Mental health tips to get through holidays

Barbadians who face mental challenges during the festive season should lean on support from their community and engage in activities which bring them joy, counsellors have suggested.

The festive season, while joyous for many, can be an emotionally challenging period for others, they said.

Registered Counselling Psychologist Shauntée Walters emphasised the importance of community support during difficult times. “Lean into community, whatever community that is that you have. Whether it be a religious community or whatever means in which you are connected to other persons,” she advised. “When we see our mental health dipping or declining in some way, we usually tend to withdraw from everyone, but it’s okay to say ‘I need help’ as opposed to staying by ourselves.”

Walters also stressed the critical role of self-care during the holiday season.

“Do the things that you like to do” Walters suggested. “If you like to go to the beach, go to the beach. If you like to read, read. Do those things that bring you pleasure and bring you joy.”

Ronald Pope, President of the Barbados Society of Psychology echoed this sentiment.

“Different people have different ways of self care. If you know there’s something you enjoy that can help you go through negative emotions, treat yourself to it.”

Walters advocated for setting boundaries recognising that the holiday season often brings increased social pressures.

“Say ‘no’. You don’t have to attend every single event. Yes, you want to lean into community but at the same time, there’s lots of pressures and expectations placed on us during this time of year.” She particularly stressed this for potentially difficult family situations.

Prioritise yourself

“Some persons may be expected to be with a particular family group or gathering and they know that might

not be the best place for them . . . . It’s okay to prioritise yourself above the family expectations or the community expectations.”

For those dealing with loss, both experts offered guidance.

“I believe in actively remembering those that we have lost in whatever way that loss may have occurred. Our culture tends to encourage us to try to forget people quickly – to get rid of their items, to clean out their room the next day after they have passed . . . But it’s important that you intentionally speak about them and intentionally do things that you would have done with them,” said Walters.

Pope shared practical approaches for managing grief. “I’ve had clients who have said that they’ve never celebrated Christmas before because a relative or loved one has passed away around this time. Do a tribute to the person… You can even visit the gravesite and take some memorabilia. There will be sad memories, but it also helps the person to focus on the good memories too.”

For managing negative emotions, Pope also strongly recommended creating a gratitude list detailing “all the things that worked for you in 2024 or even before now. Even if you’re going through negative emotions now, you’ll be able to look back and reflect on the good things and things that have actually worked out for you throughout the year.”

Above all, Walters highlighted the importance of acknowledging all emotions during this period.

“It’s important to acknowledge that we feel the way that we feel . . . grief is a part of us. If in the midst of the celebrations, a sad moment comes, acknowledge that moment. It’s okay to have that moment juxtaposed with a happy moment. Let’s give ourselves permission to feel what we feel,” she said. (DS)

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