Women and the over-45s found the experience the most pressurising and intense. I wanted to talk about some of the ways people get stress and anxiety around Christmas and how you can sort it out if it happens. Coping with Christmas stress 9th December 2020 Written by Dr. Sally Shaw for MS Australia. Yep. Work out a Christmas plan. And the media love it. By doing some gentle activities like walking in the park, strolling on the beach or joining in … Reduce Christmas Stress. You can use this interactive worksheet to : 1. ‘Tis the season to be riddled with anxiety? Manage your expectations. Spending a lot of time with someone you don’t often see can be tough. Use Visual Schedules (great for toddlers too) During school breaks, I often use a whiteboard to take … The Christmas season is a fun time for lots of people and not so much for others. Take a break. Church groups or organisations like the Salvation Army or The Smith Family often put on Christmas lunches and are usually looking for volunteers. This will be keenly felt by many people this year, after months of living under COVID-19 restrictions. And the media love it. Some other ways to keep your Christmas stress levels down include: Try to be moderate – it may be the season to be jolly, but too much food and alcohol is harmful. Try These Things to Help You’re not alone if you’re not exactly feeling in the holiday spirit this year. Sitemap, © Copyright 2020 the Priory Group. If you’re struggling already, the extra social pressure to be happy and involved over the Christmas period can be too much. (Password is XMAS) This is a fun combo of two previous posts that gives five helpful hints for reducing and coping with Christmas stress during the holiday preparations and beyond. Talk to your parents about how you’re going to split your time at Christmas. Accessibility Christmas: It’s the Most Stre-ess-ful Time of the Year! Diets and gym memberships are particularly popular in January! This could be a … That’s the thing that has already turned up. Anxiety affects between 2-5% of the population. Don’t wait until the last minute. Ok, well, Christmas itself is not actually here yet, but the stress is. Christmas Stress. Allow yourself to take ‘time out’ if you find your stress levels rising. All in all, the holiday season creates the ‘perfect storm’ of heightened physical, emotional, psychological and social stressors. … Coping with Christmas For many people, the festive season is an exciting time to connect with others and celebrate. Christmas. Learn to make healthier choices during the holiday season 3. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress as it burns off hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline and helps produce mood-enhancing endorphins. We spoke to Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Jaya Gowrisunkur, about coping with stress at Christmas. If they live close to each other, you might do lunch at one place and dinner at the other (swapping each year). According to MIND, one in four adults feel anxious about social occasions during the festive period.Not to mention, the extra demands at Christmas … And, for these people, Christmas may be an extremely difficult time. For most people, when we feel stressed for a long period of time, this can have a negative long-term effect on our health and wellbeing. Within this blog, we explore the causes of stress, the most appropriate treatment, and the best ways to avoid the pressures of the holidays, particularly in a year when the coronavirus pandemic has changed the festive season as we know it. That’s the thing that has already turned up. Talk to your parents about how you’re going to split your time at Christmas. Delaying something until the last minute is rarely a good idea. If you’re spending it overseas or with people other than your family, plan for some fun activities: Volunteer to help with a charity Christmas lunch. Headaches, excessive drinking, overeating, and insomnia are some of the possible consequences of poorly managed holiday stress. ... until something happens that you really can’t cope with. Avoid overindulging. If they live further apart, then you can swap who you spend Christmas with each year. We all experience stress at certain points in our lives but different people have different capacities for coping with it. But for others, it can be the most stressful time of the year. Psychological symptoms of stress include: Behavioural changes linked to stress include: The pressures of 2020 will have heightened feelings of stress for many. It's not always easy to find the right place to start. During stressful periods such as Christmas, it is important to find safe outlets for emotions, such as enjoying outdoor exercise or chatting to a friend over video or phone. Find out more about cookies and your privacy in our policy. That’s the thing that has already turned up. Coping with Christmas Stress. Recognising and changing behaviours that contribute to your stress will help you get through the Christmas period. Christmas brings a mixture of childhood excitement and dread. It is here already. Here at Priory Healthcare, we help people who are struggling to manage their stress levels and who are worried about the impact it is having on their life. Some people who are stressed, anxious or depressed can turn to negative ways of coping, such as eating too much food or drinking alcohol, to make themselves feel better. During stressful periods such as Christmas, it is important to find safe outlets for emotions, such as enjoying outdoor exercise or chatting to a friend over video or phone. It is here already. Legal How to deal with stress. Christmas is also a time when most people, whether they struggle with stress or not, consume more alcohol than usual. Top ten tips on how to survive the festive season by author and psychologist Sarah Rozenthuler. put your headphones on and close your eyes. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and on edge, or if you’re spending Christmas away from home, there are things you can do to make dealing with the holiday season easier. Remember to stay healthy - eating well , exercising and getting enough sleep can help you cope with Christmas stress. Privacy and Cookies Live in the moment. The stress that comes in the lead up to Christmas. If they live further apart, then you can swap who you spend Christmas with each year. Thursday, 20 December 2012 Fran. Sometimes, the simple act of giving a family member space to air their grievances without judgement can do wonders for the harmony of the house. they might not be aware that they’re upsetting you – let them know in a non-confrontational way, spend the day with friends who are also away from home, plan a special Christmas menu with your favourite food. You might even talk to the person or people causing you stress to see if you can work something out together. Some of the reasons people get super-stressed, tired and argumentative with family at this time include: Because Christmas is usually jam-packed with family visits and activities, it’s worthwhile making sure you have time out just to relax and be in your own space. When you first come to us, an initial appointment will be provided with a consultant psychiatrist, who will help to clarify your condition and form a diagnosis, leading to a care plan focused around your specific needs and goals. Identify the main sources of your holiday stress 2. Below is some more advice: Avoid self-medicating with alcohol and food. Look online for charity Christmas lunches happening nearby. Take time out to give yourself some space. Peace and joy: coping with Christmas stress 26 November 2012 ( 17 December 2019 ) Tweet. Christmas stress and anxiety is a huge thing for me and it totally sucks. Christmas can be a difficult time of year, with many people experiencing increased symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. For professionals looking to make a referral, please click here. If you can't (or don't want to) step off the social merry-go-round, at least try to eat and drink in moderation. Our 'What's on your mind?' 60% of those surveyed experienced shopping fatigue after 32 minutes, with heart rates increasing by an average of 33% during this time. tool can help you explore what's right for you. Christmas is, for many, a time of excessive eating and drinking and exercise can be easily overlooked. The holidays don't have to be perfect or just like last year. Be active. Coping With Christmas Stress Posted on December 15, 2015 by Toni Jackson :: Psychotherapist & Counsellor 2 Comments. I’ll be posting it this coming Christmas (2020), so in the meantime it’s password protected. Coping with Christmas Stress Here are some tips to beat the holiday stress: Provide help to someone – research shows that helping others builds resilience, irrespective of age or health, was found that those who provided tangible assistance to friends or family were protected from the harmful effects of stress. Drink driving is a real danger and is illegal. The Priory Group aspires to deliver the highest quality of care in the UK across our range of services, which include acute mental healthcare, addiction treatment and low and medium secure facilities. The stress that comes in the lead up to Christmas. December 8, 2020 Coping with stress at Christmas By Hannah West. Consultant Health Psychologist Dr Sue Peacock from BMI The Saxon Clinic shares her advice for surviving the season. Take time out The stress that comes in the lead up to Christmas. Although Christmas is seen as a time for celebration where you get together with family and friends and enjoy each other’s company, it can also be a stressful time for many. Sadly, all of this extravagance is far from the reality this year. Every breakfast TV show has at least two segments dedicated to reducing stress (read that as ‘provoke anxiety’) at Christmas. Christmas is a special event because it brings family and friends together. As families change and grow, … Some individuals thrive on high levels of stress, such as in stressful working environments, whereas others struggle a lot more with the pressure. Social media can also leave people feeling like failures for not having the best tree, decorations, presents or food. Christmas and the holidays can be a massively busy time. Holidays Got You Down? Helping others is a great way to feel the joy of Christmas. That stress is perhaps felt strongest among young adults, many of whom may be far away from home and looking at celebrating the holiday season alone for the first time. By Dr. Sally Shaw. But there are some factors like loneliness, expectations of others, and the high credit card bills which can stress someone out. Let’s beat the Christmas stress. This can cause people to behave in uncharacteristic, risky or embarrassing ways which can have significant, potentially long-term effects at work, at home and on self-esteem. ReachOut.com uses cookies to give you the best experience. Christmas is meant to be a time of celebration, but the ‘season of goodwill’ can easily slip into ill-will and a tonne of stress. I know quite a few people who have to deal with Christmas stress and I try and help out whenever I can. overdoing it with too many family, work or social events. Platforms such as Facebook and Instagram fuel ‘FOMO’ (fear of missing out), even in this COVID Christmas as people stage glamorous get-togethers within the home, or are in areas with more relaxed tier systems. If they live close to each other, you might do lunch at one place and dinner at the other (swapping each year). Christmas is usually characterised as a time for celebration – music, bright lights, giving presents, seeing loved ones and enjoying food and drink. For details of how Priory can provide you with assistance regarding mental health and wellbeing, please call 0800 840 3219 or click here to submit an enquiry form. Maybe chill out by listening to some music, going for a walk or chatting with a friend. If you’re finding it hard to cope, you might like to talk to someone who’s not so close to the situation. People greet each other to get together to celebrate this event with their loved ones. “Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. Christmas. This is highly risky because emotional distress cannot be reduced with this behaviour, it will only keep increasing. Counseling or support groups can also be beneficial. Plus, there are the usual pressures of Christmas to contend with, which include: A study conducted by eBay compared Christmas shopping to running a marathon in terms of the stress that it produces on the body. “Coping with Holiday Stress Worksheet” introduces nine important strategies to help ensure a happy and healthy holiday season. Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 or Lifeline 13 11 14 both have counsellors who are available 24 hours a day, so feel free to call them if you feel overwhelmed. We spoke to consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Jaya Gowrisunkur, about coping Christmas! 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