How I’m Coping with Christmas

Today I’m writing a little about the holiday sadness that can accompany Christmas.
I touched on this in my media round-up on Sunday, but I want to share with you what I’ll be doing over the festive period to help my own mental health and try to prevent a breakdown like last year.

I’m susceptible to bad mental health during Christmas. The period combines a number of my triggers (lack of alone time, lack of stimulation, pressure to be happy, extreme stress, family arguments) in close proximity and, like last year, it can result in the return of feelings of extreme darkness.
I really contemplated what way to take my annual leave this year as a result. Should I take the festive period off or go to work? Will taking my holidays just lead to more free time and hence more time to feel miserable?

After last Christmas, I wasn’t sure which was the best way to deal with my mental health.

That Christmas-y Feeling

This is what Christmas was to me in a couple of pictures:

Spiced Apple tea by an open fire that tastes like mulled wine 

Pumpkin Spice Candle

Winter is Coming...

We don't get as much snow in Ireland as I'd like us to. But none the less I am aware that it is hat-and-gloves cold now, often frosty, and Christmas is everywhere.

So Winter is finally here (yay!) but with the seasonal change can also come mood changes. (Seasonal affective disorder)
Put it down to lack of sunlight, a part of evolution (like animals hibernating), or related to hormones, but it is an actual condition triggered by changes to the season, be that summer or winter. Noticed you get down every year in the cold weather? You're fatigued? Over-eating? These can all be symptoms.