How To Survive The Holiday Blues

How to get through the holiday blues! Truth is, I use to hate the holiday season. Why?! You may ask when the Holidays is a time for family, love, fellowship and togetherness. Holidays is a time of remembrance, and creating more fonder memories. Holidays is also a time for sharing, giving and caring for one another. Holidays is a time to appreciate, laugh, smile and be happy. Holidays is a time to be joyful and peaceful. Holidays is a time to slow down from the world day to day hustle and bustle; reflect and find the time of solidarity, gratefulness and thankfulness in life. Holidays is a time to rest. Well most people do not tend to think so, Statistics show for must people the holiday seasons are just the opposite. How and Why?! You say! It’s hard getting into the holiday spirit when your spirit is low and your feeling depressed. Instead we get sad, irritated, angry, isolated, suicidal, tired, our anxiety increases, we worry a lot more and stress over everything. We get racing thoughts sometimes we over sleep or lack sleep, we eat way more then usual giving into all our cravings or eat less, depriving ourselves and not taking care of your physical body. Our inability causes a major effect on your ability to function at work and in activities of daily living. There may even be sporadic ups and downs of low and highs throughout your day that consequently slow our momentum and hold us hostage mentally, physically and emotionally. Depression, It’s not a very easy illness to control and our minds become oblivious to the thoughts we should be thinking when our minds or healthy and are emotional health is in remission. Depression effects us all at some point throughout our lives. It may be triggered easily by a lost, feelings of Loneliness, Fear of the unknown, Financial Struggles, Divorce, Brokenness, Health Issues, Lack of a specific need or desire, a Long, Distance Relationships with close ones, a Special Birthday, Anniversary, even place or event may bring about those symptoms. Funny as a kid, I remember events and some personal thoughts I would think that would trigger my depression but at the time I was not aware of the actual illness. I just considered it as a thought or feeling that was normal or typical of people to have not knowing it was depression and it went by untreated until early adulthood. Oh how I wish I read a book, found a resource or got support from somebody to save myself. I remember the first time I really became aware of my depression. I was like heck no, there is no way this is normal and my body is suppose to feel this physical pain and this mental agony. I am not suppose to be feeling these thoughts of hopelessness, unworthiness and emptiness. There is no way I should be having these sick thoughts of killing myself. It was in my mid twenties while I was going through a divorce. I couldn’t eat, sleep, I didn’t take care of myself, I barely function just enough to go to work and take care of my kids day to day needs. My mom and best friend had to step in, provide support help me build myself back up because I had hit rock bottom. I recall it being one of the most stressful and difficult times in my life. If you are divorced or going through divorce you may understand or be able to empathize with the feelings and the emotional devastation separation can cause for everyone involved including the kids, the -in- laws and even the shock of meeting third parties for the first time. I know for myself divorce was like losing my soul. It was a death that I didn’t awaken from. I had to leave who I was and everything I knew to be and discover a new self and a new life. I literally had to re-discovery and rebuild the new. I know I can not save you from what you may be experiencing, however I just want to provide you with a few tools you can use to overcome some obstacles and help find your strength. Here are a few self survival tools:

1.Pray and ask God for strength to get through the day. Pray as many times as you need. 2. Read a book and the Bible daily. Take God word with you everyday and apply it to your current situation 3. Praise and worship God Through any circumstance that way heavy on you by listen to music 4. Surround yourself with family and friends who love you, support you and bring positivity to your life 5. Get yourself a accountability partner. Do not be afraid to share your feelings and emotions with someone you can trust a can be open with this person should also be able to be open with you. 6. Seek professional help and counseling. Get in a good church, find a support group and get in some local community activities and events to keep you busy and fulfilled. 7. Journal and be honest with yourself and your feelings. Then get up and do something simple in the right direction to change it. 8. Fix your mindset from negative to positive. Change your thoughts even when what you feel do not align with what you see or feel. 9. Love yourself and take it easy. Do something that makes you feel or even look your best. Choose you. 10. Tell yourself Jesus love me and I love me this is only temporary. Nothing last forever. This to shall pass. 11. Must importantly say optimistic and open minded about the season. Do what you can. Push yourself to participate in family festivities, pick up some extra work or go to friends holiday parties. 12. You have to create your happiness this may mean cooking dinner for you and one other person. This may mean getting dress and going out to the black Friday sales just to enjoy the festivities and the atmosphere. Stay hopeful and be grateful. 13. You need to look at the bigger picture. Your alive and you have so much more to live for in this lifetime. Keep moving forward and push for progress. Hell! Sometimes you just got to laugh to keep from crying when all else fails laugh and smile and say its not a bad life but a bad day. Let me get some rest. To conclude, be aware at all times. Do not ignore your symptoms. Early prevention can help subside or eliminate the spirals and assist you on the road to recovery. Do not be afraid to ask for help and support. Take responsibility for the way you feel, own it and embrace it. Get to know it and understand what it is your dealing with and how you become mentally, emotionally and physically changed by it. Get the knowledge and wisdom you need through reading books and finding reliable resources to educate and give you a better understanding of how to tackle depression. Lastly, give yourself a pass. There will be times when you struggle worst on others days then you do on some days. Everyday will be different. However the most important thing that matters is your alive and you have purpose. Remember to use your pain to push your purpose make good with what God help you through and overcome. Make the choice everyday to just remain as positive as you can and move forward at the pace you are able to withstand. Please Understand that must of depression and mental illness is from our emotional stress that triggers negative thoughts and drain our energy. The only way to really overcome your depression is to change your way of thinking and it will change your mood, emotions and behavior. All while making positive changes in our lives and learning to celebrate ourselves or smallest wins or biggest accomplishments all while embracing ourselves for who we are, accepting our lessons and learning to grow from our experiences. Remember balance, simplicity and peace is of refugee when stress and chaos arise again. Just shift your mindset and the action will follow.