It is November, and we are now thrust head-first into the holiday season. In a blink of an eye, Thanksgiving will be here and for some, this is scary and overwhelming to think about. The holidays are supposed to be a joyous and wonderful time of the year, but if you suffer from anxiety, the next few months can be particularly stressful. There are many reasons why Thanksgiving can be a trying holiday for people struggling with anxiety. Spending time with family and friends may involve tension, disagreements, or unacceptance, which are all stress-inducing. To help navigate this time, below are some tips to manage stress and cope with anxiety before sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner.
Prioritize your Health
The holiday season conveniently coincides with the cold and flu season. This is only going to make your anxiety feel more overwhelming and exhausting if you are also dealing with physical sickness. While you might not be able to avoid getting sick altogether, taking care of yourself can improve your overall well-being. Eating healthy, staying active, getting enough sleep, and avoiding indulgence in alcohol are all ways to reduce our odds of getting sick, help you cope with stress, and get you to that Thanksgiving feast!
Ask for Help
A support system can help you better manage stress. Trusted family members, friends, and your therapist are all great resources when you are feeling anxious and stressed. Do not be afraid to reach out and let them know that you might need additional help leading up to Thanksgiving.
Set Conversation Boundaries
The holidays tend to be notorious for disagreements about relationships, politics, and other hot current event topics. By setting boundaries with your loved ones, you can keep the conversation around the table healthy and productive. At the end of the day, however, the biggest takeaway from this process is that there are going to be differing viewpoints that we will need to respect.
Thanksgiving is supposed to be a celebration but also can be challenging, so remember to take care of yourself. Understand your limits and ask for help when you need it. If your stress and anxiety levels become extreme, and you find that it interferes with your enjoyment of Thanksgiving, it might be best to reach out to a mental health professional.
The research around combining different approaches to mental health is exciting for us here at Aloha Integrative Health. We believe that combining ketamine and psychotherapy really does provide the best results for our clients and this is why these services are all provided under one roof, a new one at that! As of early September 2022, we finally moved into our brand-new space located at 4510 Executive Drive, Suite 108, San Diego, CA 92121.