Christ is Born! It’s Christmas, and the Savior of our world came to Earth 2,015 years ago in the form of a little baby. He’s the reason for the season, and celebrations are in full swing. However, those dealing with mental illness have a hard time coping during the holidays.

 

4 Tips For Dealing With Mental Illness During Christmas

 

Whether you’re bipolar, have anxiety/depression, or you just get stressed out being around crowds, Christmas can cause undue strain on those dealing with mental illness. As far as my anxiety goes, it tends to skyrocket when I have a planned event to go to. It’s a sense of dread no matter how exciting or wonderful my plans are. Anytime I went to a Christmas party or even a concert, I would be freaking out inside.

Don’t worry! This special holiday edition of Anxiety Relaxation Tips is meant to help you through these stressful times.

 

Don’t Overdo It

You don’t have to accept every single invitation you get. Although free food at holiday parties is tempting, sometimes the stress isn’t worth it. Having a panic attack while squirming through the long lines for snacks is no fun. Neither is having to chat with the person closest to you when you have social anxiety. Take it easy. You don’t have to go to an event if you don’t want to.

If you’re forced to go on a family outing or have relatives over, have a plan or schedule. Structure can help you feel less anxious if you know what events are planned. Make sure to keep your expectations realistic, however. On the chance that plans change or are rearranged, you need to be open to some flexibility. What if a relative is late to dinner? What if the Christmas turkey takes a bit longer to cook than you anticipated? Try your best to go with the flow.

 

Limit Alcohol

You don’t have to completely cut it out, but you might want to if your medications say not to imbibe. If you can have alcohol, just make sure that you’re not drinking too much. Don’t even get buzzed. Just sip on some champagne or drink your wine slowly. Avoid hard liquor at all costs; it’s very easy to have too much. This is especially true of New Year’s, but Christmas has just as much opportunity for drinking.

Try drinking sparkling juice or non-alcoholic beer. You’ll still feel like you’re participating in the “tradition” or drinking at holiday parties, but you won’t suffer the effects that alcohol wreaks on your moods. It may not taste the same, but no substitute is perfect. Remember – you don’t need to drink to have a good time. You’re awesome as you are. Once you master the art of showing how interesting you are without alcohol, your confidence will skyrocket.

 

Budget Your Holiday Spending

One of the biggest stresses for anyone this holiday season is money. I’ll be the first to admit that I went into the negative on my bank account (which I quickly had to remedy). The moral of the story: don’t spend yourself broke.

It can be tempting to buy luxurious gifts for those you love. It can be hard to resist all of the cute items lining store shelves. However, you’re going to be far more upset when you can’t pay your bills than when you’re foregoing the newest version of the iPhone. Stick with a budget to avoid freaking out later on when your rent is late. Leave a little extra to spend on anyone you forgot to get a gift for. I’ve done this too. That last minute panic is incredibly stressful.

 

Put On Some Holiday Tunes

Enjoy yourself! Put on your favorite Christmas songs and jam out to them. I personally love the “12 Pains of Christmas” song by Bob Rivers. It’s not technically a Christmas song, but it’s really funny and speaks to me. I also love traditional Christmas songs instead of annoying pop versions that go overboard with the vocals. They’re impressive, yes, but darnit Mariah Carey… chill.

Whatever type of Christmas songs you like, use them to create a comfortable atmosphere that’s calming and relaxing. You don’t even have to play Christmas songs; play whatever suits your mood. It’s your Christmas experience, and you need to take care of yourself by doing what you need to to feel comfortable.

 

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.