The holidays are stressful for a lot of people, especially for those of us with mental health issues like anxiety, depression, trauma, PTSD. I know this because I have these issues and feel worse during this time of the year. And of course, the pandemic has made things worse in general. People have lost loved ones, their jobs, and so on. In a year of losses, it’s bizarre to demand people to celebrate.
“The holidays are stressful. There is no doubt about that. For those with a history of trauma, depression, and anxiety, the holidays can present an additional challenge with an increase in trauma-related symptoms. With that in mind, for individuals who experience anxiety, depression, or trauma relying on day-to-day routines is imperative for managing symptoms throughout the year. The holidays are full of unexpected schedules, sleep patterns, family feuds, traveling a change in eating patterns. You name it, there is a wrench thrown into the mix and routines are thrown off discourse.” — Via The Center of Life Counseling
Besides, solitude does not mean cutting off all contact.
Loved ones who are going through tough times will want you to stay in touch. The idea is to do it in ways that make them comfortable. Normalizing solitude will ensure that people who seek it will not feel guilty for “being a killjoy”, pressured for “not making an effort to socialize”, and so on.
Let’s stop judging people for keeping to themselves during the holidays and give them the space they need. Let’s normalize solitude over the holiday season. Period.
normalizing solitude in holiday season should be encouraged. great article.