Although holiday time is “the season to be jolly,” many people struggle with the holiday blues. The director of psychiatric drug research at the R/D Clinical Research Center in Lake Jackson, Texas, Rakesh Jain, MD says that depression during holidays is a common problem, even though holidays are seen as what should be a joyous time. Reasons for this depression can be stress associated with the lack of time to do the shopping, insufficient funds or problems in personal relationships.
Even the persons who are generally happy are sometimes overcome with melancholy at this time of year. Whatever the cause of your holiday blues, depression, melancholy, or whatever you want to call, is, there are ways to beat it and enjoy the holiday spirit.
1. Cry it out
This may sound ridiculous to you, but it can really help. If something is bothering you, if you’re feeling depressed at the time that should be the happiest time of the year, let it overwhelm you for a moment, and then cry it out. If you’re trying to suppress you emotions, you’re just going to end up more troubled and tense.
Simply find some time for yourself, think of all the things that could cause your holiday depression, and then release the sadness. Crying will make you feel bad during, but you will feel relief after you’re done. Crying also releases stress and calms you down, after which you will probably feel much better.
Crying doesn’t make you weak, it makes you emotional, and that is not a bad trait. Of course, we’re not saying “spend your holidays crying.” No, cry it out, and then look at the positive side of things. Try to overcome the problems you have in some way, and not become depressed over them.