Holiday Depression

Here's a good post on how to beat the holiday blues, from the Mayo Clinic website:

Tips you can try to head off holiday stress and depression:

1. Acknowledge your feelings. If a loved one has recently died or you aren't able to be with your loved ones, realize that it's normal to feel sadness or grief. It's OK now and then to take time just to cry or express your feelings. You can't force yourself
to be happy just because it's the holiday season.

2. Seek support. If you feel isolated or down, seek out family members and friends, or community, religious or social services. They can offer support and companionship. Consider volunteering at a community or religious function. Getting involved and helping others can lift your spirits and broaden your friendships. Also, enlist support for organizing holiday gatherings, as well as meal preparation and cleanup. You don't have to go it alone. Don't be a martyr.

3. Be realistic. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Hold on to those you can and want to. But accept that you may have to let go of others. For example, if your adult children and grandchildren can't all gather at your house as usual, find new ways to celebrate together from afar, such as sharing
pictures, e-mails or videotapes.

4. Set differences aside. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all your expectations. Practice forgiveness. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. With stress and activity levels high, the holidays might not be conducive to making quality time for relationships. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they're feeling the effects of holiday stress and depression, too.

5. Stick to a budget. Before you go shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend on gifts and other items. Then be sure to stick to your budget. If you don't, you could feel anxious and tense for months afterward as you struggle to pay the bills. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Donate to a charity in someone's name, give homemade gifts or start a family gift exchange.

6. Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make one big food-shopping trip. That'll help prevent a last-minute scramble to buy forgotten ingredients — and you'll have time to make another pie, if the first one's a flop. Expect travel delays, especially if you're flying.

7. Learn to say no. Believe it or not, people will understand if you can't do certain
projects or activities. If you say yes only to what you really want to do, you'll avoid feeling resentful, bitter and overwhelmed. If it's really not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time.

8. Don't abandon healthy habits. Don't let the holidays become a dietary free-for-all. Some indulgence is OK, but overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt. Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don't go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks. Continue to get plenty of sleep and schedule time for physical activity.

9. Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Steal away to a quiet place, even if it's to the bathroom for a few moments of solitude. Take a walk at night and stargaze. Listen to soothing music. Find something that reduces stress by clearing your mind, slowing your breathing and restoring inner calm.

10. Rethink resolutions. Resolutions can set you up for failure if they're unrealistic. Don't resolve to change your whole life to make up for past excess. Instead, try to return to basic, healthy lifestyle routines. Set smaller, more specific goals with a reasonable time frame. Choose only those resolutions that help you feel valuable and that provide more than only fleeting moments of happiness.

11. Forget about perfection. Holiday TV specials are filled with happy endings. But in real life, people don't usually resolve problems within an hour or two. Something always comes up. You may get stuck late at the office and miss your daughter's school play, your sister may dredge up an old argument, your partner may burn the
cookies, and your mother may criticize how you're raising the kids. All in the same day. Accept imperfections in yourself and in others.

12. Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for several weeks, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. You may have depression.

Exposure Treatment of OCD

Here is a very interesting clip of treatment for OCD. Dr. Owens and Mandi presented at one of our UPA Brown Bag Luncheons recently. Mandi is a very courageous and admirable young woman.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Here's a link to the entire story.

Payment

Payment can be a concern as you begin psychotherapy. Even if you are covered, be sure to check with your insurance company about the benefits provided by your plan for outpatient mental health office visits. You should ask if there is a deductible, what the copay amount is, and what percentage or dollar amount is paid per session. Ask if there is a limited number of sessions allowed per year. Bring your insurance card with you, if you have one, or bring the policy and plan ID numbers. Make sure you have the address and phone numbers for your insurance company when you come to your first session.

I am listed as a provider for the following insurance companies. But plans differ even within the same company, so check ahead of time.

Beech Street PPO/ Educators Mutual/ EBMS
Cigna Behavioral Health
Humana/ ChoiceCare
PPO/USA
Regence BlueCross BlueShield
SelectHealth (IHC)/ Select Med Plus
The First Health Network/ CCN Network

My Office

My office is easily found on 12th South in Orem, west of University Mall. We are on the north side of the street next to a Curves Gym. Access to the parking lot is from the driveway on the west side of the building; Suite 101 is the first office on your left as you enter from the parking lot.
Once inside, you will find a small waiting room with magazines and a radio. If it is your first visit, your initial paperwork (which takes about 5 minutes to complete) will be there for you.The consulting office itself is a comfortable, pleasant place.Welcome!

The Importance of Having Fun

I am on vacation and out of the office until 12 August with my husband, who is a writer and English teacher. He is attending the Thomas Hardy Conference in Dorchester, Dorset, England, and I came along. Dorchester is a lovely little town with a 2000 year history, founded as “Durnovaria” by the invading Roman legions.

I find vacations, breaks, and holidays vital to my mental health. Anticipating a holiday gives us the extra stamina we need to stick with our daily schedule--in fact, the anticipation can be as enjoyable as the actual holiday. And vacations don’t need to be huge, complicated affairs (like a trip to England). Planning little breaks on a daily and weekly basis refreshes mind and body.

Here are some photos of our trip so far: the Saturday market in Dorchester,

Moreton village (where T.E. Lawrence is buried), a little island in the River Frome, and the English seaside at Weymouth.

Welcome to my Blog

This blog will be a fun way to share insights and updates on all things psychological--from newspaper articles on the latest research, to relaxation and stress management tips, to events in the community. The blog will have the very latest updates. You are invited to contribute in comments. Thanks for dropping by!