Post-Christmas Blues

neemish

I love Christmas! I love everything about Christmas, the anticipation, the build up, the tree, the movies, the food....everything.
So much so that at about this time every year, my mood takes a huge dip. It's not let down. It's the back to reality feeling. I just don't want it to end. My head says, don't be silly, this isn't a Wizzard song, you'd soon be sick of it.
But I've already started to feel down and tired and generally miserable. My mood dips pretty low (on two occasions I've ended up in hospital it's so bad). The thought of work on Monday is enough to make me want to stay in bed all day.
Has anyone else had this and managed to overcome it? I tell myself that this is stupid, get on with it like the rest of the world. But it's not as simple as that/

Matteroffact

The build up to Christmas is huge and lasts for weeks, all very cosy, with people meeting up who have not met for months etc. etc. Then you have nothing left after Christmas, no money and the weather is awful, plus you are probably a bit heavier after all the good food. it would depress anyone. All you can do is get involved and try and keep in touch with people, read and plan how you will spend 2014.

araic88

I'm similar, I love Christmas & hate January. I try & plan nice things in January, booking a holiday for later in the year, or going to visit friends who've moved to different counties. I do think it helps! Soon enough you can feel spring coming

ivytwine

There's a thread in Ladies' Lounge about this.

I'm the exact same neemish. Hate January, just try to get through it and be nice to myself.

thegreatgonzo

January is miserable all right. Do you live in Dublin? My friend is involved in a thing called First Fortnight which acknowledges the first fortnight of the year as being the most depressing for a lot of people. I think they organise art events etc.
I try to think about all the things I'll be able to do when the weather improves and the days get longer, I hate the short days of winter so it's nice to notice the evenings getting just a little bit longer each day.

jimmycrackcorm

I carry a few days leave over into the new year and use them early in Feb so that if something to look forward to.

Mc Kenzie

Hey Op

Thanks for the reply in the Ladies lounge. Yea it is really hard i cant believe its all over. I feel im stuck in my job so that really isnt helping things for Jan.

Other wise i have had a few days to adjust came back to dublin from being at home,,im trying to look forward to spring and something new in 2014..but not sure yet what ,,,,Im like this every year too. Mainly the darkness gets to me,,but im trying to be more happy for 2014....

I understand how you feel for sure,,,,hope you get through as i will be trying to too

neemish

Arrived back in Dublin this evening. I'm settle here but.... my heart is elsewhere. Yes, the long dark days don;t help. I had a chat at home and am going to try and organise a week in the sun in Feb.
In the meantime, I heard birds singing this morning. Going to buy myself a pot of narcissis and daffs soon and try to surround myself with signs of spring.

Am getting consolation from all you out there you are finding yourselves the same way, Roll on springtime!

ncmc

Hi neemish, I know exactly how you feel. I don’t get it so much after Christmas, but I get it quite badly after my summer holidays. I am a real planner when it comes to holidays, and nothing gives me as much pleasure as planning a really great trip, where to eat, what to see, what to do etc. It can take me months of planning and then when it’s over, I just feel a bit… empty. I think it’s worse this time of year as the weather is shocking and the evenings dark.

I would just agree with what the others say. Try and give yourself something to look forward to, book a short break or a holiday, book yourself in for a facial or a massage. Buy yourself something for your home to brighten up the space where the tree was. or even something simple like planning something really tasty for dinner for the first tough couple of days back to work.

One other thing I would mention, a lot of people suffer from SAD or lack of sun this time of year. My husband would be a sufferer, so I would suggest getting out for as much fresh air as possible, or if the bad weather continues, you could try a lightbox. It sounds a bit gimmicky but he finds it works.

Just take care of yourself for the next couple of weeks, hopefully the weather will improve a bit and we can start to appreciate the longer evenings!

alias06

I am totally suffering with this. I feel so down its a real struggle to get through the day. Trying everything to keep my mood up. I have been trying to organise dates and activities just to get me through the month. Going to get my hair cut tonight - anything to cheer me up. Its such a tough month.

santana75

I love christmas too and I found the best way to deal with the post crimbo blues was to just let things play themselves out. What I mean by that is allow yourself to grieve the loss of something you really enjoy in a natural way. I really dont think the answer is to start planning this or that so that you have something to look forward to. Its a natural cycle of life, you gain then you lose. To try and short circuit that process or avoid it in some way will just make things worse and you'll end up on a treadmill where you're constantly in a state of bouncing from one thing to another. I know it sounds tough but its actually not, I find that if I let myself just feel the loss of christmas Im good to go a lot sooner than if I start trying to avoid feeling the loss by planning and bouncing onto the next big thing.

neemish

Thanks Santana, I never thought of it that way and it makes complete sense. I've been trying to avoid it, talk myself out of it, ignore the feelings, tell myself I'm being silly etc. Even reading your post has eased that awful sense of "it's all over"... I'm never good with endings


I think I just found what I next to work on in therapy next!

Victoria Fortescue

neemish wrote: »

Arrived back in Dublin this evening. I'm settle here but.... my heart is elsewhere. Yes, the long dark days don;t help. I had a chat at home and am going to try and organise a week in the sun in Feb.
In the meantime, I heard birds singing this morning. Going to buy myself a pot of narcissis and daffs soon and try to surround myself with signs of spring.

Am getting consolation from all you out there you are finding yourselves the same way, Roll on springtime!

You're on the right track Neemish I too suffer from the post Christmas dip, I think a lot of us find it hard to get back in the swing of things. I try to see the positives however, and like yourself look forward to the spring and being able to work in my garden again. I've all sorts to put in pots, and I'm looking forward to a very colourful garden come spring/summer

While gloomy, I tend to use January as a reflective time on the year gone by. I think of things of I've achieved as a positive, but glad to see the year close on anything that caused me upset or stress. I can set goals for things I hope to achieve for the year ahead. Planning even a weekend away, home or abroad can help break things up and give you something to look forward too. Hope your mood picks up soon