Mental health concerns have been on the rise since the start of the global pandemic. With so many people dealing with social isolation, loss, unemployment, and fear of the uncertain future, reports of chronic stress, anxiety, and depression have skyrocketed. Now that the holidays are here, experts are concerned that these numbers will only continue to rise.
If you or someone you know tends to struggle with mental health problems around the holidays, you’re not alone. Fortunately, there are several solutions to consider to get you through what some would call the saddest time of year.
Practice Self-Care
With the stress and anxiety that often come with the holidays, it’s easy to neglect your physical and emotional needs. Don’t get so immersed in trying to put on a brave face or impress others that you forget to practice self-care. Eating a well-balanced diet, keeping up with personal hygiene, exercising, and finding time to relax or participate in activities you enjoy are necessary to get through an emotionally difficult time.
Be Aware of Triggers
When dealing with mental health problems, you must be aware of your triggers. What causes you to get sad, stressed, anxious, or depressed? Do you get stressed out when you’re around your family for too long? Maybe hearing a holiday love song causes you to think about your ex-spouse? Whatever the case is, identifying and reducing those triggers can make getting through the holidays easier to manage.
Surround Yourself With Love
Some people get sad around the holidays because they’re alone. They may have broken up with someone recently, lost a loved one, or not have much family and friends to spend time with. As the holidays are all about thankfulness and togetherness, it’s best to surround yourself with loving and supportive people. Whether you take a trip to a long-distance relative’s house, go to the movies with friends, attend a holiday event at your church, or get involved in a community activity, find some way to be around others. You’ll be surprised how their joy can rub off on you.
Make Alone Time More Fun
If you prefer to be by yourself during the holidays, you can still make it an enjoyable experience. Instead of moping around with nothing to do, find ways to get into the holiday spirit at home. Decorate your house, buy a gift for yourself and put it under the tree, prepare a wholesome meal, binge-watch holiday movies, or turn on some festive music and dance around.
Give Back To Others
Sometimes, the best cure for emotional overwhelm is giving back to others. There are plenty of organizations, events, and activities that need volunteers to service members of the community. Helping the less fortunate can help boost your mood and cultivate lasting relationships. You can prepare meals and take them to a nearby shelter, organize a food or clothing drive, donate winter essentials to charity, read books to kids at a community center, and more.
Seek Help
If the holidays are especially trying for you, the best thing you can do is seek help from a professional. Getting assistance is particularly important for those that turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms like drugs and alcohol. Whether you go to your primary care doctor or enroll in one of the many California detox centers, you’ll have access to innovative treatment and round-the-clock support to get through these trying times.
The holidays are supposed to be a happy time where you gather with loved ones and give thanks for everything you have. Unfortunately, it doesn’t play out this way for everyone. Some find the holidays to be a very stressful and sad time of year and struggle emotionally. Although it can be challenging, those suffering from mental health problems are encouraged to remain proactive throughout the holiday season. The above suggestions can help to improve your mood, enabling you to celebrate the happiest time of year as it was intended.
Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or send an email to news@hometownstation.com. Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking KHTS Santa Clarita News Alerts delivered right to your inbox. Report a typo or error, email Corrections@hometownstation.com
KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
No comments:
Post a Comment