Mheraput Suggests
%s"For ‘©eating” Hie Holiday Blues
™ '. By AadreyC. Lodato
T ^T#,t8uffWr‘t«r
“V ayou tend to get depressed when
the holiday season approaches,
not alone. Many people feei
<_ ft’thllf thne of year. Although
- November-December is the natlon
yjto*WCtloned time to "get happy,”
jyfiliirhg bells In the shopping
laughing faces on the TV
jjsdbeen may only serve to make you
>teel worse rather than better.
SJ; Why do people feel down at this
4jinieofyear? The reasons vary, but
FlAorrflng to social worker John L
SWablF’Jfr.* of Webb, Webb &
^Associates and the Charlotte
|Mecklenburg Schools’ Employee
Assistance Program, some of them
gjnclude, the high expectations of the
childhood recollections, eco
S£omics, relationships, and alone
Btiday time, he says, some
‘try to compensate for the
the year." They may look
d try to make up for what
dng through the previous 10
raths. When this fails, they
eased.
hers, the loss of a relation
ether it be spouse, parent,
loved one, becomes more
•cutely felt during the holiday
"^person who is feeling alone is
acre apt to get depressed at holiday
hne, Webb notes. Someone who is
dngle may feel a lack of connect
edness especially at this time of
Another source of holiday ill
pirits stress created when
•rallies get together and recreate
Uttterns of earlier years.
If you’re prone to the holiday
dues, what can you do to get
hrough the period with a minimum
►f psychic pain? Although each
n’s situation is different, here
ine general tips to help see you
John L. Webb Jr.
.Social worker
through.
1. Acknowledge the fact that you
are feeling badly. Don’t try to deny
or repress your feelings. If your
depression is related to a loss, talk to
family members or friends about it.
You needn’t feel guilty about hav
ing a good time because your loved
one is no longer here to enjoy the
holiday with you, for instance.
2. Find some alternate behavior to
engage in. If you will be alone during
the holidays, do something special
for yourself. “Not everyone can give
themselves a trip,” Webb remarks.
“Find what would be satisfying to
you.”
For example, this year it’s likely
that Webb’s family will be in New
York while he remains in Charlotte
for Thanksgiving. He’s been wanting
a new tennis racket and may buy one
for himself to compensate for his
spending the holiday by’himself.
Webb hastens to add that what
works for one person may not work
I Alfred A. Hart HI, an Engineer Technology major at Elizabeth City State
University, has recently beep named recipient of ene of the American
Bridge Association annual college academic scholarships. Hart, the son
of Mrs. Ozella Hart of Charlotte, was sponsored by the Metrolina
Duplicate Bridge Club of Charlotte and Is the second college student from
Charlotte to receive an ABA scholarship.
milyWeek
Family Week will be
November 24-30. Spon
by United Family Services, a
for Families” will be held
November 25, from 11:30
to 1:30 p.m. in the United Way
will address con
found in today’s
The overall theme for the
will be “What Makes for
Family?" A question and
will follow the panel
ihare
Share and Care, a
nationwide food program,
off nationally Monday, No
25, and will continue
the season. Coordinated
by Volunteer Action Center,
SPECTACULAR CHRISTMAS
C & H Company Outlet Store O 1300 South Boulevard
Tremendous Savings On Toys, Hobbies, Games and Electronics 11
li tv
WHOLESALE PRICES AND BILOW1
Store Hours: Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
w
for another. Whatever you decide"
on, it should be something you
wouldn’t ordinarily do.
3. Give of yourself in some way. If
your church or community group is
sponsoring a project for the needy,
for example, get Involved. It’ll give
you something outside of yourself to
focus on.
4. Find someone to spend the
holiday with, if you expect to be
alone and feel the need for the
presence of others. Or, if the
prospect of spending time with
family is what’s getting you down,
decide to stay home. There’s no
sense in setting yourself up for a
miserable time. On the other hand, if
tensions exist between you and, say,
your parents, and if you feel strong
in yourself, perhaps the “good will”
of the holiday season will help you
improve the relationship.
5. If trying to make everything
“perfect” for Thanksgiving or
Christmas is driving you up a wall,
relax. Don’t allow your self-esteem
to become dependent on how well
your fancy dessert turns out or on
how many compliments you receive
for the splendid table you spread.
And if you can’t find that special toy
your child wants, it’s not the end of
the world. She or he will survive, and
so will you. When stress is bound to
build up, build in also some re
leases.
Whatever happens during the holi
day season to make you temporari
ly blue, remember that, “this, too,
shall pass.”
Webb summarizes his thoughts on
the subject this way: “It’s okay to be
sad fora period of time;-but do build
in something to look forward to.
Interact with others if that’s your
preference, or do something for
yourself. We can be happy by our
selves.”
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I*Comp«ri»on b*Md on oflteW QAMA Dtradory, April 1965
Q*m »■—bl> to qu*m»d *n&-1vr*y hom> ounf-occuprw or»f t»P»—11-60-69
Mama looks distracted, but 17-month-old Deric Hudson
has his mind on one thing only and that's his bottle of
fruit juice. The sturdy tyke Is taking a nourishment
break during a trip Into town after his mother,
Jackquelyn Hudson, has just returned from a jeweler.
(Photo by Audrey Lodato)
^DONI WITH
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jf time to read
s$ The Post
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