It’s December and you want to manage anxiety during the holidays. The season now in full swing and many people are starting to schedule more and more appointments to come in and learn strategies to manage their emotions. This time of the year can bring up a lot of anxiety for people. Some of the common stressors include how to come up with money to pay for Christmas gifts, seeing family members you don’t get along with, getting into arguments with friends or significant others, how to say no to every holiday opportunity and in general, how best to manage anxiety when there doesn’t seem to be a trigger.
Learning to manage anxiety during the holidays doesn’t look much different than it does throughout the year. Below are some helpful reminders on ways you can learn to manage anxiety during the holidays.
1. Set limits and don’t feel guilty for saying no
Having boundaries and knowing your limit is a healthy way to reduce anxiety. If you don’t want to go to yet another Ugly Sweater Christmas Party, politely decline and work through your feelings of guilt. If you set aside $200 for a Christmas gift and your partner asks for a $300 gift, share with them your budget and follow through with it.
2. Come up with a plan and stick to it
This is similar to the suggestion mentioned above but having a plan takes a proactive stance rather than a reactive boundary setting when someone asks something of you. Identify your budget for holiday gifts. Decide how many weekends you want to go to Holiday Parties. Decide who you want to send Christmas cards to. Once you have a plan, be sure to hold yourself accountable to it.
3. Take time for yourself
It’s very easy to get caught up in other people and situations during the holidays. If you love to watch Hallmark Channel movies, be sure to carve out some time to watch them in your pj’s, where your phone is turned off and no one can interrupt you (if you can). If you have a regular workout routine, try to stick to it, especially since it is so easy to get off schedule.
4. Don’t forget to breathe
Breathing is an effective strategy to reduce anxiety in the moment. If those feelings of stress and fear creep up, take 5-10 deep breaths in and out of your nose to help calm down your nervous system.
5. Live in the moment and enjoy it
The holidays can be the most wonderful time of the year. Live in the moment and try to forget about work and bills and everything else stressing you out when you are out and about. Try going ice skating, building gingerbread houses or driving through neighborhoods that are all decorated. When you are doing those fun holiday things, stay present in what you are doing in the here and now.
Happy Holidays to all of my readers.
I wish you nothing but happiness and joy in the New Year!
Amanda Patterson, LMHC, CAP , Mental Health Counselor of the Year by the Florida Mental Health Counseling Association, decided to become a therapist while attending Nova Southeastern University. She saw the need to help people achieve the life they wanted to live, while creating a life of her own. She completed her master’s in Mental Health Counseling and started a career in the juvenile justice arena. Amanda has been a therapist for ten years and has a private practice in Wellington, Florida, specializing in depression, anxiety, relationship issues, and substance abuse in teenagers and young adults. Amanda is a believer in holistic treatment and she practices veganism, meditation and yoga in her life. Find out more about her practice here.
To schedule an appointment, call or text Amanda at 954-378-5381 or email her at amanda@amandapattersonlmhc.
