Have Yourself a Mentally Healthy Christmas

This year’s Christmas must be one of the toughest holidays that we will ever face. Since the pandemic, the health protocols to keep social distancing have prevented almost everyone to go and do the preparations and activities that we used to do to celebrate the Holidays. Many of us are restricted to travel and meet our loved ones and may be forced to celebrate the Holidays on our own. 

And because of the isolation and the restrictions, while we are in the period of uncertainty and our anxiety levels are very high, we can’t help but be mentally affected by the current situation.

Here are some tips on how you can have a mentally healthy Christmas celebration during the pandemic: 

Stay connected. Even if we are miles away from our loved ones, it doesn’t mean that we can no longer talk to them anymore. Our technology allows us now to communicate with anyone around the globe in real-time, and this gives us something to look forward to whenever we feel down. We can always send them a message or give them a call or have a video chat every time we miss them. 

Continue doing something that you are really good at. If you happen to have plans to celebrate Christmas with your friends or family, this may be the best time for you to showcase what you do best. It does not mean you need to sing and dance in front of them. However, taking over some responsibilities that you think you will be doing good at usually would do the trick. 

Let your loved ones know what you feel. Just because it’s the season for being happy does not mean that you don’t have the right to be sad anymore. Pretending in front of your loved ones that you are doing well sometimes makes your situation worse. Make sure that you have a healthy mental space when you are talking to people, and if those people who like to hear your story are really concerned about your wellbeing.

Getting the help that you asked for sometimes might just be the best gift you’ll ever receive. The Holidays has put additional stress on our mental health because of additional responsibilities in preparing for the celebration, accommodating guests and visiting relatives, hosting parties, trying out trendy farmhouse Christmas signs for your Christmas decorations, and many more. These additional mental loads are on top of the regular stress-inducing things that we deal with everyday – our work, our own family, our bills, among others. 

Maybe it’s because of our pride that we fail to reach out to others for help. Or the fast-paced numbered days before the holidays are no longer allowing us to have a break, accept that we cannot be our best version of ourselves sometimes, and even in the happiest season, we still need to be comforted and be given the help that we deserve.

Watch what you eat. The celebration is always synonymous with eating while having fun. However, having too much of anything never ends up good. Understand that the food that we eat will affect our daily mood. Eating in celebrations may bring us joy for the entire day, but we need to make sure that we watch what we eat. Too much fatty food will increase our risk of heart illnesses. Too many sweets may bring us a sugar rush and we might just run out of energy by the moment we need it already. 

Drink moderately. Drinking with friends used to be the best way to celebrate the Holidays before the pandemic struck. It may still be the best way to do it this coming Christmas if we are able to abide by the quarantine and social distancing regulations. Drinking is a social activity and it is normally done not to get passed out because you’ve had too much, but more of a way to mingle with friends and loved ones when celebrating or commemorating a special occasion. Always remember to do everything in moderation to enjoy everything about the Holidays.