Managing Emotions During The Holidays
The holidays are always advertised as the happiest time of the year, but this isn’t the case for everyone. The amount of activities, celebrations and overall energy of this time of the year is something that can bring up a lot of raw emotions, both good and bad, that can overwhelm an individual. At the office of Wendy Iglehart, we help quite a few people through the difficult times that they face head on during this time of the year. While we always suggest scheduling therapy sessions to work through the tough times, we have a few tips that could provide some relief through the times of your holiday season where anxiety and depression begin to take over your mentality.
Stay Aware of the Present
One of the reasons that the holidays bring up so many emotions is because people linger on what the holidays were like as children. Now obviously, the memories differ in happy and sad thoughts, but what is most important is remembering to stay in the present situation. Regardless of how your holidays were as a child, it’s important that you don’t compare the present situation with the past. Rather, try and focus on making this holiday season the best that you can. If you need help in achieving these, ask a friend or family member to help in any way that they can so that you can make this possible.
Stay Ahead of the Game
Staying aware of the things that trigger your anxiety or depression is something that can also prove to be extremely beneficial during the holiday season. Whether you sit down with Wendy Iglehart and make a list of these triggers, or you take some time to reflect on holidays past and the times that you felt least happy, being fully aware of these is something that can prevent certain things from creating an issue that leads to a breakdown. Recognize these triggers and then find ways that you can avoid them entirely.
Make an Effort
One of the most difficult things that we need to realize is that we have control of our emotions during this time. At times it is our own choice to avoid family and friends during this time, and then we question why we are lonely. If you have people that are wanting to spend time with you, and there’s nothing truly making this occurrence an awful one, then make an effort to connect with them. This could become a tradition of sorts or something that provides you with the comfort that you need during this time of the year.
None of these tools are methods to cure your anxiety or depression. In the case that you find yourself in a place where you feel as though there is no answer, there is. Reach out to a family member, friend or professional and allow for them to guide you to the answers that you need to overcome this time period. As always, schedule your routine visits with Wendy Iglehart and we will provide you the assistance that you need.