Christmas Blues and SAD - The Double Whammy
Dec 13, 11:12 AM by Stewart Bloom
The holiday season is supposed to be a time of fun, excitement and happy times. The vision of gently falling snow, holiday lights, hot cider by the fire, and children’s shrieks of excitement typify the American image of Christmas.
And many do live the dream. Christmas time offers the opportunity for busy families to unite. The holiday season holds the promise of giving to and receiving from those we love, and those we care about. Most people get some time off from their work, and everyone has the chance to put on some extra pounds they can later resolve to get rid of.
But there are many who take no joy in the holiday season. In fact, there are many who find the holidays unsettling, if not downright depressing. The nostagia that inevitably surfaces during this period may be mixed at best; with memories of unhappy childhoods that offered very little pleasure and fun.
Not a small number of people experience stress related to the mountain of expectations that society has around holiday time. For those who live on the edge financally; Christmas is often a time to feel shame, depression or inadequacy. The relentless pressure to buy, buy buy, along with other aspects of the holiday season can cause severe depression and other symptoms and open traumatic wounds that don’t feel very jolly at all.
Season Affective Disorder
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD is a form of depression that is triggered by the early onset of darkness and the accompanying lack of sunshine for long periods.
While we may not know it, most of us are affected by the seasons. We may become wistful of childhood when fall arrives and the crispness of the air and falling leaves bring us back to happy times. In the spring, the freshness of new flowers may bring us back to our first love or the end of a long year of school. Summer may remind us of our first job, trips with our family, or days at the beach. It’s as if we are swept back to these days of pleasure, pain, boredom or ecstasy.
And just as we are impacted by other seasons, many of us are affected by winter’s cold and gloom. When the sun goes away and darkness falls early, day after day, it’s easy to see why anyone could get the blues. But for those who suffer from SAD, we’re talking about a severe depression; one in which getting out of bed is difficult task. In these instances motivation is diminished, one’s sense of pleasure is dulled, and the ability to communicate effectively goes away.
It’s difficult to get into the spirit of Christmas when you suffer from SAD. Unfortunately, people around you may not understand what’s wrong, and are therefore unavailable to be of support. It’s not only depressing but very lonely.
If you have “the blues” around the winter and holiday season, and don’t understand what’s the matter, consider the possibility that you may have SAD. Don’t feel guilty because you’re not “in the spirit” of the holidays. To take your mind off things, participate in activities when nightime sets in. If your depression doesn’t get better, or gets worse, consider seeing your doctor to be evaluated for a course of anti-depressants or some other form of treatment. In fact, SAD is so common that there are product lines that sell portable and stationary lights that are intended to serve as substitute light of the sun. Research has demonstrated that these devices are useful in alleviating symptoms associated with SAD, and are available on the internet. Search under Seasonal Affective Disorder Lights.
The holday season really does offer us the chance to enjoy life, and you don’t have to be rich to do that. Don’t feel pressured to do anything that you don’t want to or cannot do. Allow yourself to enjoy the holiday time as much as possible. Most of all do your best to be around the people you love. That is what the holiday season is all about.
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