For most of us, the purpose of the holidays is to bring peace, love, and goodwill towards all. Yet, for many, the holiday season often means stress, fatigue, pressure, disappointment and loneliness.  These feelings, often known as the "holiday blues", may be even more prevalent, due to the emotional turmoil  of the past few months, not to mention the unsteady economy. Experts say even the more ritual tasks of shopping, decorating, late-night parties, cooking, planning and family reunions can be holiday stressors. In addition, the psychological phenomenon known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, may bring a specific type of depression related to winter's shorter days and longer nights.  "Certainly just because it's the holidays doesn't mean people are going to be happy," says Dr. Doug Jacobs of prefix = st1 /HarvardUniversity. "And this will be a particularly hard holiday for some who are dealing with a lost job, debt, or even a lost loved one."  And with family reunions becoming less frequent events over the years, there is now the added pressure of getting just one chance to get it all right. "Families are much more different now. The disappointment and sense of alienation that often results from family gatherings, is actually a realization that the fantasy is not met." says John Stutesman, a clinical psychologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.  Still, say experts, the blues should be addressed. The most essential step, says Stutesman, is for the individual to acknowledge their feelings and the reason for their withdrawal. "Denial will only compound the stress they're feeling." Stutesman recommends people do things that are normally comforting in order to get a handle on the holiday stress. "If they're feeling a little blue, they should try to do things personally satisfying for them. Maybe this is exercise, cooking, reading a book, or massage." Stutesman also advises that sometimes "avoidance is actually not such a bad idea." In some situations, fulfilling social obligations may be self-destructive when the best thing may be to just stay home. The healthy choice has to do with taking care of oneself." If you are feeling blue, what can you do to relieve the stress according to the passage?
Deny that you are in low spirits. Acknowledge the feeling and let it be. Stay at home and do nothing. Do exercise, cooking, reading or massage.