{"id":13434,"date":"2021-11-29T18:35:55","date_gmt":"2021-11-29T18:35:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/urbanwellnesscounseling.com\/?p=13434"},"modified":"2021-11-29T18:35:58","modified_gmt":"2021-11-29T18:35:58","slug":"managing-mental-health-through-the-winter-holidays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/urbanwellnesscounseling.com\/managing-mental-health-through-the-winter-holidays\/","title":{"rendered":"Managing Mental Health Through the Winter Holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Winter is often a busy, stressful time of year. And not just because of the challenges the weather poses! There are a lot of expectations on this time of year, and it often can be a profoundly isolating season. We\u2019re often told it\u2019s the most wonderful time of the year, but it\u2019s actually usually a time when people struggle enormously with their mental health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are a lot of reasons this time of year might be hard for you. Even in non-pandemic times, it\u2019s hard to live up to the expectation that something is \u201cthe most wonderful time of the year.\u201d It\u2019s too much pressure! And given how much we\u2019ve all been through in the last year and half, that seems like an especially unreasonable expectation to have. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0Another big stressor around the winter holidays is money. With those seasonal expectations usually comes the expectation of gifts for loved ones. This last year has already been tough on people in that area\u2013the pandemic has brought about huge waves of job losses, creating even more financial stress on people.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And of course, this time of year often exacerbates feelings of loneliness and isolation that people may already be struggling with. Whether it stems from being surrounded by celebrations for holidays you don\u2019t celebrate for nearly the last two months of the year, or being far away from loved ones at a time you\u2019d like to be spending with them, or the loss of a loved one through a breakup, divorce, or death\u2013there are many reasons those feelings of loneliness ramp up around this time of year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Determine your \u201csocial budget\u201d for the season. How much can you realistically commit to? Decide what that is and give yourself permission to set that as a hard limit. When other invitations come up, express gratitude and politely decline. Perhaps offer an alternative get together for after the new year when things have slowed down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be sure to save time for yourself too. Build it into your holiday \u201cplans\u201d as though it\u2019s another commitment you must attend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Set a hard budget for the season. Giving gifts is nice but it\u2019s not the only way to show you care about someone! There are many other ways to show your love and gratitude without going out and spending a ton of money. If you want something tangible to give, you can do homemade gifts, or handmade cards, or something home cooked to share. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or, if you\u2019re okay not having a physical gift, prioritize time spent together instead! Get together and cook a holiday meal together, or make your favorite winter desserts together, decorate gingerbread houses, or watch your favorite seasonal movies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be kind to yourself, this is a hard time of year for many. If you can\u2019t physically be with loved ones, try to make time to call friends who are far away. There are also often local events run by community groups around the end of the year. Whether it\u2019s opportunities to volunteer (often needed around the holidays!) or just social events, connecting with new members of your community can help you feel less isolated, and give you a new alternative to old traditions you can\u2019t participate in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is no \u201cwrong\u201d way to feel during the winter holidays. If you\u2019re grieving, allow yourself that grief.\u00a0 You don\u2019t just have to feel one thing at a time\u2013we\u2019re all complicated people! Enjoying time with loved ones doesn\u2019t mean feelings of grief or loneliness aren\u2019t difficult and present for you, and vice versa. Instead, find ways to tend to all of your feelings this season.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is this time of year already taking a toll on your mental health? Winter is often a busy, stressful time of year. And not just because of the challenges the weather poses! There are a lot of expectations on this time of year, and it often can be a profoundly isolating season. We\u2019re often told […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13435,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[63],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n