{"id":100635,"date":"2022-12-13T11:00:23","date_gmt":"2022-12-13T11:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=100635"},"modified":"2023-05-19T14:02:43","modified_gmt":"2023-05-19T13:02:43","slug":"christmas-depression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/christmas-depression.htm","title":{"rendered":"Christmas Depression? Why Holidays Are Hard and How to Cope This Year"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_136321\" style=\"width: 277px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-136321\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-136321\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-leeloo-thefirst-6173410-267x400.jpg\" alt=\"christmas depression\" width=\"267\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-leeloo-thefirst-6173410-267x400.jpg 267w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-leeloo-thefirst-6173410-401x600.jpg 401w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-leeloo-thefirst-6173410.jpg 709w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 267px) 100vw, 267px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-136321\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">photo by Leeloo the First for Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #800080;\">by Andrea M. Darcy<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>It\u2019s that time of year when many of us feel<\/strong> low. Why is that? How can you be sure you&#8217;ve got the symptoms of Christmas <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/types-of-depression.htm\">depression<\/a>? And what can be done to stop you sliding too far into the dumps? Or stop your usual <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/mild-depression.htm\">mild depression<\/a> veering into something more serious?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">What are the symptoms of Christmas depression? <\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>The signs of Christmas depression are like any<\/strong> other<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/types-of-depression.htm\"> type of depression<\/a>. They can include: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/negative-thinking.htm\">negative thinking<\/a>, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/black-and-white-thinking-stop-drama-addict.htm\">extreme doom and gloom thoughts<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">an increase in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/why-do-i-feel-guilty-all-the-time.htm\">guilt<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/its-all-my-fault-self-blame.htm\">self-blame<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">a change in your social behaviour &#8211; not wanting to talk to friends, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-social-anxiety-disorder.htm\">hiding at home<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">mood swings and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/couple-fighting-healthy.htm\">picking fights with those you love<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/foggy-brain.htm\">fuzzy thinking<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/causes-of-exhaustion.htm\">fatigue<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/sleep-problems-mental-health-issue.htm\">sleep problems<\/a>, both oversleeping and struggling to sleep <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">changes to eating patterns (under or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/truth-about-overeating-case-study.htm\">overeating<\/a>)<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">addictive behaviours like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/alcohol-and-depression.htm\">drinking more<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/holiday-romance-mental-health.htm\">sex binges<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/club-drugs-and-therapy.htm\">taking drugs<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/feeling-suicidal-or-like-self-harming-techniques-to-stop-distress.htm\">thoughts about hurting yourself<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/managing-suicidal-thoughts.htm\">ending it all.<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><strong>[For more about the signs of depression, see our<\/strong> free &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/depression-help-guide.htm\">Guide to Depression<\/a>&#8220;. <\/span><span class=\"s1\">Or try our quiz, \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/quiz-stressed-or-depressed\">Stressed, Depressed, or Both<\/a>?\u201d]<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Why do I feel so low around Christmas? <\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Go easy on yourself for feeling low if the following<\/strong> typical reasons for Christmas depression sounds familiar:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/seasonal-depression-during-the-holidays.htm\">loneliness<\/a><\/span> when we don&#8217;t have family or a partner<\/li>\n<li>being far away from loved ones due to work or a move abroad<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/myths-about-grief-and-loss.htm\">missing loved ones who have passed<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/how-to-get-along-with-your-family.htm\">family disputes<\/a><\/span> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/co-parenting-at-christmas-how-to-stay-sane.htm\">parenting struggles<\/a><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"s1\">\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/money-problems.htm\">money troubles<\/a> <\/span>and worries you&#8217;ll let the kids down<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"s1\">an increase in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/drinking-too-much-alcohol.htm\">alcohol dependency<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #666699;\">It&#8217;s a particularly hard time of year for those of us in our later years, who might have outlived our loved ones. <a style=\"color: #666699;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ageuk.org.uk\/latest-news\/articles\/2017\/december\/almost-a-million-older-people-feel-lonelier-at-christmas\/\">Charity Age UK did a holiday season survey<\/a> that found that nearly a million older folks felt even lonelier than usual at Christmas, and two-fifths of them reported being widowed.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"attachment_100637\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-100637\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-100637\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/8305682485_4ec9f23b22-400x266.jpg\" alt=\"christmas depression\" width=\"400\" height=\"266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/8305682485_4ec9f23b22-400x266.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/8305682485_4ec9f23b22.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/8305682485_4ec9f23b22-180x120.jpg 180w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-100637\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/devcentre\/8305682485\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Peter Harrison<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Myths about Christmas depression<\/span><\/h2>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #333399;\">But note that<a style=\"color: #333399;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/stress-vs-depression.htm\"> depression is different than stress <\/a>because it can sometimes be illogical. We have a family, or a partner, money, things seem fine&#8230; but we still feel low.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Depression can often be related to<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/childhood-effects-of-trauma.htm\"> unresolved past traumas<\/a>, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-are-adverse-childhood-experiences-aces.htm\">difficult childhood experiences<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/child-sexual-abuse-counselling.htm\">abuse<\/a>. These kinds of things can leave us with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/how-to-change-your-core-beliefs.htm\">deep rooted core beliefs<\/a> that we don&#8217;t deserve <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/peace-and-joy.htm\">joy and happiness<\/a>. So when things get too good, our brain triggers depression.<\/p>\n<p><strong>In this way Christmas depression can be a reminder that next year might be the one we need to<\/strong> gather up our courage and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/trauma-counselling-london.htm\">get help to deal with out past<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Christmas depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD)?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Christmas is also right when some people are starting to experience the full effects of <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/seasonal-affective-disorder.htm\">seasonal affective disorder<\/a>. SAD is triggered by the onset of the cold and longer nights. <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #333399;\">So it\u2019s worth noticing if <a style=\"color: #333399;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/anxiety-vs-depression.htm\">your depression<\/a> is in line with seasonal changes each year. Does it always start near Christmas, then clear up fully near spring?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">So I\u2019ve got Christmas depression. What now? <\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #993366;\">1. Stop the comparison.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em><span class=\"s1\">Why do things like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/10-ways-help-debt-problems.htm\">debt<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/family-gathering-tips.htm\">family issues<\/a> become more of a problem at Christmas? When we have the same issues year round? Because the festive season is one of endless comparison.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>People around us share their<\/strong> plans that seem so perfect. And our<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/quit-social-media.htm\"> social media feeds<\/a> go hard on selling us the happy family myth.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #333399;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/comparing-yourself-to-others.htm\">Comparing ourselves to others<\/a> is one of the fastest ways to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/negative-thoughts.htm\"> kill our self-esteem<\/a>. And low self-esteem is one of the leading factors in depression.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>TRY THIS:<\/strong> Set a timer to go off at certain times of the day and check in with your thoughts over <\/span>the last hour. Write down any comparisons you&#8217;ve made. Ask yourself:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><em>Is this comparison I&#8217;ve made actually true, or an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/making-assumptions.htm\">assumption<\/a>?<\/em><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><em>What might I not know about the person I compared myself too, what struggle might they secretly have?<\/em><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><em>How do I actually compare equally or favourably?<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_136322\" style=\"width: 277px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-136322\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-136322\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-keira-burton-6624467-267x400.jpg\" alt=\"christmas depression\" width=\"267\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-keira-burton-6624467-267x400.jpg 267w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-keira-burton-6624467-400x600.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-keira-burton-6624467.jpg 709w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 267px) 100vw, 267px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-136322\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">photo by Keira Burton for Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #993366;\">2. Do this as you brush your teeth each morning.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Every morning when your brush your teeth, use the moment to come up with<\/strong> three to five things you are grateful for. Yes, it might be the last thing you feel like doing. But think of it like a lifeline because <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/practicing-gratitude-mood.htm\">gratitude is proven to help moods<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em>Why when you brush your teeth? When we attach a new habit\u00a0to one we do &#8216;no matter what&#8217;, like brush our teeth, then it&#8217;s more likely to stick.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993366;\">3. Go heavy on the self care.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/alcohol-and-depression.htm\">reaching for the booze<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/truth-about-overeating-case-study.htm\">eating the contents of the fridge<\/a> might seem the best way to feel better, but it inevitably backfires. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/alcohol-and-depression.htm\">Alcohol is a depressant<\/a>, and nobody feels good with indigestion and bloating.<\/p>\n<p><em>The more<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/self-care-and-depression.htm\"> self care<\/a> you can muster, the better. It doesn&#8217;t have to be perfect. If you can&#8217;t bear the gym, just go for a walk. If you can&#8217;t stop the sugar, add in a salad. <span style=\"color: #333333;\">Each mini choice to take care of yourself is a message to your brain that you matter.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #993366;\">4. Say this little magic word to reduce Christmas depression. <\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>One of the best ways to take care of yourself is to <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/how-to-say-no-more-effectively.htm\">say no<\/a> to things you are aware will make you feel worse. No to eating the ham your mother made when you are trying to go vegan, no to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/is-dealing-with-difficult-colleagues-affecting-your-mental-wellbeing.htm\">drinks with colleagues<\/a> when they aren&#8217;t even nice to you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/healthy-boundaries.htm\">Pleasing others<\/a> at the expense of pleasing ourselves never works. And the more we <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/saying-no.htm\">say no to others<\/a>, the more we say yes to ourselves, and create time for the things that actually make us feel better.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #333399;\">The one thing to consider saying yes to? Sending Christmas cards. A<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/23311908.2022.2151727\"> study from an Irish university<\/a> found that almost half of those who are depressed don&#8217;t set cards, but suggests giving it a go. Other research shows the prosocial gesture of expressing gratitude in writing like in cards boosts positive emotions in both the receiver and sender.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993366;\">5. But get out there despite yourself.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Do also say yes when it is a social event you would have enjoyed when<\/strong> you were not depressed.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/mindfulness-social-anxiety.htm\"> Depression leads us to avoid others<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/agoraphobia-and-social-anxiety.htm\">struggle to leave the house<\/a>. <strong>But getting ourselves into positive social situations means we remember<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/connecting-with-people.htm\">we are connected.<\/a> At the very least we are distracted and stop endlessly<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/alcohol-and-depression.htm\"> overthinking<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Of course use discretion. A night out<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/party-drugs-depression.htm\">taking party drugs<\/a> would be a no. A dinner with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/difference-of-opinion.htm\">friends<\/a> or a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-ecopsychology.htm\">walk in nature<\/a> (also getting some sunlight, which can help depression)\u00a0 would make sense.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #333399;\">Another idea is to create your own tradition if remembering ones from happier years makes you feel low. Decide to celebrate Solstice instead, or create a tradition of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/boosting-your-mood-volunteer.htm\">volunteering, proven to lift moods<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #333333;\">When to seek support for Christmas depression<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>If you know that Christmas leaves you a mess, then consider<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/harleytherapy.com\/?utm_source=Harley%20Therapy%20Blog&amp;utm_content=Post%20End\"> booking an appointment with a counsellor as soon as you can<\/a>. Because once depression hits, we are less and less capable to make that effort. <\/span><span class=\"s1\">Remember that nowadays you don\u2019t even have to leave the house but can book<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/online-counselling-psychologists.htm\"> online therapy<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>At the very least arrange with a friend to be on call<\/strong> when you put yourself in situations you know trigger you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Need to talk to someone immediately? Call a<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/mental-health-helpline.htm\">free help line<\/a>. The volunteers on the other end will be happy to help, and places like<a href=\"https:\/\/www.samaritans.org\/\"> the Good Samaritans are open 24-7 e<\/a>ven over the festive season.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you are a young person<\/strong>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youngminds.org.uk\/young-person\/blog\/what-it-s-like-to-have-depression-at-christmas\/\">Young Minds has online message boards<\/a> open 24-7 over the holidays. Or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mind.org.uk\/information-support\/your-stories\/?tag=10364\">read stories about Christmas depression as experienced by other young people<\/a> over at Mind UK Charity where you can also share yours.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>**If you are<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/feeling-suicidal-or-like-self-harming-techniques-to-stop-distress.htm\"> considering hurting yourself<\/a> or others, do call emergency services.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Want to talk to someone to beat your Christmas depression this year? We connect you with <span style=\"color: #666699;\"><a style=\"color: #666699;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\">top therapists in central London<\/a><\/span>. Not in London or the UK? Our <span style=\"color: #666699;\"><a style=\"color: #666699;\" href=\"https:\/\/harleytherapy.com\/?utm_source=Harley%20Therapy%20Blog&amp;utm_content=Post%20End\">booking platform<\/a> <\/span>connects you to <span style=\"color: #666699;\"><a style=\"color: #666699;\" href=\"https:\/\/harleytherapy.com\/therapists?utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=harleytherapy.co.uk&amp;utm_content=Post%20End\">online therapists<\/a><\/span> no matter where you live.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\">Andrea M<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-117271 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673-150x150.png\" alt=\"Andrea M. Darcy mental health expert\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673-50x50.png 50w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673.png 268w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>. Darcy is a mental health and wellbeing expert and writer. She suffers Christmas depression herself so knows what it&#8217;s like! Find her on Instagram @am_darcy<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Andrea M. Darcy It\u2019s that time of year when many of us feel low. Why is that? How can you be sure you&#8217;ve got the symptoms of Christmas depression? And what can be done to stop you sliding too far into the dumps? Or stop your usual mild depression veering into something more serious?\u00a0 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":136321,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[378,405,260],"class_list":["post-100635","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-depression","tag-depression","tag-holidays","tag-loneliness","has_thumb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Christmas Depression? Why Holidays Are Hard and How to Cope This Year - Harley Therapy\u2122 Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Christmas depression is not just about missing family but has other symptoms and hidden causes. How can you spot Christmas depression and what to do?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/christmas-depression.htm\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Christmas Depression? Why Holidays Are Hard and How to Cope This Year\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Christmas depression is not just about missing family but has other symptoms and hidden causes. 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