Mental health and vacations

Elvis Presley sang about having a blue Christmas and in fact, it’s perfectly normal to feel that way.

It could be the overloaded social calendar, deadlines at work, the loss of a loved one, dreary winter days, shopping, or other things that get us down.

According to the American Psychological Association, 38% of those surveyed said their stress increased during the holiday season, which can lead to physical illness, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. The reasons given: lack of time, financial pressure, gifts and family reunions.

To make matters worse, the National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that 64% of people living with mental illness felt their condition worsened during the holidays according to mcleanhospital.org

To address mental health and vacations, a few members of the ALIVE coalition gathered at the Community Agency Building in Seymour on Monday to discuss the topic.

The coalition was formed in the fall of 2018 under the umbrella of Jackson County Mental Health America. ALIVE stands for awareness, listening, information, vigilance and commitment. The group usually meets once a month.

The group’s common denominator is the desire to reduce the suicide rate in Jackson County.

That’s what brought them all together, said Melanie O’Neal, executive director of Mental Health America in Jackson County.

Besides O’Neal, other members include Becky Bujwid with Centerstone; Lin Montgomery, public health coordinator for the Jackson County Department of Health; Molly Marshall and Heather VonDielingen with Purdue Extension Jackson County; Emily Sommers, Jennings County High School Councilor; and Kate DuBois, vice-principal at Emerson Elementary School.

“At our last Zoom meeting, Becky was talking about how the holidays can trigger a lot of memories for people and the past year and a half has been so difficult for our community and our entire world due to COVID,” O’Neal mentioned. “There are going to be a lot of families celebrating their first Christmas after COVID-related deaths or other family deaths. “

O’Neal said to start by contacting your circle of family and friends and asking them what they are doing this holiday season.

“Life is so busy that sometimes we can’t stop and think of someone who is widowed and lives alone and whose kids are grown up or live out of state,” O’Neal said. “Even telling friends and family about church services that take place during the holidays is a great way to meet other people in your community and have some connectivity.”

While on vacation, people can also feel overwhelmed with everything they need to do, so O’Neal encourages people to dissect their day.

“If you feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, think about what you must have done, say between 10am and 1pm, and write it down,” she said. “Let’s go 1:00 pm, then we can re-evaluate what you need to do between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm, and then you take baby steps and can check off things on your list to make it seem a little less overwhelming. “

She went on to say that just listening to relaxing music can be therapeutic, just having it in the background while you do something else can make a difference.

Montgomery said mental health is part of public health and that they are there to support and encourage people and that is part of emergency preparedness.

“If people need a reason to go talk to the local lady, we like to encourage neighborhoods to make that connection to see if these people might need something in an emergency,” Montgomery said. “Like a weather emergency, like there’s a lot of snow forecast, do they have heat, do they need food, do they need to shovel their car or whatever. “

Marshall said that as we go through a health pandemic, it’s especially important to take good care of ourselves now and during the holiday season.

“The days are getting shorter, so it’s harder to go out during daylight hours,” she said. “But getting out in the fresh air is always beneficial, even when it’s cold.

With a suitable jacket, hat, and gloves, you can go out and go for a 10-20 minute walk. Then you’ll be surprised how good you feel, Marshall said.

When it’s cold and dark outside it’s a little more tempting to sit in the house, but at this time of year a fun activity would be to park your car, walk around the neighborhoods, and watch the streets. Christmas lights.

She said disconnecting from social media is sometimes a good idea too, as more screen time often causes us to compare ourselves to others and it prevents us from connecting in person.

“While taking a break from social media and the internet, take the time to read a magazine or a book to see things from a different perspective as a kind of escape,” she said.

Bujwid said there was so much pressure to have the perfect “Martha Stewart” Christmas.

“I decided a long time ago that I didn’t have 50 people working for me who could do all the decorating in my house and do all the baking for a perfect Christmas,” she said. “So I decided to do my best. I can and it was a real eye opener for me.

Bujwid said she takes care of children and families and there is the added pressure of buying gifts and getting the latest games or toys.

“Fortunately, we have the Shop with a Cop program and the Sertoma Christmas Miracle which help alleviate some of that pressure for families trying to provide their children with whatever they want,” she said. . “Sometimes families just have to tell children that they can’t afford some of these things, but they can have something else instead.”

This time of year can be especially difficult for people who live alone and people might not realize it, Bujwid said.

“Maybe you are asking around or thinking of someone you know who is single that you could ask and who could spend time with family,” she said. “Just this moment of togetherness can really mean a lot, just to be included. “

For anyone struggling with depression over the holiday season or who doesn’t quite feel like themselves, there is a comprehensive list of Jackson County mental health providers listed on the Mental website. Health America of Jackson County, mentalhealthamericajc.net. There are also a variety of mental health screenings that can be viewed through the website.