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The holidays offer plenty of reasons to be stressed out and anxious—the gifts you haven't wrapped, the pile of cookie exchange invites, the office parties. But for many, the biggest source of holiday stress is family—the family dinner, the obligations and the burden of family tradition. And if you're fighting clinical depression, or have had depression in the past, the holiday stress can be a trigger for more serious problems.
"There's this idea that holiday gatherings with family are supposed to be joyful and stress-free," says Ken Duckworth, MD, medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. "That's not the case. Family relationships are complicated. But that's doesn't mean that the solution is to skip the holidays entirely."
With holiday family reunions looming in your calendar, what are some ways that you can prepare yourself and cope better this season? We turned to the experts for some tips on beating holiday stress and anxiety.
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As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any program.
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD, on October 01, 2008.
SOURCES: Ken Duckworth, MD, medical director, National Alliance on Mental Illness; assistant professor, Harvard University Medical School. David Dunner, MD, director, Center for Anxiety and Depression, Mercer Island, Wash.; professor emeritus, department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, University of Washington. Mental Health America web site: "Holiday Depression and Stress." Gloria Pope, director of advocacy and public policy, Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, Chicago. David Shern, PhD, president and CEO, Mental Health America, Alexandria, Va. ¿¿ 2008 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
