The Importance Of Knowing How To Manage Anxiety During Christmas
Anxiety is a phenomenon as natural and human as any of the emotions that we usually consider “positive” or pleasant. Ultimately, in many contexts it is useful to adapt to the circumstances that surround us, and that is why the vast majority of people experience it relatively frequently in our daily lives.
However, it is true that in certain contexts we can involuntarily “learn” to manage anxiety in a problematic way, which in turn exposes us to more situations that produce a high level of anxiety. In short, all feelings and emotions are linked to how we relate to the environment and others and are prone to giving shape to psychological problems; And in this, anxiety is no exception.
That is why Some people feel particularly bad during Christmas because of anxiety : This is a time of year when many things change, and among them, the type of situations for which we must prepare.
These are some of the aspects of Christmas that can promote the appearance of anxiety problems.
1. Grief and depressive-type symptoms associated with anxiety
Among families among whom Christmas is a significant event, These dates are more likely to act as a catalyst for emotional distress due to the loss of loved ones. (with whom this type of celebrations used to be shared). That is to say, mourning for the death or emigration of a family member gains more strength at Christmas.
In this sense, we must not forget that anxiety and low mood, although they seem to operate through opposite logics, very frequently overlap, and even reinforce each other: not in vain a large percentage of patients who experience them The psychologists we serve present an anxious-depressive condition. In general, emotional discomfort calls for other forms of emotional discomfort, so if a person does not feel comfortable with their life and feels sad, it is likely that sooner rather than later they will notice that their daily life is overwhelming them, and appear the anxiety.
2. The perception of end of cycle and temporary bottleneck
Christmas is not experienced as an event disconnected from everything that surrounds it, and in this sense it is worth remembering that for many people, goes hand in hand with the concept “end of the year” : There are only a few days difference between one celebration and the other.
That is why there are many who understand that Christmas is the end of a life cycle, and are pushed to make an assessment of this period, the last 12 months. In these circumstances it is easy for uncomfortable thoughts, feelings of guilt and even self-esteem problems to appear for not having been able to do everything you wanted.
This leads some people to try to do as much as possible in the days and weeks leading up to Christmas , with the consequent psychological wear and tear. Furthermore, if they manage to achieve certain goals in this period, they do not experience it as an achievement but rather as the avoidance of an unpleasant feeling.
3. The pressure to buy and the need to make the accounts add up
Christmas is also a moment linked to its role as a consumer phenomenon. On the one hand, there is the pressure to buy gifts, spend money on fancy dinners, or even travel; on the other, the need to not have economic problems. It is not easy to find a balance in the face of this, which makes us more vulnerable to anxiety problems.
4. Family tensions flare up
Not everyone has a family free of tension and conflict. For this reason, family gatherings can be a source of anxiety; Even if arguments do not break out, the fear that they may occur may be there.
