Beware! Christmas is coming!
Unlike the words in the song, Christmas is not ‘The Most Wonderful Time of the Year’ for many, especially those of us who live with the challenge of depression. And for me the challenge of depression, which is often worse at this time of year. But it is apparently, it is a stressful time of year for most people, for many different reasons.
Whether mental illness challenges you or not it is helpful to identify which part of Christmas we find difficult and try to figure out ahead of time how to either avoid that part or cope with it using strategies.
So, what is the most challenging part of Christmas for you? Social? Financial? Family relationships? Food? Alcohol? Religion? Too many people? Not enough people? Have I missed something? Unhappy family life? Recent loss?
Until we identify which part of Christmas causes us the most distress, we can’t attempt to make the necessary changes, where possible. It’s okay to think about yourself at Christmas. It’s okay to factor in your own needs and not just the needs of others. I know as women, this is hard for us.
For me, the social part is the biggest challenge. I spend more time with people at Christmas and even though most of these people I love and enjoy, it is still people, and I am an introvert.
Being an introvert means that I find being with people exhausting and being alone rejuvenating. And yet I would hate it if our grown-up kids came home to visit and only stayed for thirty minutes!
I mean, I actually enjoy all of our time together, it is the afterward that I must deal with. Either I will be manic from all of the excitement and after manic comes a crash and then depression. Or I will be so exhausted from all of the socializing that I will go straight into depression.
What’s a girl to do? For me REST is the usual therapy. REST before they come and REST immediately after they leave!
WHAT ABOUT YOU? How are you feeling about Christmas coming? Is there anything you can do to take control of the stress factors involved?
Don’t give up. There is hope. There is always hope. My hope is in the Lord, maker of heaven and earth. What about you?
