What does Christmas mean to you – a joyous time to be spent with family and friends, or a complete nightmare that you can’t wait to be rid of for another year?
The media and television portray it as a joyous time, but for most people it can be a nightmare. Cold dark nights, busy shopping and getting ready, the pressure of looking good and socialising at parties, family arguments, unable to afford the latest toys for the kids. Not a nice scenario.
And then January comes immediately after that. The cold dark nights are still there, the summer holidays feel a long way off, the family arguments aren’t patched up yet and the credit card bill comes through the door…
Is it any wonder that it can be a therapist’s busiest time of the year?
A therapist obviously can’t do anything about your financial situation or awkward family members, but good mental and emotional health can help you cope with anything that may come up. Some of the problems experienced at Christmas are actually due to underlying issues such as low self-esteem, SAD, lack of confidence or general anxiety. And they can be dealt with.
So be nice to yourself this year. Take some time to look at what causes the problems, either by yourself, with a trusted friend or a therapist and think about how to deal with them. Think about what causes the problems in the run-up to Christmas, the event itself and afterwards. A therapist can also help you to think about, and identify, what the problems might be.
Christmas doesn’t have to be a nightmare and there’s lots of helpful advice about. You can give yourself the greatest gifts possible - peace of mind and a little happiness - and there are plenty of people who can help you to achieve it. All you have to do is ask, but beware of therapists offering guarantees, as I pointed out in Unethical Practitioners Claiming ‘Guaranteed’ Cures.
Regards,
Neil
The media and television portray it as a joyous time, but for most people it can be a nightmare. Cold dark nights, busy shopping and getting ready, the pressure of looking good and socialising at parties, family arguments, unable to afford the latest toys for the kids. Not a nice scenario.
And then January comes immediately after that. The cold dark nights are still there, the summer holidays feel a long way off, the family arguments aren’t patched up yet and the credit card bill comes through the door…
Is it any wonder that it can be a therapist’s busiest time of the year?
A therapist obviously can’t do anything about your financial situation or awkward family members, but good mental and emotional health can help you cope with anything that may come up. Some of the problems experienced at Christmas are actually due to underlying issues such as low self-esteem, SAD, lack of confidence or general anxiety. And they can be dealt with.
So be nice to yourself this year. Take some time to look at what causes the problems, either by yourself, with a trusted friend or a therapist and think about how to deal with them. Think about what causes the problems in the run-up to Christmas, the event itself and afterwards. A therapist can also help you to think about, and identify, what the problems might be.
Christmas doesn’t have to be a nightmare and there’s lots of helpful advice about. You can give yourself the greatest gifts possible - peace of mind and a little happiness - and there are plenty of people who can help you to achieve it. All you have to do is ask, but beware of therapists offering guarantees, as I pointed out in Unethical Practitioners Claiming ‘Guaranteed’ Cures.
Regards,
Neil
