HolidaySeasonalDepression: Wondering Why the Holidays Get You Down?

Around this time of year - the weeks between November and January - I encounter many clients and families who feel out of place because, despite all the "holiday cheer" going around, they feel DOWN. They feel alone in this, but they are not. Otherwise known as Seasonal Depression, this mood during the holiday season is very common and it most definitely has many significant contributing factors. In therapy, I've found that once clients can get to the bottom of what is causing the mood/disruption/discord, they are able to begin the process of positive change much more effectively. Changes can be seen when the choices we are making are informed decisions.

Depression is very much a mind AND body issue.
This speaks to why mental health practitioners cannot definitively diagnose depression without knowing the physical symptoms - change in appetite, lack of sleep, etc. During the holidays, we are severely 'out of whack' with our bodies and our minds. Here are common contributing factors to the Holiday-Season-Depression; see which of these likely applies to your life:

• If you are traveling: oftentimes we are eating on-the-go and left with less than optimal choices; for road trips, we are staying awake for longer periods of time and using energy drinks or caffeine to do so; with airport travel, sleep comes at irregular intervals
• If we are receiving travelers into our home: we have to change our schedule to accommodate travelers, which can throw off our comfortable home/work routines
• Holidays are centered around celebrations, and these almost always include substance use: we drink more than we usually would for holiday parties, and many people attend several parties during the holiday season; for some, other substances are used as well, due to traveling and feeling a temporary removal from everyday life. Things don't seem to carry consequences when done in particular settings (vacations feel like they are separate from "real life") 
• Family can dredge up unresolved issues: with increased contact with family, we may be reminded of negative memories, family secrets can be revealed or brought to the forefront; for some, we are faced with issues that we try to bury the rest of the year
• Memorable time period: If something significant happens during the holiday season - a break up, health scare, a death - it will almost always be brought up for us in the subsequent holidays. Events that occur any other time of year can be a little more private, but if you are seeing holiday decorations and hearing holiday songs everywhere you go - you cannot escape the memory

Which of these resonates with you? Identifying triggers and causes are a necessary step in developing a plan for effectively coping this season. In fact, identification in itself may spark the plan with very little effort. For example, if I determine that I am very angry arriving to dinner or a meeting because of rush hour traffic/road rage, I can begin to strategically schedule my day to avoid this. How can YOU plan for the season?

- written by Nakya Reeves, LMFT. I am a therapist and owner of a private practice where my main focus is working with families on communication issues, especially the parent-teen relationship. I also utilize PhotoTherapy techniques in my practice, which integrates bringing in photos that the client has taken or collected as a part of the therapy process. I can be contacted any time at csolutionstherapy@gmail.com