The holidays may be looking a little different this year…
You can still care for your mental health.
The holidays are here and they may be looking and feeling different than holidays past. The pandemic has surely infiltrated what we consider normalcy, and that also applies to the ways we celebrate. Traditions, community, faith, and travel have all been impacted, which can leave one feeling helpless, isolated, and emotionally affected.
Here are five tips to help you navigate the holidays through a pandemic:
Lean into Your Needs:
The holidays and pandemic have different effects on everyone. This holiday season you may be longing for human connection, or maybe the pandemic has alleviated some of your social anxiety that can especially come with the holidays. Wherever you are, I recommend showing up for yourself and advocating for what will help you feel comfortable, safe, and supported. Let your loved ones know what your plans are in advance. Ask others for help or support. Set healthy boundaries, especially for those who are putting pressure on you about things that are not serving you at this time. Put yourself first.
Tap into Your Creativity:
Many of us are being stretched into creative directions we never knew we’d be capable of until the pandemic hit. This can also apply to keeping your mental health as a priority during the holidays. If you would normally travel to see family and will not this year, can you do a virtual gift exchange like white elephant or secret Santa accompanied with games and crafty cocktails? Can you decorate your virtual backdrop with holiday inspo? Can you opt for meaningful photo collages as gifts vs. scrambling for gifts online? Creativity doesn’t have to be time consuming or expensive. It can instead take you out of your negative thoughts and channel that stress or negative energy into something that can bring you (and others) joy.
Be Aware of Holiday Blues:
The holidays have been associated with heightened levels of sadness, depression, and anxiety in the past. It makes sense that these symptoms could increase in a pandemic. The National Alliance for Mental Illnesses (NAMI) found that 64% of people with existing mental illness reported that holidays made their condition worse. Healthy ways to cope include limiting excessive alcohol, moving your body for at least 30 minutes a day, and having realistic expectations for yourself. Holiday blues tend to decrease when the holiday season is over. If symptoms of ongoing sadness, irritability, increased substance abuse, loss in activities that once brought pleasure continue thereafter, consult with a mental health professional or medical doctor.
Give:
When experiencing loneliness or isolation, volunteering can combat that and feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and belonging. Volunteering in person may be a challenge this year, but many organizations are still calling for people to help with turkey drives, care packages, or online donations. If you’re not able to give monetarily or uncomfortable with being in social settings with the risk of Covid-19 at its peak, consider helping your neighbor with their groceries. Mail a card to your friend across the country. Call that relative you’ve been thinking about. Acts of kindness and giving can be replenishing for the soul.
Have a Mental Plan Ready for Difficult Conversations:
This year has been heavy for many reasons, particularly for BIPOC and other oppressed groups such as women, LGBTQIA, and immigrants. Holidays often bring about a platform to have that uncomfortable conversation with your racist uncle or a heated debate over women’s reproductive rights. Ask yourself, to what degree will engage? Is this worth my energy and time? What will happen if I choose to disengage. It is also important for marginalized groups to know that it is okay to rest and not be triggered at the holiday gathering. You do not have to answer for all Black people. You do not have to answer questions around anti-racism when you’re trying to enjoy your pecan pie. Alternatively, if you are in privileged positions, this may be a time to exercise just that. If your mental and emotional health can handle challenging racism, xenophobia, or any other form of discrimination and verbal violence, then by all means, do it.