Shedding Light on Holiday Depression

Written by Mary Welch Monday, December 07 2009

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It may be the season to be jolly, but for many, the holidays are just depressing. And, there are few things worse than being around happy, happy people when you’re down.

While others are immersed in parties, family, and warm memories, some see the holidays as nothing more than a time filled with sadness, self-reflection, loneliness, and anxiety. There may be anxiety and depression over financial stress, the inability to be with family, or simply reflecting on a disappointing, lousy year and a not-too rosy-new one. Women, in particular, are more likely to be diagnosed with depression (20.2 percent vs. 8.2 percent), according to the Centers for Disease Control.

“We should recognize that not everyone is in a holiday spirit,” says Kendrick Allen, president of Compass Pointe Counseling Inc., a mental health center in Lilburn, Ga. “Trying to help someone who is depressed get into the festivities may not be the best idea. It may make them even sadder and more isolated. Don’t focus on the holidays.”

So, what should you do if you see a friend (or yourself) sinking into a depression?

Light it Up
In addition to the seasonal issues, Pamela H. Barge says there is an environmental factor that may acerbate or bring on depression. “It’s called SAD,” says Barge, founder and director of Personal Coaching and Psychotherapy for Women LLC in Cartersville, Ga. “It stands for seasonal affective disorder. It comes from shorter days and shorter periods of sunlight. People are literally in a darker place, and that gets depressing.”

Barge suggests one very simple solution: Get outside. “Don’t go to a movie. Go take a walk in the park. If you can afford it, go to the beach.”

Recent studies have found that phototherapy - a few hours of exposure to intense light - can be an effective treatment.

Is it Depression?
If more light doesn’t seem to help, then it may be a case of dysthymia, a chronic low-grade depression. To qualify for the diagnosis of dysthymic disorder, a person must have been feeling depressed for at least two years. In practice, people often have suffered from dysthymic symptoms for 20 or 30 years or more before seeking treatment, according to research done by the Columbia University Medical Center. Though the symptoms may be fairly mild, the disorder may become much more severe over a lifetime.

“People with dysthymia just aren’t as much fun as they used to be, not excited about things, and slowly become more isolated,” says Barge. “But this is very dangerous and can spiral down into a full-blown depression.”

So your friend is more than a little sad. What should you do? Maybe the person just needs to talk, Barge says. If that doesn’t work, suggest counseling.