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Depression Living with Depression

Coping with the Holiday Blues

Summary & Participants

Expecting too much out of the holidays can be a major source of the blues.

Medically Reviewed On: August 05, 2008

Webcast Transcript

ANNOUNCER: The holidays are celebrated as a time of comfort and joy. But they can also be a time of stress and sadness.

Carol Goldberg, PhD, Psychologist: There are tremendous amount of pressures, getting ready for the holidays, anticipating what the actual holiday will be like.

ANNOUNCER: Expecting too much out of the season can be a major source of the blues.

Carol Goldberg, PhD, Psychologist: People have an image of what their childhood was like and they often try to duplicate that. Their grandma was probably home and not working out of the home, not commuting and not having all of the pressures of carpooling and being a super mom and doing everything.

ANNOUNCER: While stress is a major factor during the season, psychologists like Dr. Goldberg say the blues are more likely to hit after the holidays.

Carol Goldberg, PhD, Psychologist: They're over and now what? And that can be a letdown, particularly if your expectations have been overly unrealistic.

ANNOUNCER: The good news is there are ways to avoid the holiday blues.

Carol Goldberg, PhD, Psychologist: You can, first of all, see the holidays realistically. It's a few hours you're going to be getting together. It's not a big deal. It's not going to change your life tremendously and don't expect that it will, so that you will not feel let down when it doesn't.

ANNOUNCER: Keeping an eye on your spending can also spare you some post holiday pain.

Carol Goldberg, PhD, Psychologist: It’s very helpful to make a list of the gifts that you want to give with a budget for each. And keep in mind that people don't care, really, how much you spend for the gift, but whether it matches their interests.

ANNOUNCER: Overindulging in food and alcohol can also lead to an emotional hangover. Experts recommend maintaining a healthy lifestyle as much as possible during the season.

Carol Goldberg, PhD, Psychologist: People, when they're busy preparing for the holidays, often cut down on two things that are very important, one is in terms of exercising and the other is getting enough sleep.

ANNOUNCER: Most important is recognizing when you’ve got more than a simple case of the blues.

Carol Goldberg, PhD, Psychologist: If you feel out of control over your feelings or overwhelmed and can't help yourself, you really should seek the advice of a licensed professional such as a psychologist.

ANNOUNCER: Thanks for joining us on today’s Once Daily.

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