Holiday Panic Attacks, Depression
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The holidays are here. A festive time for many. There are plenty of social gatherings, celebrations and community events to attend and make merry. But, for some it is a time of excessive worry, holiday panic attacks, depression, loneliness and dread. Society has adopted terms like the “holiday blues”, melancholy and holiday depression to describe someone’s mood. Mental health clinicians refer to this as seasonal affective disorder in the DSM 5. Research says it is due to improper transportation of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that makes us feel happy. Other research indicates the lack of sunlight during the winter season results in depressive mood. I find it ironic that the acronym for seasonal affective disorder is SAD. Medication will help with serotonin. And a little more sunshine can help with the other.
But is it the lack of serotonin, sunlight or holidays? Could it be something else? Which other factors contribute to feeling less enthusiastic during this time of year? Why do you have fear and suffer holiday panic attacks and depression?
Here’s a few suspicions.
For some it can be the loss of loved ones that contributes to sadness and loneliness. For others it is the wounds of divorce and feeling of betrayal that creates depression. For still others it is feeling rejected, judged, and not engaging in life which contributes to isolation, panic attacks and depression. The thought of going to someone’s home for the holidays creates anxiety and even panic attacks.
Do Well-Intentioned People Contribute to Holiday Panic Attacks, Depression?
May I suggest another possible culprit; people. Yes, those well-intentioned season greeters who, oh so subtly, drop remarks and digs that cut down to the soul.
These people may be the real reason we don’t enjoy the holiday season.
There are the braggers who always show up to report what great success they have had, making you feel less than.
The “suggesters” who suggest you change careers, get married, get divorced, have a baby, stop drinking, drink more, and the list goes on.
How about the drinker who becomes loud, obnoxious and says whatever is on his mind? They have no problem telling us exactly what’s wrong with us. We all are familiar with that person.
These are just a few of the types of people that can make the holiday season filled with panic attacks and depression.
It’s Not You
May I suggest the issue of holiday blues may not be you. You do a little better the rest of the year. Why not now? Oh, sure, there are times when people suffer panic attacks, depression, and anxiety during other times. However, they are able to manage those times much better than during the holiday events. Why? Could it be that the braggers and such are more familiar to us, therefore, we feel there may be some truth to what they say? Perhaps, because we were taught to respect our elders, we feel we can’t say anything back to them. Whatever the reason, it is important to realize that other people’s perceptions of you, do not make you who you are. You have control of that. We can learn to set healthy boundaries and say “no” to people, regardless of who they are.
Know Your Strengths
How is this done? You must learn the truth about you. Your strengths. By knowing your strengths, you take power away from them and empower yourself. You are probably thinking, “But I don’t like confrontation.” That is the beauty of knowing your strengths. All you’re doing is disagreeing with their perception of you and helping them understand you better.
So get to know your strengths. Often times strengths are found in the things people say about us,
but we need to put them in a healthy positive sense. For example: They say, “you’re stubborn”. Perhaps you change that to “I’m driven”. It’s the same thing but it’s more positive. They may say, “you’re scared”. In contrast you can say, “I’m cautious or timid”. If they say, “you’re quiet”. You respond with, “I’m a good listener”. This will take some practice. Prepare yourself by knowing what they say about you (it’s usually the same things over and over, that is what makes it so irritating), and think of how to turn it into a positive.
Be Yourself
Learn to be yourself. Make this holiday season the best. Overcome panic attacks and depression. Be at peace with who you are. After all, isn’t that what the holidays are all about? Even the angel of the Lord (Luke 2:9) who heralded the coming of Jesus to the shepherds said, “Fear not…” (Luke 2:10) “… Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill toward men” (Luke 2:14).
In my next blog I will share with you steps you can take to maneuver through the holidays and make them the best they’ve been.