Combating Holiday Stress

By Erin Massey, LCSW

Not feeling so holly and jolly this year? Well, you are not the only one.  Many people experience a lack of holiday spirit due to a variety of reasons including increased stress at work, the loss of a loved one, a busy social calendar, shorter winter days, or a combination of multiple factors.

There are ways in which we can decrease some of the stress that tends to increase around the holidays, and to also recognize that we can have some control over some of the stressors that we encounter.  One thing to remember during the holidays is that we don’t have to force ourselves to be happy, and it is okay to acknowledge feelings that aren’t so joyful. If you are struggling with grief or loss during the holidays, it is easy to compare your situation to others’ which can in turn increase loneliness and feelings of sadness. Recognizing that the expectations that you may have for the holidays may look different for you this year is a good way to check in with yourself.

Another issue that you may run into during the holidays is feeling as though you are being pressured to participate in holiday activities, though you aren’t interested in participating.  Sometimes we have specific ideas on how the holidays should be so much that we can get preoccupied with trying to do it all.   Setting some boundaries around what you are willing to do and what you aren’t is a good way of reducing stress related to feeling overwhelmed with too many activities.

Finally, another tip in curving the Increase in stress and depression that we experience around the holidays is setting specific boundaries at the beginning of the season so that family and friends know what to expect from you this year in regards to participation.  If you’re not feeling it this year, give a friendly heads up about your plans for yourself around the holidays.