Dallas psychologist shares how you can help your mental health this holiday season
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) — The season of joy can also be the season of stress as the holidays can bring on both depression and anxiety.
Dr. Kenleigh McMinn, a clinical psychologist with Baylor Scott and White Health, says a good start in helping your mental health is setting boundaries with your family. She suggests discussing how much your family plans to spend on gifts, how much time you'll spend with them and who's hosting.
"It can be really hard," Dr. McMinn said. "Often times we don't want to hurt feelings, we don't want to step on toes, but I think it's really important to figure out how you can protect your time especially around the holidays."
Another issue this time of year is seasonal affective disorder. It's a mood disorder that tends to hit during the winter months. Dr. McMinn says to try to stay as active as you can and be outside in the sunlight when the weather permits it.
"If you're finding that the symptoms that you're having are really debilitating, really interfering with your day to day life, it's also important to reach out to a mental health professional," she said. "There are medication options as well, so lots of different ways that we can try to address that."
Another big stressor this time of year is travel.
"It's one of those things that I think is especially challenging because so much of it is out of our control," she said.
Dr. McMinn suggests you focus on what you can control. Plan ahead, pack ahead of time, know exactly where you're going and what your timing looks like. When it comes to the things out of your control, destress as best as you can. Take a walk, listen to music or take deep breaths.
Finally, if you're dealing with grief this holiday season—know you're not alone. Dr. McMinn said the best thing you can do is honor your loved one's memory.
"Including them in a prayer or a toast," she said. "Something to acknowledge that their presence is still felt and is still missed, I think, is a really important piece to try to find that balance between you acknowledging that they're gone, but still enjoying the holiday season as much as you can."
