The Catalyst

By Callie Varra, Reporter

The holiday season is a time for joy, peace and happiness, but it is not uncommon to experience feelings of sadness and depression during winter break. For many people, the holidays bring on symptoms of anxiety and sadness which can be very hard to deal with. According to the National Mental Health Association reasons for holiday blues are endless. Tensions can increase during the holidays for multiple reasons, but the most common causes are family tensions, financial problems and fatigue. Experts said that one of the easiest ways to fall into holiday depression is set unrealistic expectations. Many people have the idea that the holiday celebrations must be perfect, when in reality, perfection is hardly reachable. Therefore, it is important to schedule your holiday plans practically in order for you to get enough rest so you do not become grumpy or irritable. Other contributions to holiday depression can come from memories of previous holidays compared to now, where a deceased family member is not present or family strains become an emotional problem. Although defining shared time is difficult, try to include or create new family traditions such as caroling at a nursing home or watching recordings of earlier holiday celebrations.