Holidays get you down?

The holiday season is generally fraught with more challenges than cheer; for many, it is not the Hallmark movie time of year. While we all laugh at Christmas Vacation, if it were real, we would all be going insane!

There are many reasons why it's generally not what you wish it to be.

Christmas can bring on depression for a multitude of reasons: Hallmark being one of the biggest. Look, just follow along...

1. High Expectations: The holiday season often comes with high expectations of perfect family gatherings, gift exchanges, and general happiness. The happy family around the Christmas tree drinking eggnog and laughing and happy. A light snow falls in the background outside. When reality doesn't meet these expectations, it can lead to feelings of disappointment and depression.

2. Financial Stress: Buying gifts for people who don't need them with money you don't have, the expenses of traveling, and hosting parties can put a significant financial burden on people, leading to stress and depression.

3. Loneliness or Grief: For those who are alone or far from family during the holidays, the Christmas season can amplify the feelings of loneliness. For those who have lost loved ones, the holidays can be a particularly difficult time and can bring up feelings of sadness and loss.

4. Seasonal Affective Disorder: This type of depression is related to changes in seasons, and it usually begins and ends at the same time every year. For many people, symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months.

5. Overwhelmed: The hustle and bustle of the holiday season, including shopping, cooking, and attending social events, can be overwhelming and lead to burnout and depression. The social or family pressures to go or be where others expect you to can feel suffocating.

6. Unhealthy Eating and Drinking: The holidays are often a time of overindulgence, which can lead to feelings of guilt and depression.

8. Lack of Routine: During the holidays, normal routines are often disrupted, with loss of sleep which can cause stress and lead to depression.

Look, this is a pretty short simple list and we in no way wish to try to tell people why they feel the way they do or give a reason for how you feel. I'm just saying that there is a plethora of reasons you may not feel like this is the happiest time of the year, and our friends at Hallmark have set unrealistic expectations for us all. Please don't buy into it!

It may be that you should/could say no to some of the craziness. That's ok...

If you feel like you may need some help getting through this circus of a season you should seek out the type of help you need. Just do it, please, whether that's a friend, family member, or a professional.

Remember that millions of people around the globe have similar feelings.

So please take care of the only you there is.

Cheers, have a good one, or two...