The holiday season can cause a lot of stress, but could this stress be making your depression worse? Holiday depression is real and the most important thing to do is recognize if your stress is temporary, or if your depression is taking over.
Here are a few ways to help with your holiday depression…
Open Up About Your Struggles
It is important for your family members to know your level of depression. Covering up your depression around the holidays will not allow your family members to help you or make you feel more comfortable. Letting people in on how you feel may actually help alleviate the burden.
Check out Supports Groups
Support groups are a great reminder that you are not alone in this battle. If you’re feeling up to it, share your story and your feelings in an online support group… there are a ton on Facebook! If you’re not feeling up to sharing, read through some of the member’s posts and remind yourself that other people struggle as well and that you are not alone. This could be more beneficial than discussing with family members because people in support groups may relate to you better and be able to share certain stories from an unbiased viewpoint.
Talk to a Therapist
Therapists are of course, qualified professionals that may be more beneficial than talking to your family or a support group… but doing all three doesn’t hurt! Some people may prefer therapy instead of support groups because it’s private and intimate. You can share your feelings, which can allow you to become more open in a more personal setting. It depends on what you prefer, but a support group or a therapy session can be beneficial to you in many ways.
Light Therapy
Seasonal depression is also a big factor that could cause your holiday depression. During the winter days, the sun rays diminish earlier and you are exposed to the sun for shorter amounts of time. Seasonal affective disorder can affect your mood, energy levels, appetite and your ability to sleep. Light therapy is essentially a little box that you put in your room and each morning when you wake up and sit in front of it. This box radiates sunlight, like what we experience in the spring/summer.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
This therapeutic approach uses “short pulses of a magnetic field to stimulate nerve cells in the area of the brain thought to control mood”. This type of therapy is used to creative a positive effect on the brains neurotransmitter levels which could help improve your mood.
If you are currently struggling with depression, you may qualify for one of our research studies! Fill out your information below and a sturdy representative will reach out to you shortly to discuss your qualifications.
