December weather, colorful lights, family dinners, and the holiday cheer is the highlight of the year for a significant amount of people. A lot of people look forward to spending the holidays with their loved ones, making memorable memories together and posting it all on social media for the world to see. Unfortunately, for those struggling with a mental illness, loss, heartbreak, anxiety or depression the holidays are the first to go. It's a difficult time of the year for many reasons and for many people. I remember one year when I deliberately chose to skip Christmas. I never imagined the thought of not wanting to be around any holiday decoration, Christmas songs, dinners or even the holiday mood. For me personally, I have felt emotionally vacant and because of the difficult situations that I was dealing with, it was challenging to put up a happy face around family gatherings when all I wanted was to be alone in my room all by myself. The problem with people who isolate themselves during the holidays is that they lose contact with the world around them and often close friends or loved ones fail or miss the opportunity to help that person cope and offer emotional support.
Experiences of loss are often too common especially for those who are constantly reminded that things are not the way they used to be. A loss is not necessarily a death or passing of a loved one; many people experience many losses during the year such as of a job, spouse, family member, financial difficulties, breakups, divorce, and even loss of inner peace. Imagine being laid off work and recently having gone through a breakup or divorce. It is a gray area that often is misunderstood and not talked about during the holiday season. Frequent monitoring and emotional support from friends and family members is key for anyone who does not feel like celebrating Christmas or the holiday season for whatever reason. Luckily there are a number of things you can do for you, or a loved one to help. It is important that you recognize the signs of depression, anxiety and when these feelings become alarming or suicidal behavior. Recent studies have found that keeping tabs (including close and frequent interaction, spending time together, checking up, and provide assistance and support) on family members who are struggling with a mental illness or recent loss, contribute to the decreased symptoms and signs of anxiety and depression. Make (family) dinner conversations inclusive
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My name is Keyla and I am a second year university student studying social work. I blog about social media, lifestyle, health, beauty, love, relationships, career and student life-hacks. Leave a comment and give my articles a ❤️ or 👍🏻 and don't forget to share to show your support. 😘, Keyla Publication Dates
March 2018
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