Looking after your Mental Health at Christmas

Looking after your Mental Health over Christmas:

Christmas is often seen as a time of happiness and excitement. Festivities often
highlight the things we are grateful for, and this feeling of gratitude can also increase
our sense of well-being.

Developing a positive perspective:

Even if we can’t be with our loved ones, technology has made it possible to spend
time together with platforms like Zoom and Facetime. Spending time catching up
with those close to us can boost our mood, which is good for our mental and physical
health.

Psychologists suggest that Christmas decorations make many people feel happier.
Decorations are nostalgic and bring people back to simpler and happier times, at
least mentally. They also boost dopamine, the feel-good hormone, which adds to
helping our feel-good factor. However, there are other ways we can create a positive
mindset in the run-up to Christmas, which include:

 Embrace Christmas and enjoy the run up to Christmas.
 Avoid overspending as this can lead to the January blues when you're facing
the January bills.
 If putting up the Christmas decorations early helps you feel happy, do it. Just
make sure you don’t do it too early and loose the Christmas magic by the time
Christmas comes.
 If your full of the Christmas spirt be careful not to overdo the spirts. Watch
your indulgence levels to avoiding a drop-in feel-good chemical in your brain.
 Be mindful of those who don’t share your feelings around Christmas. Check in
on neighbours and friends who may be having a challenging time around this
period or are alone to see if can you help. Even a quick cup of tea can help
someone through a difficult Christmas.

When Christmas is not a Positive Experience:

There is another side to Christmas and studies suggest that for almost 50% of us,
Christmas can be extremely difficult on our mental health.
With all that nostalgia comes memories and situations that may not always be
positive. Add in financial strains, loneliness, isolation, dealing with bereavement
following the loss of a loved one, spending time in intense family situations or
partaking in excess drinking or substance use, there are many things that can impact
our mental health and well-being at Christmas time.

 Christmas parties can bring up feelings of social anxiety. This can lead us to
overindulge which can lead to ‘The Fear’ after the party. This can be enough to ruin Christmas with drunken flashbacks. If you're anxious about going to a party, avoid alcohol or swap drinks with soft drinks.
 Family Gatherings: can cause a lot of stress. Especially if there are strained
relationships. Before you visit, have your exit plan ready if needed.
Remember you don’t have to respond. You can decide who you give your
energy too even if you can’t decide who to give your time too. Choose your
battles. Silence is often more powerful.
 Social media: can often make feelings of loneliness or isolation worse.
Everyone can come across as having a great time but remember the picture
that is portrayed on social media is often not the true picture. Disengage from
social media for the Christmas period. Instead plan for your day, keep a
regular sleep pattern, and try to get outside for a walk once a day. Reach out
to people. You may be surprised how welcoming people are during the festive
period.
 Bereavement: can be particularly difficult especially if that person was a big
part of your Christmas. In the run up to Christmas the feeling of dread may be
ahead of you. If you have children, it is important that Christmas is still
magical for them despite the loss. Allow time for your emotions. Remember it
is OK to feel sad and it is OK to feel happy. Early preparation mentally will help
you manage the Christmas period. A visit to the grave and involving your
children can allow for family unity around the loss.
 Do not dwell in the past: For many of us we have some that we may be
thinking of through rose tinted glasses, some that we think of filled with pain or
dread and half we can’t remember at all. Try not to dwell on the past good or
bad. Instead focus on the present. We only have this moment. The past is
gone, and the future is yet to come. This will help us get through tough times
over the Christmas period.

Dealing with Financial Strain:
Christmas is properly the one time of year that most of us feel under extreme
financial stress. Christmas comes but once a year, but you do not want to spend the
next twelve months after Christmas trying to pay for big dents in your pockets
because of overspending. The winter months hold an added pressure finically for
everyone. Extra heating costs, extra electricity costs and with the cost-of-living crisis
in full swing, it is now more than ever we need to be aware of our Christmas
spending.
As a mother of four children, I understand the reality and pressure of managing
finances in the lead-up to Christmas. I would be lying if I said I did not feel anxious
every October when it comes to fulfilling my children's Santa wish lists. It is common
to hear them ask for the latest iPhone or, with older teens, a car. It can be
challenging to resist the pressure when peer pressure is a significant factor.
However, as much as we want our children to have fun and enjoy the season, we
should keep in mind the bills that need to be paid in January.

Therefore, it is helpful to:

 Set your budget and stick to it. My tip for this is make a list of who you are
buying for and set a budget per person. Example if I budget 30 Euro to buy my
sister a present then I stick to the 30 Euro.
 Give older children a budget and then ask them to do their list using the
budget. This is not only helpful for you but also you are teaching them
budgeting skills.
 Christmas really starts in January. Get into the habit of putting away a little
each week for your Christmas shopping.
 Remember to shop around. But also remember to not just buy because it is
on sale.
 Christmas clubs was something I saw in every shop window as a child but
not so much these days. If you see them then use them as they are a helpful
way of saving money for Christmas. Especially as the shop holds the money
and not you!
 Don’t go mad on the food shop. The shops reopen the day after St.
Stephens day so the need to stock up isn’t really needed anymore. Price the
important things like your turkey and ham separately. Again, do your budget
and stick to it for the rest of your shopping.
 Avoid the spending hangover: It is very easy to get caught up in the
Christmas spending but the last thing you want is what I call the spending
hangover. This is where your left with no money after a busy spending period.
 Finally avoid debt. Avoid borrowing to finance Christmas as much as you
can. Many people use the credit union to finance Christmas if you do get a
Christmas loan. Aim to pay it off as quickly as possible. Do not use money
lenders or take out high interest loans.

The Effect of Dark Nights on Our Moods:
One of the more overlooked aspects of Christmas and our mental health is the
weather. Many of us don’t notice exactly how our moods changes over the winter
months. Sunshine boosts our dopamine which helps us to feel good. There is a
particular type of depression called ‘Seasonal Affective Disorder’ which is brought on
by the long dark nights and often days. Research suggests that up to 7% of us have
SADS. With many more undiagnosed.
Feeling extra tired, unmotivated, not feeling like socializing and general low mood
then you may have SADS. Here are some helpful tips to stay on top over the
Christmas period.
 Every time the sun shines even on dull days, get out and walk. It may seem
like it is too weak to lift your mood but even a little bit of sunshine has shown
to work the gland behind our eye that makes us happy.
 Take extra Vitamin D supplements throughout the dark months. This has been
shown to improve depression symptoms and help sleep.

 Try light therapy. You can purchase these special lights on Amazon and other
places ad they can be a highly effective in improving mood.

Reaching out for Support:

If you are finding the Christmas period difficult to manage, please remember there is
No Shame in looking for help. It can be hard to take the first steps to seek help.
Especially at Christmas as you do not want to be bothering people. Speak to a
trusted friend or family member and let them know how you are feeling. By reaching
out to someone, this can ease any underlying pressure to behave in a certain way or
feel a certain way just because it is Christmas.
Remember if you had a flu, you would contact your GP and your mental health is no
different. It is important to remember that no matter the time of year, support is
always available, whether that means talking to your GP, calling a phone line,
confiding in a family member, or seeking other supports. You are not alone and be
confident about your own resilience, remember that seeking help and being honest
about how you feel is often the doorway to tapping into our inner strength.

If you need help with your mental health this Christmas, there are supports and
services available. You can contact the organisations below or contact your GP.

 Alcoholics Anonymous | Call 01 842 0700
 Aware | Call 1800 80 48 48 | Email supportmail@aware.ie
 Bodywhys | Call 01 210 7906
 Health Service Executive | Call 1800 111 888
 Pieta | Call 1800 247 247
 Samaritans | Call 116 123 | Email jo@samaritans.org.