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The other day I wrote about the holiday blues, and how they can start even when the weather’s hot and the leaves are on the trees. Check out the full post here.
Today I’m going to talk about some of the signs and symptoms of the holiday blues.*
The thing about our moods is that we often don’t notice what’s happening with them. Very few of us sit around pondering the state of our mental health:
“Hmmmm, am I happy or sad today?”
“What is the word that best describes my current psychological state?”
To carry on like that for too long would be annoying for all involved. On the other hand, it’s because we don’t often pay much attention to our mood that changes can sneak up on us, and catch us by surprise. Mood often changes slowly, with subtle signs and symptoms along the way. If we pay close attention, we’ll notice the changes. Check these out:
- increased irritability (everyone is driving me nuts!!!!)
- decreased motivation (it’s hard to get myself to do anything)
- decreased pleasure (I don’t look forward to reading Us Weekly like I used to)
- increased worry (I am stressed about everything!)
- low mood (I just feel kind of down)
As with most things, the sooner we become aware of a problem, the easier it is to fix it. Stay tuned for tips on how to manage the holiday blues before they get out of hand.
*Please note, “the holiday blues” is not a diagnosis recognized by the DSM-IV or ICD-10, but rather term used by this author to describe a non-clinically significant cluster of symptoms.