Stress, depression and the holidays

According to research, holiday stress and depression are the result of three main trigger points: 1) relationships, 2) finances, and 3) physical demands. Tension mounts when families are thrust together in close quarters for several days. Let’s face it, no matter how much you love you family, you don’t always get along with them. On the opposite end of the spectrum, for those who are grieving the loss of a loved on, all this talk of family get-togethers, can leave them even sadder and lonelier than the rest of the year.

Overspending on gifts and travel during the holidays is also a common source of stress, leaving people overwhelmed with maxed out credit cards and serious post-holiday debt. Finally, while, at first glance, the holiday season may be all merriment and good cheer, the physical demands can be exhausting. Shopping, attending multiple social gatherings and preparing holiday meals can wipe you out.

“What triggers stress during the holidays is exactly what triggers stress during the rest of the year,� explains Tania Elaine Schramek, coordinator of the Stress Centre, at the Douglas Hospital. “What overwhelms us is the fact that it’s compounded. All of a sudden, we have long lines to contend with, traffic, a sea of people in malls, we have a job to go to and dinners to attend or prepare for guests coming over and everything seems to conspire against us getting anything done.�

The trick, according to Schramek, is to get organized and take control. “Anything you can do to eliminate that sense of unpredictability and loss of control, do it. If you’re hosting a big dinner, prepare and freeze some of the meals. If you’re shopping for Christmas gifts, try and pick a place where you can get most of your shopping done at once (ie. a shopping mall with a supermarket, a toy store, an SAQ, etc.), so as to avoid unpredictable and aggravating traffic jams. Once you increase your sense of control, your stress levels decrease automatically.�

What about those who are frantically shopping at the very last minute or whose family is driving them nuts? “Breathe with your belly, go in a room and punch a pillow for a few minutes, get some exercise in, give your child an age-appropriate task to do, take a few minutes and tickle fight with your kids, therefore releasing all that pent up energy and making you laugh, a natural antidote to stress.�

Random acts of kindness will also help. “The hormones that your body releases when you’ve done something kind that benefits someone else, is remarkable,� Schramek says. “Buy a homeless person a bowl of soup or let someone get in line ahead of you, if they only have a few items. The extra five minutes you’ll wait won’t kill you, but you’ll feel immensely better for doing a good thing and it is, after all, befitting of the holidays.�

At the end of the day, some stress can’t be avoided, but keeping in mind the above tricks, can increase your odds of having a relaxing, fun and meaningful holiday season with those you love.