The Holidays and Your Health

The holidays are traditionally regarded as a wonderful time of the year. A time to reflect, commune, share happiness, give and receive good cheer, and enjoy for the duration.

It is also a time to establish optimistic hopes for the upcoming New Year. During the holiday season many are inundated with various reminders of the holidays both past and present. It is these reminders that can also be a trigger that leads to many unresolved issues, relentless stress, and personal despair during the holiday season.



Contributing Factors of Holiday Blues


The holiday season is understood to be a very busy time that is loaded
with things and events to participate in, more purchases to make,
excess travel and traffic, difficult parking situations, crowded
stores, and of course, long waiting times for all amenities associated
with the holiday season scheme.

Serious contributing factors have been
identified as the extra demands for our time, attention, energy and
finances. The contributing factors mentioned have their own unique
brand of stress associated with the impact of their demand. This unique
stress is of important consideration in regards to health and well
being.


We all have
unique physiological, psychological, and emotional mechanisms inherent
to each and every one of us that we use to deal with internal and
external stresses. For some, the stress level during the holidays
surpasses the innate ability to cope and deal with each and every
ordeal that is confronted. Thus the foundation for the holiday blues is
established and the plethora of unpleasant feelings associated with
this disorder is manifested.


The greatest impact of the holiday blues for individuals may be in response to the following identified “triggers”:

•    Past loses

•    Unresolved grief and trauma

•    Anticipation of a personal or financial loss

•    Contrasting past and present experiences

•    Disappointment with the present

•    Contrasting holiday joy and present reality

•    Isolation and loneliness


Reducing the Stress that Contributes to Holiday Blues

Assessing one’s
response to holiday stress can lead to a feeling of helplessness or
victimization in an effort to cope and maintain.


Meaningful
planning in terms of reducing the holiday stress may be manifested in
exploring your personal view and approach to the holidays. Is it really
necessary to buy expensive gifts for people who may not attain personal
satisfaction in your gift selection for them, only for you to
experience more holiday stress via their disdain in your selection?


Reassessing your
true purpose and intent in giving gifts can provide a basis for
eliminating some of the anxiety associated with gift selection and
giving.


Research more
meaningful ways of gift giving that is less demanding on you, yet does
not diminish the true value of your intent of participating in gift
exchanging. This could include visiting a friend, preparing a dish or
dessert to share on this visit, or simply sending a nice personalized
Christmas card to those that are “dear but not exactly near”.


Limit the number
of selected people to exchange gifts with. Remember, as the number of
participants on your Christmas gift list increases, so does the stress
and anxiety of trying to purchase for each and everyone. Not only is
this endeavor difficult, it can also be regarded as very time consuming.


If past losses
are contributing to the holiday blues, it may be necessary to accept
the loss or the most devastating entity of the loss, in order for the
intensity of the associated bad feelings to lessen as well.


“Easier said
than done,” one might say. It may be difficult and it does require
effort to challenge and face the impact of the loss. Consider what
relief strategy may be the most alleviating and manageable from a
personal perspective, implement that strategy, and always be mindful of
the fact that is not very healthy to lose more than is necessary.


Interact with
friends, family, and colleagues to share holiday ideas that are fun,
manageable, feasible, and most of all meaningful to all participants,
yourself included.


Have a wonderful holiday season and Best Wishes for a Blessed New Year in 2007!

Charles E. Taylor, MPH, MT (ASCP), Assistant Professor of Health/

Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Western Carolina University