How are you managing this holiday season? I hope each and every one of you is finding time for family, friends, and celebrating the birth of the Savior. Unfortunately, many find themselves in the grip of the dark cloud of depression as the holidays roll around.
Suicide and suicidal thoughts tend to be more prevalent during the holiday season. Please, please, please – if you are dealing with any of those thoughts seek help. There are people that will help you and lead you out of the darkness.
In this post, I’m not talking about that deepest level of depression. I’m addressing the holiday blues or seasonal affective disorder that can wrap it’s grip tightly around your neck. Those with chronic illness often tend to border on the edge of depression. This time of the year you might be feeling like you’re being pushed deeper in the cave.
I caught a piece of an interview on NPR radio yesterday. They were discussing how our English language does such an injustice in describing depression. The same wording is used to explain a young boy “depressed” because his ball game was canceled and a woman so “depressed” she decided to end her life. We can all agree that there are so many variables on the depression scale that one word isn’t enough.
Depression can settle in so deep that it convinces you the negative thoughts in your head are crystal clear and accurate. You’ll feel certain a fog has lifted and you’re seeing life in its true reality.
The grief of lost loved ones and happier days from the past tend to come to the surface again. Financial issues that weigh heavy during the year are exacerbated as you try to scrounge up enough cash to purchase gifts. Pressure to pull off a Martha Stewart dinner and stunning decor presses down. Health issues may become worse as cold and flu season swirls in the frigid air. Pain and fatigue may increase as your activity level goes up. It makes a difficult life seem unbearable.
I’ve been dealing with all of this the past few weeks.
There are a few things I’ve learned….
1. Thanksgiving isn’t the only time to be thankful. I hate to admit I’ve never kept a gratitude journal before but I feel it is an important habit to start! Join me! Grab whatever notebook you can find and try to write at least one item each day that makes you thankful. When the darkness rolls in you’ll be able to read through the pages of the journal and have the reality of blessings you’ve received. It will help to pull you back out of the cave.
2. Do some of the traditions you’ve always done even if you don’t feel like it. I remember rolling sugar cookie dough with my sister, Sandy, and sprinkling the tops of the cut creations with colored sugar crystals. She liked to make a patty out of the leftover dough, drizzle it with melted butter, and sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar! Great memories! I haven’t made cookies in years, but this week I did cookies. I was tired and crabby and shifted those emotions to determination and produced sugar cookie goodness! Try it with one of your traditions you planned to skip this year. It will actually make you feel a bit better once you get in the groove.
3. Keep up with your medications – it’s essential! We can find ourselves rushing around and forgetting about some of these necessary practices. Don’t skip over your meds in your hustle and bustle. Also, talk to your doctor about adding vitamin d to your regimen. It can help during the long winter days without much sun!
4. Stay hydrated. When your cells don’t maintain enough fluid it can lead to muscle fatigue. Staying well-hydrated can help keep your energy up as you scurry through these last days before Christmas.
5. Eat right. Here’s where the soup comes in. I have never made homemade chicken noodle soup but I thought I’d try this recipe found at Family Fresh Meals. Our family has been fighting colds and I’m still fighting pneumonia since September. The comfort of warm soup seemed like a welcoming addition. But it also has a number of health benefits! Here are a few…..
- Chicken contains vitamin B6 which is great at protecting us against age-related memory loss. It also helps create dopamine which is a mood neurotransmitter. It can help to reduce PMS symptoms and lift your mood. Chicken is also a source of selenium which is an antioxidant that helps maintain healthy joints.
- Carrots are low in calories and have a high water content. They are also a great choice for people trying to lose weight due to the amount of fiber they have. Including them in your diet can help prevent and manage heart disease or type 2 diabetes. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant found in carrots that may help prevent arthritis, cataracts, and macular degeneration.
- Celery has such a high water content that it’s great at helping your body stay hydrated and flush out toxins. It also is a source of quercetin which is an anti-inflammatory antioxidant.
- Onions are great if you have arthritis or age-related memory loss. Like celery, they are also rich in anti-inflammatory antioxidants.
So as you’re finishing up your holiday preparations please be good to yourself! Remember celebrating the birth of Christ is to be our top priority. Add the other festivities as you feel able!
What’s one of your traditions on your holiday MUST-DO list?
