The Holidays

[Markey]

Does anyone have suggestions on dealing with the blues during the
holidays?

Last year at this time, I went into a significant depression.

Mark

[Celtic ferret]

Personally I dislike seeing family because it gives everyone the right
to criticize me. My husband and I have a few traditions of our own.
Perhaps you'll find something you like. We don't like to cook
breakfast on Xmas morning so we make a quiche a couple of days before,
All we have to do is heat the quiche, make coffee and mimosa (orange
juice and champaigne). We read and discuss the paper, but we do this
every morning he is off of work. I'd just as soon go to the movies
than see my family.

We see Dan's family after Xmas and go through much the same dislike, 2
fighting brothers, snarking between his nieces, 2 ill behaved children
with a more mentality and so on. It's easier to see someone on
Memorial Day than Xmas.

KG

Post by Markey
Does anyone have suggestions on dealing with the blues during the
holidays?
Last year at this time, I went into a significant depression.
Mark

[d***@siskiyou.net]

Get busy.

Back when I lived alone, I would organize a short-term project to be
launched just before Christmas with the plan to finish it by New Years.
This could be constructing a footstool in my garage, creating a work of
art or writing about anything other than Christmas.

Made time fly, and the act of actually creating something lifted my
spirits. Especially if I could hook a little hypomania into the
project.

Picture a running start before leaping into the next year.

dp
who's wondering if any new Bipolar Christmas Carols could measure up to
those of 1997

Post by Markey
Does anyone have suggestions on dealing with the blues during the
holidays?
Last year at this time, I went into a significant depression.
Mark

[Steve]

I have a wonderful family, half of them are bipolar, so they understand.
For Christmas, we live off cold cuts, candy & junk food - it is our time to
enjoy ourself. While I have 9 kids, we do not make a big meal until new
years and we feel that that is just perfect.

I liked the project idea. Not by design, but I am do something like that
this year. I am preparing a family cookbook. It may never be finished, but
I accept that up front.

I go to bed and stay in bed every night by 10 PM. I have an MP3 player, so
I listen to talking books or podcast to fall to sleep with. I found that
the TV kept we a wake.

I do not like to attend my extended family activities, but when I do, I try
to find some kind of responsbilty to keep me busy, something that does not
matter if does not gets done. Last week when I visited my sisters, I spend
evening talking to the dog. In the past I have brought craft stuff and made
crafts with the little kids - I find little kids & dogs make create company.

I will watch to see what other suggest, but in the meantime does anyone have
an effective way to get the good meaning people who think that depression &
manic are all in one's mind and that the solution is to try harder???


Thanks

Post by Markey
Does anyone have suggestions on dealing with the blues during the
holidays?
Last year at this time, I went into a significant depression.
Mark

[lmj_31]

Post by Steve
but in the meantime does anyone have
an effective way to get the good meaning people who think that depression &
manic are all in one's mind and that the solution is to try harder???

I sniggered at this because I know exactly what you mean here. I simply
say "it's a chemical imbalance in the brain" or "a lack of a particular
chemical in the brain". Seems like a real disorder don't you think?

Re: Christmas, yeah I find once again I have a lack of motivation to do
things. Last Christmas was so bad I had to sit down for most of my
three week holidays and read a book or sleep just to stop the utter
dispair. A book took me away to another place, another world where I
could focus my mind on something more pleasant.

This Christmas too I started off the same, a bit bored/listless. I've
had a sewing machine sit in my lounge room since 25 Dec and i've done
stuff all with it. I seem to enjoy my day when friends come over to
visit or I do some socialising. Then when I get back I feel a bit more
inspired to do new things.

I was once told by a psychologist that to break my habit of not doing
any things I enjoy is to force myself to do them and each time they
will become more and more enjoyable. It does actually work!