Understanding the Holiday Blues

Many people get "the blues" during the holiday season. Probably most of us have felt lonely, sad, or depressed during the holidays at some point in our lives. It seems that the most vulnerable people for feeling these emotions are the ones who attach excessive emotional significance to certain holidays, even birthdays or Saturday nights.

These people can usually avoid these negative feelings during the rest of the year, but the holidays can trigger loneliness, goals that haven't been met and just plain sadness. During the holidays, excitement, fun and merriment are in the air, and family and friends come together. For those who can't join in these festive times, or just can't seem to appreciate them, the lack of fulfillment is heightened along with the result of depression.

Probably the most emotionally charged holidays are Christmas, New Year's Eve and Thanksgiving, since much is made of these holidays due to the media and especially the stores. Ignoring these holidays can become impossible for vulnerable, emotional people. Their expectations for happiness, family warmth and merriment can run high. Christmas music, decorations, holiday songs and aromas can bring back and trigger strong childhood memories of family closeness or the lack of it. New Year's Eve can be an especially depressing time. Many consider it an omen. Those who feel that they were unsuccessful and didn't meet their goals during the past year may view the next year as simply another bad one. Also, many are afraid of aging. The passing of another year can be very upsetting and depressing to these people.

The people who are most prone to the holiday blues vary. Some have unsatisfactory relationships with their families. Some live alone and are lonely. Still others have had negative experiences of the holidays during childhood. These people may then experience negative holiday expectations during adulthood. And these feeling can turn into self-fulfilling prophecies.