Saint Barnabas Behavioral Health Center Offer Holiday Depression Coping Techniques
Toms River, NJ - - - The hustle and bustle of the holiday season can be joyful, but for some, it can be stressful and may trigger depression. Balancing work, shopping, decorating, cooking, cleaning, and caring for small children or loved ones can become very overwhelming during the holiday season and may lead to feelings of stress and sadness. With the added economic pressures and anxiety this year, there may be many more individuals feeling sad and depressed this holiday season.
According to Sirajuddin Ismail, MD, Psychiatrist and Medical Director of the Saint Barnabas Behavioral Health Center, stress and depression can be lessened. “By understanding the causes and triggers for anxiety and depression, you can better manage or overcome it altogether,” he explains.
There are many factors that may contribute to holiday depression including fatigue, stress, unrealistic expectations, financial issues, relationship issues and loneliness. “Depression is a clinical, mental illness which causes people to lose pleasure in daily life activities and can exacerbate other medical conditions,” says Dr. Ismail. “Many individuals develop stress responses such as overeating, binge drinking, difficulty sleeping and headaches,” he explains.
Dr. Ismail suggests the following coping mechanisms to help those feeling saddened or depressed during this holiday season.
- Acknowledge Your Feelings. It’s normal to cry every now and then. Everyone experiences feelings of sadness or grief. Expressing your feelings will help you to work through them.
- Set realistic goals and expectations. Be honest with yourself about what you can and can not accomplish. Ask others for help if you need to and understand that everything does not need to be perfect.
- Create a budget. Take some time to figure out how much money you can spend, and stick to it.
- Make a To Do list and prioritize it. Write down the list of things you need to accomplish according to which are most important. This will help you to feel more in control of all that you need to accomplish, and can keep you on the right track.
- Be realistic. There are only so many hours in a day, and only so many things that are within your control.
- Make time for yourself. Take a break. Do something relaxing; go for a walk; sit in a quiet place for 15 minutes or so. This will help lower your stress and clear your mind.
- Seek professional help if necessary. If you feel as though you have lost control over your emotions and are feeling strong, overwhelming feelings of sadness or depression, you should seek immediate medical help.
Understanding what can trigger stress and anxiety and taking steps to manage them, can help you to enjoy the holiday season, and not be overwhelmed by it.
The Saint Barnabas Behavioral Health Center in Toms River offers an extensive array of high-quality, clinically-focused programs. These programs include a 100-bed acute care psychiatric facility which provides inpatient and intensive outpatient programs for adults and older adults diagnosed with psychiatric and dual disorders. At the Saint Barnabas Behavioral Health Center, the multidisciplinary staff includes experienced professionals in nearly every facet of behavioral health care. Truly customized and highly specialized treatment tracks, as well as programs for the dually diagnosed are available.
For more information about the Saint Barnabas Behavioral Health Center or if you need help coping with holiday stress or depression, please call the Saint Barnabas Behavioral Health Center 24-hour Access Center at 1-800-300-0628.
Date: December 15, 2008
CONTACT: Carrie Cristello
Department of Public Relations
732-923-6552
ccristello@sbhcs.com
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