Don’t Be SAD During the Holidays

First the good news: "Seasonal Affective Disorder" or SAD isn’t too bad here in Florida, affecting only 1.4 percent of the population, as opposed to 12.5 percent in New York. That may help to explain why so much of New York ends up in Florida.

And the not so good: Psychology Today tells us that according to the National Institutes of Health 

“Christmas is the time of year that people experience a high incidence of suicide and attempted suicide. Psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health professionals report a significant increase in patients complaining about depression. One North American survey reported that 45 percent of respondents dreaded the festive season.”

Fortunately the article doesn’t leave us with that depressing news. It offers some ways to deal with the specter of holiday depression, which the article says is caused by “unrealistic expectations and excessive self-reflection for many people.”

• Become involved in giving in a non-monetary way through charities and worthwhile causes that help less fortunate people
• Be grateful for what you have in your life, rather than focusing on what you don't have
• Avoid excessive rumination about your life
• Take action and do interesting and fun things
• If you are religious, take part in church activities that focus on the bigger meaning of Christmas
• Focus your thoughts on all the good things about Christmas - the opportunity to engage in loving kindness, generosity of spirit, and gratitude for others in your life

I’ll add one of my own:

• Read the Christmas story in The Bible. You can find it in the first and second chapters of the books of Matthew and Luke. Even if you're not Christian, or not religious... or not even the least bit depressed, it's still a great story.