During the holiday season, it may seem as though everyone is full of good cheer, happiness, and holiday spirit. If you’re feeling exhausted or down, it’s easy to feel isolated and alone during what’s supposed to be a joyful time of the year.
The truth is that over 17 million adults and 3 million adolescents in the United States struggle with major depression. Even well-managed depression can resurface during a stressful holiday season — and this year, concerns about COVID-19 provide an additional challenge.
At Vital TMS Therapy in Washington, DC, and Chevy Chase, Maryland, our compassionate psychiatrists work to help patients struggling with major depression during the holidays and all year long. From lifestyle adjustments to noninvasive, medication-free treatment, here are our top tips for dealing with depression during the holidays.
1. Pay attention to your symptoms
From added financial pressure to finding gifts to extra socializing, different stressors can trigger a major depressive episode during the holiday. Pay attention to your symptoms. If you notice they’re escalating, take steps to manage them early.
Common symptoms of depression include:
- Chronic sadness or anxiety
- Feeling empty inside
- Feeling hopeless or helpless
- Losing interest or pleasure in things you normally enjoy
- Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
- Decreased libido
- Feeling fatigued and lacking energy
- Trouble concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
- Sleep problems (e.g., insomnia, waking up too early, oversleeping)
- Lack of appetite and weight loss or overeating and weight gain
- Thoughts of death or suicide
- Chronic restlessness or irritability
People with depression may also have physical symptoms that can’t be explained and don’t respond to treatment. Some of these include headaches, digestive disorders, and pain.
2. Keep expectations realistic
It’s easy to get swept up by the idea of a greeting-card holiday. But if you’re comparing real-life holidays to an abstract idea of the perfect holiday season, you’ll always find the holidays lacking.
Instead, keep your expectations for the holiday season reasonable and realistic. Remember that perfection isn’t the goal. Take the holidays as they come, and focus on positive experiences.
3. Use your support system
When your depression symptoms escalate, it’s tempting to self-isolate. Taking time to recharge by yourself can be helpful, but research consistently demonstrates that social isolation and loneliness exacerbate mental health disorders.
Make the effort to reach out to family, friends, and other people in your support system. Keeping them close during the holidays not only helps lift your spirits, but it also ensures you have someone available to talk to if your symptoms appear.
4. Keep holiday plans simple
People with depression often struggle with feelings of tiredness and fatigue. A full holiday calendar and long to-do list can make these feelings worse — especially if they require lots of decision-making and concentration.
Try keeping your holiday plans simple, and set small, achievable goals. For example, instead of deciding to bake and decorate a dozen different types of holiday cookies, start with one or two types of cookies and allow yourself to have fun while baking and decorating.
5. Keep up healthy habits
Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy diet help reduce the severity of depression symptoms and keep them away. Get in as much regular physical activity as possible this holiday season. And while it’s OK to indulge in a few holiday treats, focus on foods and beverages that feed your brain in a good way.
A recent analysis of research concluded that plant-based, whole food diets low in animal products decrease the risk of depression while diets high in dairy, meat, processed foods, refined grains and sugars and low in fruits and vegetables increase the risk of a major depressive episode.
6. Seek professional help
Some people with major depression find traditional treatment methods, like medications and therapy, don’t work or aren’t enough to manage their symptoms. Others prefer a treatment that doesn’t come with the unpleasant side effects of some prescriptions.
If you notice your symptoms escalating this holiday season, seek professional help. The psychiatrists at Vital TMS Therapy offer an alternative for patients with major depression: transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
TMS therapy is a safe, painless, and noninvasive treatment. Using magnetic energy, it stimulates the release of neurotransmitters and chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, which improve and stabilize mood — without severe adverse side effects.
If you’re ready to take control of your depression during the holidays, contact Vital TMS Therapy at the Washington, DC, or Chevy Chase, Maryland, office or request a consultation online now.
