How to Survive Christmas

With all the hustle and bustle of the festive season, it’s hard not to get caught up in the frenzy.

Idyllic images of happy families sitting around a beautifully decorated Christmas tree are splashed all over our TVs throughout December, and it’s easy to start believing that is what your Christmas should be like.

But it’s this mindset that can often lead to stress and depression during the festive season, as Dr Karen O’Connor, mental health clinical lead and Su Campbell, counsellor at Heeley Green surgery, explain.

Stress and depression are both common during the Christmas period as people try to match their own and others’ expectations of what Christmas should be.

Difficulty concentrating, headaches and a change in appetite are just a few of the symptoms – but often people just put them down to feeling tired. It’s important to recognise the signs and to address the issues causing them.

And as people strive to achieve the ‘perfect Christmas’ they often turn a blind-eye to the amount they are spending, justifying it to themselves just because it’s Christmas – but this is a dangerous game to play, especially during these difficult economic times.

If you can’t afford to buy lots of expensive gifts or put on a huge spread of food, then don’t! Take the time now to discuss the issue with your friends and family; you never know, they could well be in the same situation.

But money worries aren’t the only factor involved when it comes to feeling stressed at Christmas – your family can play a big part too.

Spending time with relatives who you’ve not seen all year can send some people’s stress levels soaring and in turn, raise tensions within the home.

People often make the mistake of thinking that just because it’s Christmas, they are going to get on with their relatives. But if you don’t get on with them the rest of the year, there’s no reason why you should expect to get on with them at Christmas.

No matter how stressed you are feeling, the best thing to do is to take a step back and breathe. Think to yourself, is it really worth causing a scene today? Sometimes it’s best to gloss over any issues you and a relative have, for everybody else’s sake.

Alcohol can also be responsible for your Christmas celebrations turning sour. If you’re already feeling stressed after all the shopping, or from preparing Christmas dinner, you’re only going to make yourself feel worse by reaching for a drink.

Plus, it lowers your inhibitions meaning you’re far more likely to let slip exactly what you think.

So what can you do to make sure your Christmas is stress-free this year?

 

Firstly, recognise the symptoms

It’s important you recognise when your body is feeling stressed.

Everybody experiences different symptoms, but the most common are tiredness, finding it hard to concentrate, relax, or sleep or even just feeling a bit gloomy.

Once you’re able to feel stress coming on, try to remove yourself from the situation. Step outside and take slow, deep breaths. This should help you to think rationally and calm you down.”

Make sure you get lots of exercise. Going for a walk or a jog releases endorphins which boost your mood and the fresh air will clear your head.

Watching what you eat and drink can also have an effect. Christmas often means consuming foods high in salt, sugar and caffeine, which contribute to stress levels and anxiety.

 

But if it all gets too much, help is at hand

Speak to your GP about how you’re feeling. They will be able to offer practical advice, and most practices within the Central Sheffield GP Consortium can provide counselling services or can refer you to qualified counsellors within Sheffield.

 Our top tips for surviving Christmas

  • Don’t place unrealistic expectations on Christmas. Everybody celebrates Christmas differently, so work out exactly how much money you can afford to spend and stick to that budget.

  • Recognise the signs. Learn to recognise when stress is coming on, and tackle it before it gets too much.

  • Have some time to yourself. If you feel your stress levels rising, step outside and take some deep breathes to calm your nerves.