subject: Are You Unhappy Around Christmas Time? [print this page] Those who wish us happy souls to be boiled in our own pudding with a stake of holly through the heart are most likely in that curiously seasonal state the clinicians call Festive Depression.
It has many triggers. For some it may be loneliness, for others its just the bleak mid-winter weather. For many it is brought on by the pressure of having to buy for every man and his dog. For serious cases, the world looks bleak and suicide looks an attractively permanent solution to a temporary problem.
First advice if youre trying to keep everything together and getting nowhere, stop trying. I find that the harder you try, the harder it gets and thats very trying indeed. Execute some tough decisions and you will find a good nights sleep will come your way after all.
Your attitude Christmas (and anything else) is subject to how your mind paints the picture inside your head.
Do me a favour then: take the picture, make it bright and then brighter still. Play a song or a tune inside your head now, making it loud enough to drown out any moans or groans. Now walk with a spring in your step and keep your eyes pointing upward (crucial this!).
Now I defy you to do this and not feel good. Indeed, this simple trick works so well, I prescribe this four times daily or until you feel like you can smile for no reason at all.
Heres another trick you can use to re-programme negative thoughts for any occasion seasonal or not. Right, think of a situation where you want to feel better; more resourceful.
Got it? Good, now recall a time when you were happy, resourceful, in control, feeling good. See what you see, hear what you hear and feel what you feel.
Still with me? Good. Now mentally note the details of this great state and when youve done this thoroughly come back to now and set yourself some anchors. Give yourself an auditory anchor, such as the word confident. You dont have to say it out loud, you just have to have it there.
Give yourself something to touch, such as your ear lobe, which you touch each time you want to access that good state. Now set yourself a visual anchor; ie, a picture of you being happy and resourceful.
Now, go back to remembering that great state you had before and experience all the good pictures, sounds and feelings about it and, when it comes to a peak, connect the three anchors by repeating the word to yourself, touching your earlobe and seeing those pictures.
Repeat and practice this several times and then identify the situations you want to feel better about. Imagine those situations and, as you do so, fire off those anchors to create an automatic association to them.
Practice, as I say, makes perfect. For now, a seasonal thought: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift. Thats why we call it the present.
