Are you looking for a holiday sadness group? Do you often feel sad around holiday time? Do you get holiday blues that last through a holiday season? Do you know what holiday depression is? Do you feel like you need a support group to help you through the holiday blues? Are you looking for information about holiday sadness? This article has the answers you are looking for.
Hi. My name is Sean Galla. I am a facilitator of support groups and support forums, including self-improvement groups, with over 10 years of experience. My work involves providing safe spaces for men going through a hard time, including men who struggle with holiday blues. In my line of work, I have seen firsthand how important being part of a support group is to anyone, especially men.
A holiday sadness group is a fantastic place for anyone to get the support they need to deal with holiday sadness in the right way. This article gives you all the information you need about joining a holiday sadness group and why such a group is highly recommended for anyone interested in overcoming holiday depression.
Table of Contents:
What is a Holiday Sadness Group?
Also referred to as holiday anxiety groups or holiday depression support groups, a holiday sadness group offers emotional support and practical advice to people who struggle with feelings of sadness, depression, and anxiety around the holidays.
In this group, members share common goals:
- Improving how their minds respond to holiday times.
- Overcoming the challenges of holiday sadness.
- Improving their well-being.
The group comprises people who suffer from holiday sadness or SAD looking for support and friends, especially around the holiday season.
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Why is a Holiday Sadness Group Important?
Loneliness is one of the greatest contributors to holiday sadness. Finding a support group is a step in the right direction for anyone looking to handle their holiday blues.
It is only in a holiday sadness group that you get to meet other people dealing with the same issues. This gives you the perfect platform to learn and grow as you try to overcome holiday sadness. Sometimes, the only thing you need to overcome holiday blues is surrounding yourself with other people who understand your issue.
The group members are there to push you and ensure you attain your goal, no matter how unattainable it may seem at first.
Being part of a holiday sadness group puts you amongst other people going through the same issues and others who have overcome holiday sadness. This helps to ease the stress and makes it easier to avoid self-isolation, common with people who feel misunderstood or stuck.
Taking part in the group activities gives the group members a higher understanding of their issues, improving their self-esteem.
Understanding Holiday Sadness
Regardless of your religious affiliation or belief, the holiday season is a time of the year that brings with it a feeling of joy, warmth, and belonging. For most people, the holidays are the perfect time to go visit family members and friends, exchange gifts and enjoy quality time with loved ones. For some people, the holidays bring about a feeling of stress, anxiety, and loneliness often referred to as holiday blues or holiday sadness.
While you may assume that holiday sadness is common amongst lonely people and people who hate the holidays, it can also affect people who love the holiday. This is because the holidays are a season of heightened emotions, holiday stress, and demands that often leave people feeling fatigued, affecting their mental wellness.
People with a history of mental health issues are more likely to suffer from holiday sadness. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), more than 64% of mental health cases worsen in the holiday season. A survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) uncovered that:
- Even though people report feeling happiness, love, and high spirits in the holidays, these emotions are often followed by feelings of sadness, fatigue, irritability, stress, and bloating.
- Stress levels increase by at least 38% during the holiday season, with lack of time, money, family gatherings, commercialism, and the pressures of gift-giving, recording as the main stressors.
Sometimes, holiday sadness only lasts over the holiday period, while other times it may trigger symptoms of depression and SAD (seasonal affective disorder).
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Holiday Depression vs. SAD
Sometimes, holiday sadness may be a symptom of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This is a form of MDD (major depressive disorder) that mostly occurs seasonally or during certain months of the year. Holiday depression and SAD can sometimes be difficult to tell apart, with the severity and duration of the symptoms as the main warning signs.
Duration: holiday sadness often starts from November and December and is gone almost immediately after new year’s, when the holiday and the festive mood is over. On the other hand, SAD can last up to 40% of the year, usually starting in late fall and lasting up to the onset of spring and summer.
The severity of symptoms: the symptoms of holiday sadness are often mild and go away on their own. SAD symptoms are more severe, with semblances of depression, which can be debilitating.
Since holiday sadness often goes away after the holidays, any symptoms that linger long after the holiday season is over may be an indication of SAD or other mental health conditions. A mental health professional can best determine whether the prolonged symptoms result from a bigger mood disorder.
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Reasons People Experience Holiday Sadness
Different reasons can cause holiday sadness. These include:
- Unattained or unrealistic expectations – holiday sadness can be caused by unattained expectations, especially towards the end of the year.
- Memories of lost loved ones – this is common amongst people who have recently lost a loved one. Their absence during the holidays can spark a feeling of loneliness and sadness.
- Feeling overwhelmed and stressed – the long to-do list that comes with the holiday seasons can often leave one feeling stressed, which can lead to holiday depression.
- Isolation and loneliness – some people go through holiday sadness because they are lonely and isolated. This is especially common amongst people away from their families or people with no family.
- Financial stressors – overextending yourself financially over the holiday season can often leave you feeling depressed and sad. Also, financial stress from being unable to afford a memorable holiday can also leave you feeling depressed.
Tips for Coping with Holiday Sadness
Do not use alcohol or drugs as a numbing mechanism
The holiday season is a time when most people are away from work and thus have a lot of time on their hands. People who experience holiday sadness may turn to drugs or excessive drinking to numb the feelings of loneliness and lift their spirits. If you are experiencing holiday sadness, it is advisable to stay away from drugs and alcohol as these increase your chances of feeling worse and resulting in addiction.
Remain consistent with your mental health routine
If the holiday season leaves you feeling overcommitted, emotionally drained, sleep-deprived, and overworked, you need to ensure you stay on track with your mental health routine to avoid developing holiday depression or sadness. Remember to set time aside to decompress and relax, including some alone time. Self-care and minding your health are even more important over the holidays, especially for people prone to depression.
Find interesting activities to fill your free time
If you feel idle and alone over the holidays, you can avoid feeling sad by starting new traditions for your holidays. The outdoors is perfect for elevating your mood and stimulating happiness. Depending on the weather, you can set aside time for physical activities like taking walks, attending an open invite holiday party, hiking, camping, or skiing. If you cannot leave the house, you can invest in a lightbox for bright light therapy to elevate your mood.
Speak to a professional
If you are finding it hard to deal with holiday blues, it is advisable to seek healthcare help from a mental health professional. Numerous treatment centers can help you deal with your symptoms and offer diagnosis services to ensure you are put on the right antidepressants if your symptoms are more severe.
Join a holiday sadness support group
A holiday support group can be a good idea for anyone experiencing holiday sadness. This group comprises people experiencing sadness in the holiday season in need of support and talk therapy. the other members of the group can be the support system you need to make it through the holidays.
Depending on your needs and accessibility preference, you can find a holiday sadness group online or offline. In this group, you will be surrounded by other people who understand your concerns and stresses and find information and guides to help you navigate the holiday seasons with less stress. This type of group is the perfect place to elevate loneliness and give you a sense of belonging in the holiday season.
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MensGroup Holiday Sadness Group
Men’s group is an online-based support group and forum that focuses on men and the needs of men. It offers a platform where men from different parts of the world can discuss everyday issues, including sadness and how it affects men over the holiday season.
MensGroup offers a safe space where men can vent, speak up, and show emotions when they feel overwhelmed even as they seek advice, discuss pertinent issues in society, and make meaningful friendships.
Whether you are looking for a little company for the holiday season, seeking assistance with recurrent holiday sadness, or making close guy friends, mensgroup.com offers all the support you need to achieve your goal.
As an online group, the meetup takes place online through video calls or chat. This allows every male to make good friends and sharpen their communication skills, even when they run a busy schedule. It is open to all men from any other part of the world.
Conclusion
Joining a holiday sadness support group as a man can significantly improve how you feel over the holidays.
You do not have to experience loneliness this holiday season. If you are looking for a support group available at all times, MensGroup is one of the best options today. As an online-based self-help group, you can be sure that there is an active meeting or forum at all times.
*Sources: 1. What We Know About the Holiday Blues 2. What Are the Holiday Blues? 3. Stress, depression and the holidays: Tips for coping 4. McLean’s Guide to Managing Mental Health Around the Holidays 5. Holiday Depression
