The holidays bring with them added stress and depression.
Lisa Laughman is an emotional wellness consultant at Michigan State University.
She says there are many reasons why people may feel stressed or depressed this time of year. This could be the first Christmas without a loved one. Financial challenges may be making a 'traditional' family Christmas difficult. Some people say the recent school massacre in Connecticut is also making this feel less like Christmas.
Laughman says people feel pressure to only be ‘bright and happy and cheerful’. But Laughman says that may be difficult for people dealing with loss during the holiday.
“Part of it is just recognizing people are going to have moments. But be able to let it be a moment. To let themselves feel it. And then to bring their attention back," says Laughman.
Laughman says one way of coping with holiday depression is to reflect on what we do have and commit to giving that ‘meaning and purpose’.
