Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
By Dr. Stewart Roberts
Knowing how to take care of your mental health around the holidays should be a priority and should not be overlooked. You may already feel the pressure to start planning the who, when, where, and what to eat for two major back-to-back holidays. It’s no wonder people report November and December are two of the most stressful months. Statistics from various studies show the most common emotions people feel during the holiday season are fatigue, stress, sadness, and irritability. Studies also show women feel more stressed than men, and their stress triggers include pressure to give gifts, financial strain, time constraints, and weight gain.
Take Care of You
Practice self-care to improve mental and physical health, not just during the holidays but throughout the year. Taking care of yourself improves overall well-being and helps you be a better employee, friend, student, and family member.
Examples of self-care include:
• Getting a massage
• Seeking medical treatment for physical aches and pains
• Making spiritual connections
• Exercising
• Meditating
• Learning new skills and hobbies
• Getting quality sleep
• Volunteering
Ask for Help
Seeking help from a mental health professional is another way to take care of yourself. It’s important to make sure the symptoms you experience are related to the holidays and not something more permanent. The holiday blues typically fade once the holiday season ends. If your symptoms were present before the holidays or stayed with you after, you may have a diagnosable mental health disorder.
Working with a licensed mental health therapist is recommended, whether it is to help you manage emotions during the holidays or to overcome anxiety, depression, or other disorders. Using a combination of behavioral therapies, medications, peer support, and family therapies, you will receive the tools you need to take care of your mental health around the holidays and every other day of the year. If specific treatments have been ineffective, your psychiatrist can introduce you to new, advanced treatments, like ketamine-assisted therapy.
Continue Healthy Routines
For some, the holiday season means throwing out all the good habits they’ve developed the other ten months out of the year. Doing so is not good for your mental health, however. Your body likes routine. It depends on your circadian rhythms or your body’s internal clock. When out of sync, it can negatively impact your metabolism, gastrointestinal functioning, and mental health.
Focus on What You Can Control
The holidays can make you feel anxious, depressed, or both when you start to think about travel, money, gifts, food, spending time with family, etc. Many things you worry about are out of your control, so spending time thinking about them is a waste of time. Instead, focus on the things within your control: your thoughts and actions.
If seeing social media posts of friends who seem to have it all together is getting you down, log out of social media until after the holidays. If you worry about eating too much at parties, eat a healthy meal before you go to curb your appetite and avoid impulse eating.
To help you stay focused, make a list of everything causing stress. Erase the ones that are out of your control. This should immediately relieve some stress, allowing you to focus on what you can control.
Continue Healthy Routines
For some, the holiday season means throwing out all the good habits they’ve developed the other ten months out of the year. Doing so is not good for your mental health, however. Your body likes routine. It depends on your circadian rhythms or your body’s internal clock. When out of sync, it can negatively impact your metabolism, gastrointestinal functioning, and mental health.
Avoid Alcohol and Drugs
Alcohol and drug use alters the brain’s functions, including the neurotransmitters associated with mental health. Substances trick the brain into producing higher amounts of serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, and norepinephrine. Temporarily this boost feels good, but within hours, the levels drop, and you experience an increase in depression, anxiety, and other mental health symptoms. You can avoid these emotional ups and downs by avoiding alcohol and other substances.
Skip the Drama
You must understand it is best to avoid drama-filled situations. You are not required to attend family fights, pressure-filled parties, or any other gathering that makes you feel uncomfortable. It is acceptable to say “no.” It’s also acceptable to attend an event and leave whenever you are ready.
Be Honest with Yourself and Others
During the holidays, it’s natural to want to make everyone happy, even if it means pushing yourself to the limits. You want to accept all invitations, buy gifts for everyone you know, meet work deadlines, spend time with family, and taste every delicious treat you encounter. When you do this, however, your mental health can suffer.
Be honest about when you’ve reached your limits and avoid pushing yourself too far. Also, it’s acceptable, to be honest with friends, family, and coworkers about your mental health and why you must set boundaries.
BreezeMed Urgent Care is owned and operated by Dr. Stewart Roberts, and his wife, Courtney Roberts. The clinic is located at 15044 Sandpiper Lane, Unit 8 in Naples, Fl. BreezeMed Urgent Care takes major insurance plans and offers comprehensive services for a flat fee if you are uninsured. You can register online at www.breezemedurgentcare.com or walk in. You can call BreezeMed at 239-529-2142. Hours are Monday-Friday from 8 am to 6 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm. BreezeMed Urgent care is proudly serving our community seven days a week to meet all your healthcare needs.
BreezeMed Urgent Care
15044 Sandpiper Drive, Unit 8, Naples, FL 34114
239.529.2142
www.breezemedurgentcare.com
