Tips to Cope With Depression During Holidays

Depression is a difficult time especially for those who stay away from their family. However, following simple things such as spending time with friends, engaging yourself in different activities will help overcome the depression.

Following are some tips to help you cope with depression during the holiday season:

Have Realistic Approach: Understand that things change as time passes by. It is advisable to hold to people who are close to you. Figure out new and different ways to celebrate your holidays.

Communicate: If you are staying away from your family or friends it is advisable to contact them through emails or video calls. Talk to them and you will feel comfortable and near to them.

Involve Yourself in Various Activities: Researchers at WebMD advise people to do something different this year. "Have Thanksgiving at a restaurant. Spend Christmas day at the movie theater. Get your family to agree to skip gifts and instead donate the money to a charity," the researchers write.

Forget about perfection: Quite unusual advise, huh?  According to E Christine Moll, chair and professor of counseling and human services at Canisius College and a mental health counselor, stop thinking about perfect situations during holidays. "Holiday TV specials are filled with happy endings. But in real life, people don't usually resolve problems within an hour or two. Something always comes up. You may get stuck late at the office and miss your daughter's school play, your sister may dredge up an old argument, you may forget to put nuts in the cake, and your mother may criticize how you and your partner are raising the kids - all in the same day. Expect and accept imperfections," she wrote in a news release.

Volunteer: If you are alone during the holiday season, best way to engage yourself is to volunteer for underprivileged people. This will make you aware about the various problems people go through. You might also want to say a prayer of thanks for what you have got.