Surviving Holiday Stress

Ah, the holidays. A time of joy, lights, festivities, and... stress.

There are many stressors during this time of year: buying gifts (especially during financial strain), family interactions, entertaining, travel hassles, and thinking about loved ones who have recently passed. These things can be overwhelming for all of us, and these stressors can be especially triggering for those who are experiencing mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. When stress is at its peak, it's hard to stop and regroup. And while some symptoms of stress may require professional mental health treatment and support, there are some strategies you may be able to do yourself to lessen the emotional toll of the holidays. Who knows, maybe you'll find a strategy that you'll begin to use whenever you're stressed, whether it's the holiday season or not. You'll never know until you try it!

• Take four deep breaths. Close your eyes. Slowly inhale and exhale four times, making sure to completely exhale each time, pushing all the air out. If your thoughts wander, that's ok, just go back to focusing on your breathing. If you need some guidance, try inhaling and exhaling in sync with the video below. (Inhale as the shape grows larger, and exhale as it shrinks.)

(Source: ghostvvolfe)

• Acknowledge your feelings. It's ok to feel whatever you're feeling. If you're feeling tense and stressed, acknowledge it and take some time to do what you need to do to comfort yourself. If you've recently lost a loved one or can't be with loved ones, know that it's ok to feel sadness or grief. Give yourself some time to cry or express your feelings.
• Make yourself a priority. Remember to schedule some "me" time and take care of yourself. Once you take care of yourself, you'll be better able to check off your "to-do" items.

• Don't abandon healthy habits. It may be tempting to indulge in all the cookies or the extra eggnog, but focusing on your health and sticking to your routine can be so important. Try eating a healthy snack before holiday parties so you don't go overboard. Or take a small amount of your "less healthy" favorites and a larger amount of the healthier options. Try going for a walk after a meal and remember to drink plenty of water.
• Stay tobacco free. The holiday season can also be especially challenging for those who are working to quit smoking or stay tobacco free. Remember, the WI QuitLine is here to help, just call 1-800-QUIT-NOW to talk with a coach and get free quit medication sent to you. It can make quitting (or staying quit) much less stressful this holiday season.

• If you know of someone who may be struggling during the holidays, reach out. Whether they've lost a loved one, are experiencing a lot of stress in their life, or are just having a tough time, be there for them. Express your concern and sympathy, really listen to them, and ask what you can do to help. It could be helping them with errands, going out to lunch, or just sitting with them. If you think they might be experiencing a mental illness, remind them that mental illnesses are treatable and that help is out there.

Whatever works for you, remember to stick to it! We all have mental health and we all need to work on staying mentally healthy. We can't be truly healthy without taking care of our mental health, so this holiday season, make sure to pay some attention to your brain and emotions and practice self-care!