Depression, Christmas and the January Blues
With photos all over social media of happy families spending quality time together, you might feel like you’re the only one in the world who didn’t have an especially merry Christmas or a fizz-and-firework-fuelled New Year celebration filled with hope for a positive and happy year ahead.
It’s an easy enough mistake to make. But guess what? You’re not alone.
Christmas and New Year are critical times for people who suffer with depression. The pressure – on finances, emotions and our relationships with our friends and family – can feel excruciating at this time of year.
Beyond the January Blues
We’ve all heard of the January Blues. That’s where people who’ve had a happy Christmas come crashing down to Earth with a bang in January when normal life resumes. It’s not ideal – no-one wants a shit January – but it’s usually over and done with by the end of the month.
But what if you didn’t have a happy Christmas? And what if it’s more than just the January Blues? What if your blues continue into February and beyond…?
Acknowledging your struggle is really important. Just by reading this now, you’ve taken a step towards dealing with your emotions. Take a moment now to think about who you can turn to next for help moving forward.
Whether it’s your doctor, your friends and family or a charity like My CWA – or a combination of them all – reaching out and admitting you’re struggling isn’t always easy. But it can help you feel like some of that weight has been lifted. Contact us now if you need to talk.
Depression and self-care
People deal with depression in different ways. Some people take medication. Some people have talking therapy. Some people share their stories online. And some people do all of those things – and more.
Self-care is an important part of recovery for a lot people who suffer from depression, so we want to share some self-care ideas with you. We’re not going to pretend that doing these things will cure your depression. We just hope they might help a little bit at this time of year, when life can feel so very overwhelming.
Have a read of our suggestions and think about how you might incorporate a bit of self-care into your own life.
Contact your friends & family
We are human beings. We are social creatures. It’s important that we connect with the people we care about.
Sometimes people in abusive relationships can find themselves cut off from friends and family without realising how or why it’s happened.
This is one of many ways that abusers attempt to gain control. After all, if you distance yourself from the people who care about you, you’re going to feel as though your abuser is all you have left. And that’s exactly what they want.
Pick up the phone. Send a message. Write an email. Meet for a catch up. You don’t have to have a ton of friends. Just connect with the people who really matter to you.
Get moving
Nobody’s saying you need to run a marathon (unless you want to!) But getting out there, moving and being active can make you feel a bit less… meh. Download a beginners’ running app, sign up to your local Park Run, dust off your swimming cozzie or renew the gym membership – whatever it is that gets you going. Even just walking a bit more can make a big difference to the way you feel.
Get learning
Doing something new or learning a new skill can be a huge confidence boost just when we need it. Think about what you love to do. How could you turn your hobbies and interests into a learning experience?
You could sign up for evening classes or distance learning, but you don’t have to commit yourself to something with a rigid schedule if it’s not realistic. Plenty of online courses let you go at your own pace.
Or you could download an app or an audiobook related to your area of interest and take it from there. You don’t have to spend loads either. Why not search for free online courses and see what comes up? Or borrow library books to start with?
Be kind
Being kind to others can make us feel good about ourselves. There are loads of ways you can help other people. You could donate to a food bank or volunteer for a charity.
Or you could simply smile, say thank you, hold doors open, chat to an elderly neighbour, etc. Small acts of kindness like these don’t cost a penny, but can make a huge difference to how you feel about yourself and others.
You know what else is important? Being kind to yourself. Don’t ever forget that.
Be mindful
You might have heard the term “mindfulness” being thrown about lately. But what even is mindfulness? Mindfulness is about being aware of your senses. It’s about how certain smells, tastes and other sensations make you feel. Mindfulness is about paying attention to the world around you – appreciating the little things.
By pausing to think about our physical sensations in the present moment, we have less time to let worries and anxious thoughts creep in and crowd our minds. Worth a try? There’s loads online about mindfulness if you want to find out more.
Get help
Now, we’re not telling you to do all of these things. And we’re not promising that if you do them your depression will go away. We’re just sharing some of ways that self-care – perhaps alongside other approaches, such as medication and counselling – can help when times are especially tough.
We know not everyone has a merry Christmas and we know that clinical depression is so much more than the January Blues. We also know that depression and domestic abuse so often go hand-in-hand. We get it. Please, please give us a call or drop us an email if you’re struggling.
You’re not alone.