Dreading the holidays? Mental health tips for surviving the holidays (#311)

Dreading Christmas and the holidays? Worried about surviving the holidays with your mental health intact? Not sure how to deal with family drama? Going through loss and grief at Christmas? If Christmas and the holidays leave you feeling numb, angry, frustrated, or quietly thinking “I hate Christmas” while everyone else plays happy families then this episode of the Let’s Talk About Mental Health podcast is for you (and me, since I struggle with surviving the holidays too).

This week I’m talking about what's involved in surviving the holidays and dealing with the Christmas blues (or ‘holiday blues’ if you prefer), and what to do when dealing with issues like grief during the holidays, family drama, and loss during the holidays turn December into something you’re dreading. I’ll share practical holiday stress tips and simple holiday stress management ideas to help you start coping with the holidays in a calmer and kinder way (or at least in a way that you can keep your sanity!) even if you’re dealing with a toxic family reunion or ongoing family conflict. You’ll also find it helpful if you’re looking for holiday depression tips or you just find this time of year emotionally exhausting. 

👉 Ready to learn how to get through the holidays without feeling awful? Then let’s talk!

💡 TL;DR: Struggling with the Christmas blues? Dreading the holidays? This episode is full of practical holiday stress tips for coping with the holidays without wrecking your mental health.

________________________________

⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps:

0:00 The holidays and mental health

0:42 Holiday stress management

3:36 What does stress during the holidays mean?

7:51 Why the holidays hurt

14:23 How to get through the holidays

23:12 Final holiday stress tips (conclusion)

📝 Transcript & show notes: https://ltamh.com/?p=18935     

➕ Related episodes:

Money stress (Episode 310) https://ltamh.com/?p=18852

📚 Further reading:

“Christmas Stress” (Relationships Australia, 2016) https://www.relationships.org.au/document/december-2016-christmas-stress/ 

“’Tis the Season...” (Mental Health UK, 2021) https://mentalhealth-uk.org/blog/tis-the-season-3-in-10-brits-say-their-mental-health-nosedives-over-christmas/ 

👋 New here? 

Hi! I’m Jeremy Godwin, podcast creator and counsellor plus the host of Let’s Talk About Mental Health, your weekly dose of practical advice for better mental health. I share straightforward tips to help you protect your peace and cultivate better mental health. New episodes every Sunday.

🔗 Links

Subscribe for free show notes/transcripts in your inbox: https://ltamh.com/subscribe/  

Learn more about Let’s Talk About Mental Health: https://ltamh.com 

Support me on Patreon for early ad-free episodes: https://www.patreon.com/jeremygodwin 

My Digital Store: https://ltamh.com/shop/  

Daily Reflection Tool here: https://ltamh.com/product/daily-reflection/

Daily Affirmations tool (paid download): https://ltamh.com/product/affirmations/  

Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ltamh  

Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ltamentalhealth/        

#holidaystress #christmasstress #mentalhealth #mentalhealthtips #bettermentalhealth #ltamhpodcast #letstalkaboutmentalhealth #ltamh #peaceofmind #findingpeace #emotionalhealth #personalgrowth #mentalwellness #mentalwellbeing #emotionalwellbeing #jeremygodwin