Holiday Wellness Tips
Does the thought of the holiday season make you feel uneasy? Holidays aren’t always a joyous time. Maybe you get stressed, grieve a loss, will be dealing with family issues, or will be alone. For advice on looking after your mental health this time of the year, here’s a collection of our blog posts.
Take Care of Your Mental Health During the Holidays
While many people look forward to the holiday season, there are many who dread it—whether it be because of a recent loss, family problems, or feelings of isolation. With the holidays around the corner, here are some tips on how to keep your mental health in check.
Holiday Wellness Tip Sheet
Holiday family get-togethers can be stressful. All of those old childhood wounds can get reopened, and, in some families, new issues are created. Even in families that appear to get along, unvoiced resentments from the past can linger behind a mask of normalcy.
Holidays and Grief
Christmas and other holidays may be times of joy and celebration; an occasion to reunite with loved ones and to share traditions and good times...for some people. However, there are situations that can make this season extremely hard for other people. Losing a loved one is a very painful experience and the holiday season makes it even more difficult to cope with grief.
Dealing with Grief and Loss During Holiday Season
As we move into the winter season, we begin to prepare for the upcoming holidays. Friends and family often talk about and make plans for celebrating and getting together. However, for many who have recently lost a loved one, this can be an especially difficult time of year. Holidays and special occasions often work by magnifying and intensifying the grief response, especially when the loss has been recent. However, it’s also important to acknowledge that grief has no time frame and the third or fourth or fifteenth holiday season may be just as painful as the first.
Going Through the Holiday Season on Your Own
Being alone through the holiday season can be a painful time. For some people, the holiday season means spending quality time with family, sharing a meal, and maybe even sharing gifts. For others, this time of year may not feel cheery and is not the most wonderful time of the year. The season can be very stressful and devastating for people spending it without their loved ones.
Alone for the Holidays
Holidays can be a lonely time for some. If you end up by yourself, there are a lot of creative ways to overcome the feeling of isolation.
Additional resources:
The Family Centre classes that can help you in certain life's challenges