Holiday Depression And Stress The holiday season is expected to be a fun time of year filled with parties, celebrations and social gatherings with family and friends. For many people, however, it is a time filled with stress, sadness, self-reflection, loneliness, depression and anxiety also known as what I call "the Holiday Blues." Some reasons for the Holiday Blues Balancing the demands of work, plus the added shopping, parties, family obligations, and house guests can contribute to feelings of being overwhelmed, increased tension, and fatigue. Built-up expectations, disappointments from the previous year, self-reflection, unrealistic expectations from friends, family, and self can lead to feelings of anxiety, stress. Over-commercialization suggestions that importance of the holidays is meant for families, whereas only about 25% of all individuals in America are living within what would be considered a traditional family at the present time. Death, separation, divorce, remarriage, and job-related separations cause many individuals to feel a dissonance with the traditional holiday-related values. Not to mention living far away from from one's family and friends can cause sadness, and loneliness. Americans spend 95% of their paycheck on a regular basis. During the holidays debt increases considerably. This can cause significant pressure. Also, the holiday season happens to fall during a time of year when there are the fewest number of hours of daylight. Research has shown that ten percent of our population is significantly affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Regardless of other factors related to the holidays, sufferers of true Seasonal Affective Disorder may experience chronic fatigue, difficulty in sleeping, irritability, and feelings of sadness. Here are my recommendations for dealing with the holiday season: Manage your time effectively during the holidays. Set reasonable goals about what can be accomplished during this period of time. Shop during off-peak times. Set realistic goals for yourself for the new year. Make realistic expectations for the holiday season about who you are going to visit and when. And remember you do have the right to change your plans. Unexpected things will happen, rain, flat tire, working late. Allow space for these. Pace yourself. Do not take on more responsibilities than you can handle. Make a list and prioritize the important activities. If loved ones are absent during the holidays, if relationships are broken, or there have been other types of tragedies, do not pretend that they do not exist. Denial takes more energy than talking openly about these issues. Whenever possible, put more energy into other relationships that have survived, as you reallocate your energy to other members in your extended network of family and friends. Talk to someone that will listen about the relationship that have been lost, so you can emphasize the positive aspects gained from the loss. Exercise, even though outdoor activity can be limited due to cold and darkness, exercise can help keep your spirits up, and your weight down. Limit your drinking, since excessive drinking will only increase your feelings of sadness and anxiety. Eat healthy, limit your intake of fat and sugar, you can target your favorite foods and allow yourself to indulge, but with limitations. This will help you prevent the post holiday 10 lb race. Budget. Buy within limits. Keep track of your holiday spending. Make a plan to pay off your holiday bills. Make time for yourself! Relax. Meditate. Read. AND MOST OF ALL ENJOY THE HOLIDAY SEASON YOUR WAY!!