Seeing as it is the holiday season, I thought it would be an
appropriate time to talk about people who have depression and how Christmas
doesn’t magically make their depression go away. For a good portion of people,
this time of year brings about nothing but happiness. There is always the
stress of buying presents and planning parties, but at the end of the day it is
just a happy time of year for families. But it’s not that simple for people
suffering from depression. There could be all the happiness of the holidays
surrounding someone with depression, and they still are unable to feel joy. It
isn’t as easy as just realizing what good things are around you. Most people
with depression realize that things aren’t really as bad as they seem, but they
still can’t help but feel as depressed as they do. It is a mental illness. It
is a chemical imbalance in your brain. It isn’t a choice to have depression. So
even though this time of year is really festive and full of joy, not everyone
is able to feel that way.
While it may be hard to understand how someone could feel so
alone or upset during this season, or even just in general, if you don’t have
depression, it is important to be as understanding of others as you possibly
can. You might not be aware of how the holidays actually are for some people,
not everyone has a fun experience of Christmas with their family. I know that
whenever I say I’m not the biggest fan of Christmas people are always judging
and don’t understand why. But that’s exactly it; you just don’t know what
certain people have been through in their lives. This holiday season I
encourage you to try your best to make everyone feel special, even if you just
tell someone to have a good holiday. You never know what someone has been
through, and you never know what someone might be suffering from. Pay attention
to the people who are surrounding you every day, whether it be in class, at
work, at home, or just walking down the street. Smile as you walk by, say hello
or at least say something friendly. To someone with depression, the little
things like that really stand out and make a difference.
Speaking from personal experience... When you're depressed:
ReplyDelete* Seeing everyone else happy for no apparent reason (other than the season) makes one even more depressed.
* The pressure of knowing that one is "supposed" to be happy makes you even more depressed.
* People trying to cheer me up makes me want to boil them in pudding and bury them with a stake of holly through their heart. Only it's too much effort.
I always enjoyed the holidays. To me, it wasn't so much about family and coming together and the religious aspect behind Christmas. Rather it was about getting that sweet holiday pay, getting a Christmas bonus check, eating those seasonal Christmas donuts and having those days off from school holiday breaks. It's almost as if I used the holiday season for my own benefit. I wasn't happy and joyful about New Year's just because everyone else seemed to be.
ReplyDeleteIn a way, this is similar to those who are depressed around the holidays. They aren't happy about all the turkey and stuffing they will eat, Christmas coming up, or counting down to the New Year. And I know saying "hey look at the bright side" could be easier said than done, specially coming from someone who isn't depressed. But maybe those who are indeed depressed should "take advantage" of this time of year like I do. It might sound selfish but it is what it is. Christmas doesn't put a smile on my face. Getting that peppermint hot cocoa does. Being able to add red colored clothing to my wardrobe does seeing as it's all the department stores sell in December. So if you see me walking around smiling and looking happy, it's not directly because of the recognized holidays. Taking advantage of the perks could be a little easier for someone to grasp rather than a simple look at the bright side remark.
"maybe those who are indeed depressed should "take advantage" of this time of year like I do"
DeleteUm... no. While this is a useful tactic for someone suffering from "the blues", your advice is not relevant for someone with mental health flavors of depression.
I actually agree with Carl. You cannot tell someone to look on the bright side or tell them to "take advantage" of anything if they have depression. If anything, saying comments like that would only make them feel worse about it all.
DeleteI appreciate this blog. The holidays aren't miracles; they don't make problems go away. They might distract for a little while, but they definitely don't make depression disappear. I like how the main message of this blog is to encourage kindness and give compliments. I read an article that said saying seven words to someone who is having a bad day can really change their attitude and make them feel better.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. While it is nice to try to cheer others up, treating them as if it is wrong for them depressed is an invalidation of feelings. I don't think anyone feels better when someone tells them that they shouldn't feel sad at Christmas. It usually only makes the person feel bad about feeling bad, which leads to feeling worse. I know that people who tell others to cheer up mean well, but it is definitely not an effective tactic to help someone feel better at all.
ReplyDelete