Centerstone offers tips to manage stress, grief during holiday season

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW)- Holidays are a time to enjoy traditions, family and friends, but for some the season brings great stress and even depression due to grief, financial issues and other personal problems.

Often people feel a ton of stress and anxiety surrounding the end of the year as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s begins  with a quick flood of family, travel, spending, and social interactions.

Centerstone,  a not-for-profit health care organization dedicated to providing mental health care, addiction treatment and community education in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee, offers tips to help manage stress, depression and grief during the holiday season.

Matt Hardy, PhD – Centerstone Regional Vice President of the northern region which includes oversight of the Centerstone outpatient clinic at 511 8^th Street in Clarksville.

Hardy said it is important to address stress during the holiday season as a health precaution.

“Stress, anxiety, and depression (the holiday blues) can ruin your holidays and significantly impact your health,” Hardy said. “As we head into the holiday season, it is important to be realistic, plan ahead, and seek support to help deal with stress.  The holiday season can present a multitude of demands on us and the associated stress of these demands become difficult to deal with when it is at its peak.”

Hardy gave the following tips for dealing with holiday stress and depression:

1. • Be aware of your feelings – if you have experienced the death of a family member or close friend, the holidays can remind of these losses. Recognize that this is normal and it is ok to take time to cry or express your feelings. 
   • Connect with others – plan ahead and get engaged in activities that are meaningful and valuable to you.  This might involve religious or social events, or volunteering with a local charity.
   • Learn to say no – set realistic plans for how much you will do during the holidays – having too much on your plate can be particularly stressful.  Try to focus on setting a realistic plan/schedule of events and focus on the activities that are most important to you.
   • Take care of yourself – consider what brings you happiness and make time to maximize those moments/activities during the holidays.  This might involve finding 10-15 minutes each day to spend time reading or meditating, listening to music, or taking a relaxing walk.
   • Focus on healthy habits – often during the holidays it is easy to overindulge and this can lead to stress and guilt.  Make time to exercise, get adequate sleep, and eat healthy.
   • Ask for help – if you find yourself feeling overly sad or depressed, reach out and ask for help.  Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we can become overwhelmed by feelings of sadness or anxiety – it is ok to ask for help – talk to your doctor or mental health profession.

Lisa Eggebeen, MSSW, LCSW – Clinic Director at the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Centerstone said those who’ve experienced the death of a family member need to address rather than fight those feelings.

“During these times it’s okay to give yourself permission to feel the loss and sadness, but equally as important to remember why we loved in the first place,” Eggebeen said. “Focusing on these positive memories allows us to honor who and what we miss.”

Eggebeen said anyone having a hard time coping during the holiday season should know they don’t have to be alone.

” You never have to cope alone. Lean on a friend, a family member, a support group or a therapist,” she said. ” A listening ear is always one phone call away.  In Tennessee, Centerstone’s 24-hour crisis hotline (800-681-7444) has caring professionals on the other end of the phone line 24/7/365.  Reach out.”