Managing the Post-Holiday Blues
By GalTime Parenting Pro Jennifer Powell-Lunder, Psy.D.
There was joy, there was cheer. Great food, some great gifts, okay, there were also some not so great gifts, but the laughter and the amazing company was priceless!
It makes sense to you that you feel tired and even a bit drained, but why do you always feel so down? In a word, you feel BLAH and even a bit irritable.
Everything and everyone seems to annoy the heck out of you and well, you just can't shake these feelings. The diagnosis is more common than you think: you may have a case of the post holiday blues (PHB as I like to call it). Anyone can experience PHB although you are more prone if you consider the holiday season the highlight of your year.
The end of the holiday season can feel quite anticlimactic. If you live in an area where winters can be harsh, you are particularly vulnerable, as the end of the holiday season welcomes the long stretch of winter ahead. While anyone can suffer from PHB, another form of the condition, which I like to call PFS (post football season) tends to occur late January/early February, depending on when the Super bowl is scheduled.
Related: Slow Your Roll
Now that you have diagnosed the condition, what can you do to address the symptoms?
Here are some recommendations:
1.) Schedule events or outings to look forward to. Whether you enjoy going out with friends or engaging in your favorite hobby, pre-planning enjoyable events will give you something to get excited about.
2.) Seek support from your friends. Now is not the time for isolation. Call a trusted friend or family member. Just hearing their voice will help refocus you on all the wonderful people you have in your life.
Related: Laughter Yoga and Other Unique Stress Busters
3.) Get out of the house. Remember all those things you wanted to do but couldn't because you had too much going on…now is the time to go for it!
4.) Throw yourself into the next holiday (or sport, try basketball or hockey.)
5.) Remember, this too will pass. Before you know it the holidays will be upon you again. Live life in the present, don't pine away waiting for the time to pass, you may miss something you will regret later!
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