How to Beat Holiday Depression

Give the Gift of Love.

Been hearing a little of this lately? “Merry Christmas!” “Happy Holidays!” Well, of course you have - this is the most wonderful time of the year, when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus; when families and friends of all faiths come together to share good cheer. Everywhere you go there is the air of Christmas joy. Yet behind the cheer thre still lies a silence louder than bombs – the silence of depression.

Every first aid kit should include suggestions of positive ways to effectively fight depression. There are still many of us who don’t want to talk about IT, as if ignoring IT makes IT go away. We could all use a little patience and compassion here, because despite the lingering resistance to acknowledge depression, it is an ailment that affects millions of Americans, and it is in fact, very real.

Because depression is treated as a secret to deny, I decided to take a moment to snatch the sheets off and air this common dirt. I mean, how did the elephant get in the room? With our world in the midst of financial crisis, many of us don’t have the means to provide the material gifts that we are used to sharing with friends and loved ones. Some of us are shell shocked by the fact that while it was only a few years ago that we were giving to the needy, now we are the needy. Over and over we play it in our minds – the mistakes we made, the money we wasted and should have saved, or the loved ones we’ve lost and the collectors at the front door…the list goes on and on. These are some serious challenges, bleeding like internal lacerations. Would you ignore or put a bandage on an injury like that? No you wouldn’t. You would go and get some help.

It’s ok if you’re feeling blue. It’s what you DO about it that matters. How we respond to stress determines the resulting state of mind. As a person who survived a near fatal accident, I still bear physical scars of that unfortunate circumstance, but I’ve learned that through prayer, meditation and physical exercise, I can fight back and beat it. Depression is a consequence, and how we choose to respond to the challenge can trigger the hormonal imbalance that allows this anvil to drop on the mind. Know that even in the midst of an internal storm, Love conquers all. And here’s the deal about faith: You have to believe for this thing to work. Now for those of us who feel dismissive, never mind the organized religion debate – This is about Love – and allowing that Love to come into your heart and mind to work through you. The truth is, you have to MOVE to restore this balance and demand the quality of life you’re worthy of. Without your effort, depression will take you out. You are a child of God, and I KNOW you’re not going out like that.

Fight back. Get up. This challenge presents an opportunity to get stronger, but if your eyes are down and your tail is tucked, you’ll never see it. No money for gifts this year? Remember The Jackson 5 song, and when you wish you could give more, give Love on Christmas day. Make sugar cookies with cute little red ribbons to tie the packages. Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t. Move yourself to spend time with people who appreciate you for who you are. If you want to avoid something, avoid the insensitive, judgmental folks and let Love take depression head-on. But you have to have faith. Trust that love will show you the way from darkness to the light in your life. Problems won’t magically go away, but a lighter mind finds solutions. Look up for the eyes of the love around you. Love yourself enough to seek help, then love some more to help another. I think that’s what Jesus would want for his birthday. Because we’re all in this together. And in the end, the only thing worth holding onto, is one another. Much Love everyone, and have a Merry Christmas.