Reprinted from the Princeton Packet, Friday, December 18, 1998
Finding Ways to Work through Those Holiday or Winter Blues
By David L. Nathan, MD
People’s moods during the holidays often reflect the light
and dark sides of the season. The lights of Christmas and Hanukkah
may be shining, yet the days have become shorter and darker. Similarly,
amid the joy of the holiday, many people often feel gloomy or blue.
Many people talk about having the “holiday blues,” or
they may know a friend or family member who dreads the holidays.
The feeling is quite common. Often, the change in mood is brought
on by the holiday itself, such as the stress of getting together
with family and friends or seeing others have a good time when you
Some people experience seasonal depression over the shorter, darker
days of winter. In either case, there are some steps people can
take to cope and make it through the holiday.
True holiday blues can be triggered by stress or pressure about
holiday preparations, or apprehension over a big family gathering,
particularly if there are strained feelings between relatives. Even
“good stress” such as preparing the holiday meal or gift
Loneliness can also bring on the blues, as can sadness or grief
over someone who is no longer there. Anniversaries of a person’s
death or divorce are always hard, no matter when they occur during
the year.
There is also a seasonal component to depression this time of year.
Some people experience a drop in mood because of what is often called
“winter blues,” but is technically known as Seasonal Affective
Disorder. Decreased sunlight is thought to cause some people’s mood
changes. Approximately 11 million people are diagnosed with SAD,
and women are four times more likely to suffer from it than men
The symptoms of both holiday blues and “winter blues”
can be similar. People may have difficulty dealing with stress and
are not able to cope with things as well as they normally do. They
may experience depressive or anxious feelings, or they may become
more irritable. They may also have problems sleeping or eating and
There is no magic bullet for coping with this time of year. But
there are some suggestions to help lighten the holiday for those
feeling depressed:
First, acknowledge your feelings. Take
a moment and consider what your issues are. Are you the kind of
person who feels unhappy at times for no clear reason? Is it the
holiday or a family relationship that is causing you to feel depressed?
Is it the death of a family member or a divorce that is making this
year’s holiday difficult? Or is winter always difficult for you?
Seek out the support of family and friends. If you are experiencing
the loss of a loved one, there are also grief support groups and
other self-help groups that may also be beneficial.
Get proper rest, exercise and nutrition. Do things to regulate
and improve the quality of your sleep, such as going to bed at the
same time each night and awakening at the same time, and eating
meals at the same times. If your sleep is off and your energy level
is low, your mood can become lower, and it becomes a vicious cycle.
Avoid isolation. Try to get out of the house and see friends.
Get involved in your community through activities with a church
or synagogue or a community group. Doing something to help others,
like delivering holiday baskets to the elderly or less fortunate,
or volunteering at a soup kitchen, not only helps others but can
lift your own spirits.
Let go of the past and try to create new and different ways to celebrate
the holiday.
Modulate the use of alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant and
can actually worsen your mood, even though it may briefly numb the
anxiety and stress of the season.
Modulate your expectations about the holidays. People often
have unrealistic ideas about a picture-perfect holiday celebration,
gifts or hearing from long-lost friends, and these expectations
can go unfulfilled.
Light up your life. If you suffer from seasonal depression,
light therapy or taking a trip to a sunny spot may help boost your
mood.
However, it should be noted that people who suffer from bipolar
depression can actually have an adverse reaction to winter sunshine
getaways, becoming manic with the switch to longer days.
When a person’s mood takes on a life of its own, independent from
the circumstances that might have triggered it, it is time to seek
professional counseling from either a psychiatrist, psychologist
or social worker. Obviously the strongest warning sign to get help
is if someone experiences suicidal or other violent thoughts. Disruption
of sleep, loss of appetite, lack of concentration and the inability
to enjoy otherwise pleasurable activities—something that
psychiatrists call “anhedonia”—are also signs
of clinical depression, which can be treated through counseling
Holiday or “winter” blues tend to be temporary and seasonal,
unlike depression, which is longer lasting and requires treatment.
People who suffer from the blues might bear in mind that the holidays.
