Thanksgiving is gone, and the holiday season is upon us. There's a myth that suicides increase during the period between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. But according to the Mayo Clinic reports, that is not true. The Clinic did a 30-year long study and found no increase in suicides during this period. They did report that even though people aren't more inclined to become clinically depressed during this time of year, many are inclined to get the holiday blues (www.mayoclinic.org). There's even a medical term for it called SAD-Seasonal Affective Disorder.
The Christmas season is loved by most people, but it is also the most stressful, most tense, most lonely and most disappointed and frustrated time of the year. People face so much pressures with finance, shopping, cooking, baking, making travel plans, attending parties and pushing hard at work to close out the year. Then the noise, the rush, the busyness crowd God out and make us lose sight of what the whole season is all about.
If you want to beat the holiday blues, you can. It starts with changing the way you think. You don't have to be on edge all month. You don't have to dread the hectic pace. Rethink the way you approach Christmas. Rethink your expectations and your obligations-and look for ways to minister to and serve others.
As December rolls around, take time to breathe, to reflect on the mystery of the Incarnation, and to worship...not material things, but the Newborn King. Then you won't miss out on God's blessings.
"I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." Jesus in John 10:10




Signs of Holiday Blues



Here are some signs you may have the holiday blues:
Headaches
Insomnia
Hypersomnia (sleeping too much)
Changes in appetite
Agitation and anxiety
Excessive or inappropriate feelings of guilt
Diminished ability to think clearly or concentrate
Decreased interest in activities that bring pleasure such as food, work, sex, friends, hobbies, entertainment
Any of the above symptoms lasting longer than a few weeks could lead to depression.

Source: US Dept. of Health & Human Services





Ideas for Managing Holiday Stress



Here are some suggestions for managing holiday stress and having a healthy holiday:
Keep holiday expectations realistic. Be practical about what you can and cannot do.
Try to keep to a normal routine. Change can disorient you and everyone.
Realize that problems don't go away just because it's a holiday.
Don't dwell on the past, good or bad.
Set aside time for God and for yourself.
Spend time with family and loved ones.
Set your spending limit and stick to it.
Volunteer at a local charity or give money or things away.
Pray about everything.