‘Tis The Season
The holidays, including the turn of the New Year, can be both wonderful and painful. Many people can suffer from more or less of what is called Seasonal Affective Disorder. This refers to depressed feelings, poor sleep, increased anxiety, changes in eating and weight, and the inability to enjoy things that are normally pleasurable. These are reactions by the body to changes in the light, the temperature and even the chemical make-up of the air during the winter season most commonly, but potentially during any season that affects people unpleasantly.
It is important as well to realize that holidays often remind people of things that are not so festive. Holidays often remind us of family, friends, loved ones and old times that we may miss. They may remind us of loss – holidays that were spent alone, or in which we couldn’t find the joy we thought others experienced. For some of us, it will be difficult to find others with whom to share the warmer, more meaningful feeling of community and spirit.
It is important to do what one can in order to make the most of a time and place, for better or worse. Seeking others with whom to smile and talk; volunteering to help those who are less fortunate (there is always someone like that to be found, if one cares to look); calling someone we may have avoided for fear of being rejected – that person may very well be more pleased to hear our voice than we ever imagined; these are ways to make a difficult season more meaningful, and even to find the warmth we didn’t think possible.
It is not only the season that can bring up these feelings. The anniversary of a painful experience or the loss of a loved one can be especially difficult, as can wedding anniversaries or birthdays. It can feel as though the grieving never stopped. It may truly help to take the opportunity to remember, to share the feelings and recollections in the confidence of a sensitive, professional listener.
If you are feeling like you need to make contact with someone at this time of year, but are afraid to take the chance, or if the emotions of the season are difficult to bear, give us a call. We’ll be available and affordable, and we can help you get through.
