How to celebrate New Year if you are depressed:
The New Year holidays beckon you to lie down at home for a few days in the company of salads, but you shouldn’t forget about healthy habits. Try to sleep your usual 7–8 hours, go for a light walk every day and stretch for 10–15 minutes in the morning. All this will help maintain circadian rhythms and avoid insomnia, a common problem for people with depression.
Keeping track of what you eat during the holidays can be challenging, but eating a balanced diet is important for maintaining mental health. Eat small, regular meals, and add sources of protein to your menu, such as fish, eggs and poultry. They contain tryptophan – this amino acid can increase the production of serotonin, which is also called the “happiness hormone”.
- Update your drug prescriptions
It may happen that some appointments will expire and the doctor will not be able to see you until after the holidays. In order not to miss taking antidepressants , make an appointment with a psychiatrist at least two to three weeks before the start of the holidays. If you are celebrating the New Year while traveling, if possible, try to stock up on medications so that they last until you return home.
- Warn your loved ones about your condition
You are not obligated to tell all your relatives that you are experiencing depression, down to your second cousin. But, for example, it wouldn’t hurt for parents or party organizers with whom you communicate closely to know about this. This way you can avoid awkward questions like “Did something happen to you?”
If family or friends don’t understand what you’re going through, show them articles or videos about depression. For example, a TED-Ed video about how this disease differs from bad mood. If you don’t have the energy for an educational program or you feel like you won’t be understood, try telling your loved ones that you’ve been very tired at work for the last couple of weeks and are still coming to your senses.
Some people feel uncomfortable celebrating the New Year with their family—sometimes people even experience anxiety and panic attacks. The reason for this may be excessively intrusive attention from relatives , who strive to find out whether you have a soul mate and when you will have children. Try making a list of answers to questions like these shortly before the party. Preferably ethical, but at the same time such that topics that are unpleasant to you will not be raised again. For example, after a remark about children, you can calmly say that you are uncomfortable mentioning this topic. Usually people try not to ask again after such an answer.
If you feel uncomfortable staying in company, go home. Your health is more important than conventions. When leaving is not an option, stay close to people you feel comfortable with.
- Don’t force yourself to take stock of the year.
If such a practice brings negative experiences, give it up with a clear conscience. Or try focusing only on the good. For example, remind yourself that you are taking treatment for depression if you have recently been diagnosed with it.
When you feel tempted to scold yourself for not achieving certain goals, seek help – for example, consult a psychotherapist. If this is not possible during the holidays, support yourself. A diary can help with this . Tell us in detail what you feel in order to free yourself from the burden of worries. If you don’t know what to pay attention to, describe the problem using the following scheme:
- what kind of situation happened;
- what emotions did it evoke;
- what would you say to a friend in a similar situation;
- are your fears and doubts justified?
- what thought should you keep in mind after processing the emotions.
This way you will figure out what caused the unpleasant experience and what you should remind yourself of if the situation repeats.
- Don’t strive to make the holiday perfect
The desire to make the party flawless can make you worry even more. You will have to think about how to prepare for the holiday without incidents, where to find excellent gifts, and also not to forget about your health.
Even if you can’t find the perfect Christmas decorations or serve a cheese plate exactly like the photo on Pinterest, remember that you’re already doing great. The main thing is that you found the strength to celebrate the holiday. And the little things that confuse you will probably not be noticed by your guests. Remind yourself of this every time you feel like you’re not trying hard enough. In the meantime, discuss any doubts with your friends. They may feel the same way as you, so having conversations will help the entire company.
If these methods of dealing with anxiety do not help, try giving up social networks for a while. The reality in them is greatly embellished, and watching beautiful holiday shots can only make you sad.
- Make a Prep List
Break down the global task of “Getting ready for the New Year” into small tasks and complete them gradually, rather than the day before the party. For convenience, divide tasks into three categories: “I’ll do it quickly”, “It will take a little time”, “I need help”. For example, the first category includes choosing an image for a party. For the second – decorating the Christmas tree . The third is purchasing groceries, cleaning, or choosing a location. For each completed item on the list, you can come up with a small reward. Let’s say, for a simple task, buy your favorite treat, and for a task of medium complexity, treat yourself to a trinket that you have been eyeing for a long time.
In order not to lose all your strength even before the holiday, delegate tasks. Soberly assess your condition and take on those tasks that you will definitely have time to complete on time and without harming yourself. Divide the rest among your friends. For example, if you usually set the table for a holiday, this time you can prepare only the signature dish and ask friends to bring their favorite snacks with them.
- Check out the holiday location in advance
This advice is relevant for those who celebrate the New Year away from home. During depression, people may experience outbursts of anger, anxiety, extreme fatigue, and sometimes even panic attacks . Some people need a place to breathe during moments of exacerbation.
It will be a good idea if you know in advance where the restroom is located. You can wash your face in it if you suddenly have a panic attack and need to ground yourself. Find a quiet room: if you get burned out after long conversations with other guests, this is a good place to relax.
- Find a substitute for alcohol
New Year is rarely complete without champagne. If you want to raise a glass at midnight but are taking medications to treat depression, consult your psychiatrist. Sometimes doctors allow you to skip taking medications and drink a little alcohol, but you should not do this without the permission of a specialist. The combination of alcohol and antidepressants can negatively affect the condition of the liver and cardiovascular system. Additionally, alcohol is considered a depressant, which may increase the side effects of therapy.
As a substitute for traditional wines and champagnes, try non-alcoholic versions. They taste no different from the usual New Year’s drinks, but they contain practically no alcohol. Mocktails – non-alcoholic variations of cocktails – will also come to the rescue. For example, to make a safe version of a margarita, you can mix lemon, lime and orange juice with soda and agave syrup. And to make a non-alcoholic Bloody Mary, add Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and ground black pepper to tomato juice.