This time of year can be stressful for anyone. Among the crowded stores, long shopping lists, cooking, cleaning, traveling and entertaining, it’s easy to see how we can all feel exhausted. In fact, it’s important that we proactively set realistic expectations for our ability to cope during this busy time because, in all likelihood, we’ll find ourselves overwhelmed at some point.
It’s important to distinguish, however, the difference between a normal amount of holiday stress and actual depression. Sadly, too many people report an increase in sadness during these festive months. As the world celebrates around them, it must be particularly alienating and lonely to be descending into darkness. If you find yourself feeling depressed, please don’t ignore it.
Open Up About Your Struggles
While it’s important for the people around you to be vigilant, they may miss the signs amid the chaos the holidays can bring. Do not take this as an indication that they don’t care and never let yourself believe that you are a burden. Anyone who has dealt with depression knows that feeling this way is common and sometimes prevents us from reaching out for help.
Instead, whether you send a text, email or have a face-to-face conversation, let your loved ones know what you’re going through. Give them the opportunity to give you the support that you need and deserve. Taking this first step can be scary but it’s really important.
Check Out Support Groups
When our mental health is suffering, it can leave us feeling isolated, misunderstood and unheard. While we should never wish hard times on anyone, we can take comfort in the fact that we are not alone. Every day, millions fight symptoms associated with depression, creating a broad network of people who know how it feels.
Check your area for support groups where you can share your experience with others who can relate to your journey. Speaking openly about your feelings in public might take some practice, but many people find the comfort and camaraderie found in these groups to be worth the discomfort of that awkward initiation.
Talk to a Therapist
Even if you’ve talked to loved ones or attended a support group, you may feel as though you need to speak with someone more qualified to help you during this tough time. There is no shame in seeking out a therapist to help you work through your feelings of depression. In fact, if you’ve been feeling particularly low or suicidal, counseling can be life-saving.
If you do not have access to a therapist, consider calling the National Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-8255). This service provides confidential support to anyone in distress and can provide crisis resources for you and your loved ones. Don’t feel like talking on the phone? Send a message to the Crisis Text Line. No matter how dark things seem, remember that you have options.
Light Therapy
During the winter months, when the days are shorter and darker, it’s normal to feel a little wistful for those long, sunny days of summer. If your “winter blues” start impacting your mood, energy levels, appetite and ability to sleep on most days, it’s probably a good idea to schedule an appointment with your primary care provider.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) could be responsible for your symptoms and, while the exact cause is unknown, it impacts many people’s lives every day. Treatment options may include psychotherapy and/or medications but, most commonly, light therapy (phototherapy) is prescribed.
Within the first hour of waking each day, you’ll sit in front of a special light box designed to mimic the natural sunlight we take for granted during spring and summer. There are few known side effects associated with light therapy, which begins working within a few weeks.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
We’ve all heard about counseling therapy and medication as ways of treating depression but have you heard of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)? This approach “uses short pulses of a magnetic field to stimulate nerve cells in the area of the brain thought to control mood” in an attempt to create a positive effect on the brain’s neurotransmitter levels.
While the name and description might sound complicated, the actual experience of receiving TMS therapy is not. Patients are fully awake, sitting in a chair with a small, curved magnetic coil placed on their head. They will hear a clicking sound and feel gentle tapping on their head. When the treatment is over, they can resume normal activities, including driving themselves home… but does it work?
NeuroStar Advanced Therapy has the largest clinical data set of any TMS treatment. With studies including more than 900 people, many NeuroStar patients saw their symptoms significantly improve after four to six weeks of treatment.
In addition to sharing some inspiring patient stories, NeuroStar, which reached its two million treatment milestone in October, provides the following information about TMS as a therapy for depression:
FDA cleared
Not ECT (electroconvulsive therapy)
Non-drug treatment
Long-lasting symptom relief
Non-invasive
Covered by most insurance plans
Over 1 million treatments delivered
Transcranial magnetic stimulation may not be for everyone — this is a decision you must make with your healthcare provider — but it could be an option worth exploring.
Our Collective Role
Each and every one of us has a role to play in keeping each other safe. These might be divided times, and the holiday season is always busy, but that doesn’t diminish our responsibility to our fellow human beings. If anything, our commitment should be even stronger during a time of year when we place greater importance on spreading love, goodwill and cheer.
Call someone who you haven’t heard from in a while and put your phone away when you’re spending time with loved ones. Pay attention to what they are saying, ask them how they’re doing and really listen to how they answer. If anything seems amiss, dig deeper and find out what’s going on.
Basically, the biggest gift you can give anyone during the holiday season is your time, attention, love and respect. Never miss the opportunity to let someone know how much they mean to you because life can be so unexpected.
Again, If you’re feeling overwhelmed or if someone in your life appears to be struggling, reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-8255). If you’re wrong, at least they will know you care but, if you’re right, you could save a life.
Have a safe and happy holiday season!
Jeanne Croteau-Contributor
Jeanne is a social sciences professor and writer.
