Supporting good mental health during the holidays

It’s usually not a surprise when someone says that the holidays are a difficult time for many people. The pressure we experience to be happy, shop until we drop, decorate our homes, bake goodies and more, all makes it hard to not feel overwhelmed.

For those dealing with mental health issues, it can feel like the holidays are another obstacle to navigate. We have less daylight, which means we may wake up and go to work or school in the dark and return the same way. Our memories and associations for this time of year aren’t always of candy canes and happiness; they can be filled with loss, anxiety and stress.

Here are some tips to help navigate the holidays:

• Get up and get outside. No matter what the weather looks like, getting outside helps your mood. It releases positive chemicals like endorphins into your system that increase your sense of well-being. A walk, a run or even making snow angels can all give you a lift.

• Find some way to give to others. Give to a food pantry, buy a coat for a child, rake leaves for an elderly neighbor. Taking your mind off yourself and doing something for someone else gives us a feeling of accomplishment.

• Start a new tradition. You don’t have to do the same thing every year, or even see the same people. It’s OK to take a drive to the coast or go out for lunch rather than cook. We often tend to repeat the same patterns, even when they don’t work for us.

• Be honest. If you are struggling, tell your close friends or family how you are feeling about the season and how it is hard for you. It may not change the holidays themselves, but it might ease your mind that you do not have to the happiest person in the room.

For those of you who are happy and love the holidays, I encourage you to pay attention to those around you. Take the holidays as an opportunity to support your friends, family and community. Invite them over, lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on, acknowledge the fact that they may be struggling. Be the light that pushes back the darkness, if only a little. Now that's a holiday gift.

If you are looking for resources to get educated about mental health, Samaritan Health Services offers Mental Health First Aid, an eight-hour training that introduces participants to the risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, helps build an understanding of the importance of early intervention and explains how to help someone who is in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge.

Mental Health First Aid uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to assess a mental health crisis, select interventions and provide initial help, and connect people to professional, peer, social and self-help car

Democrat Herald