your struggle become your identity. Your illness does not define you. Your strength and courage do.”

Have a wonderful holiday and Merry Christmas.

MCK