MANAGING MENTAL HEALTH AT CHRISTMAS

1. 5 QUICK TIPS FOR MANAGING MENTAL HEALTH AT CHRISTMAS Introduction I love Christmas. I also love warm weather and champagne. But, as someone with mental health issues, the thought of spending my Christmas having to get up early in order to walk around a shopping mall while my friends are sleeping in and enjoying themselves at home makes me want to cry. The stress of preparing for Christmas can be overwhelming for anyone who lives with mental health issues: it’s hard not to feel like you’ve failed as a parent or partner if you cannot provide the kind of care that others might take for granted. So what do you do when your loved one is struggling with their mental health? How can you help them manage the stress of getting ready for a big event without making things worse? 1.Make time for yourself ● Take time for yourself. It’s important to make time for yourself, especially at Christmas. You can do this by doing things that you enjoy and spending time with people who make you feel good about yourself. Spend quality time with family and friends. Spending quality time with family and friends is essential at any occasion, but especially at Christmas! ● 2.Don’t overindulge If you're looking for a quick and easy way to manage your mental health during the festive season, try not overindulging. When it comes to Christmas, there's always that temptation to indulge in food, drink and entertainment— but don't do it. ● Avoid eating too much if you're already feeling stressed out or anxious about something else in your life that needs attention. It's better for you if you eat healthy foods than junk food; this will help keep your mind clear of negative thoughts (and make sure they don't get worse). If someone offers you something delicious but doesn't want all of it either, offer them some of what they want and then leave some behind so there's still plenty left over when they've finished eating their portion first! This way everyone gets their fair share without feeling deprived because someone else hasn't eaten everything yet." ● Therapist Parth Kalia by Amaha

2. 3.Plan ahead Planning ahead is a good way to avoid over-commitment and stress. A few weeks before Christmas, you can start thinking about what you want to do for the holidays. If you want to go home for Christmas with your family, try practicing your holiday traditions with them so that when the real thing arrives, it won't be too much of a shock! Planning ahead will also help ensure that your holiday season is successful: if there's too much pressure on one day or another because something isn't going right (or because someone else seems stressed), then all those things that were planned can get thrown out of balance—and this could lead straight into depression or anxiety disorders! The key here is planning as much detail as possible beforehand so there aren't any surprises later down the line when things might not go quite according with plan due lack thereof preparation beforehand." 4.Try to get enough sleep ● How much sleep do we need? It's a common belief that people only need about six hours of sleep per night. However, studies have shown that most adults require seven to nine hours of shut-eye every night, with teenagers getting on average 8.5 hours of shut-eye each night. If you're feeling tired and don't think you're getting enough restful sleep at night, try these tips: ● ● Turn off electronics 1 hour before bedtime (set your phone or tablet to "do not disturb"). Make sure there are no lights in your bedroom so it's dark when you go to sleep (turn off lamps). Put out any candles on the table next to where you sit, reading or watching TV so they won't distract you from falling asleep quickly! ● 5.Acceptance ● Acceptance is not the same as resignation. Acceptance is a state of mind that allows you to move on with your life, even when things aren't going according to plan. Accepting something doesn't mean you've given up or abandoned hope—it means that you're ready to accept whatever comes next without judgment or resistance. ● Takeaway: Here are some tips to help you manage your stress this holiday season:

3. ● Accept that you can't control everything. No matter how hard you try, there will always be things going on in your life that keep you from relaxing and enjoying yourself. Don't try to change these things; just accept them as part of the package and move forward with what's important for now (and maybe later). Be able to say no when someone asks for something that's too big or time-consuming for your schedule. If someone asks if they can borrow money from me, I'll say no because I know it won't work out well for either party involved if we do so without setting boundaries beforehand—especially since my finances have been tight lately due to my mental health issues! ● Conclusion We all struggle with mental health at some point in our lives, but there are steps we can take to manage it. By taking care of yourself and planning ahead, you can help your mental health improve.