Everyone spends time looking forward to Christmas in the weeks leading up to it, and when it's over, we can't help but feel disgruntled that the short-lived fun and family bonding is over. Sure, we might come home with some gifts that may make our lives a little 'easier,' but in essence, we come home having gained weight with more stuff to put away. The holidays can be used as a time to forget about your problems a while, then when you get home, and it's like you just got hit by a train.
New Year's Eve comes and we go out with friends, most of us destroying our bodies with alcohol. Millions of people around the world start off their year being extremely hungover. The year seems to start off in a fog of mystery.
Many people experience Post-Holiday Depression: a whopping close to 25 percent of Americans will either have a low or high dose of depression following Christmas and New Year's. Everyone has their own unique case of the blues during this time. The fact of the matter is that it can be a depressing time of the year. According to some doctors, January experiences higher than normal numbers of patients due to emotional issues.
January is known to be "the most depressing month of the year" due to the 'Post-Holiday Blues.' Here are some factors that contribute to this epidemic:
- Getting Way Too Much Stuff & Not Giving Enough: I know in my case, I'm a relatively broke millennial and I could only get a few family members presents. I felt horrible when I was unable to give my grandparents and cousins a little something. My boyfriend got me a ton of stuff, and my gifts were nothing compared to what he gave. I feel like a bad person when I can't give as much as others give me.
- Weight Gain & Feeling Crummy: I don't know about you, but on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, I eat like five times more than normal. Not only do most people gain a few pounds, but it makes everyone feel guilty and gluttonous. All of the sweets and big portions can leave us feeling sick for a while, causing us to jump into a strict diet. Therefore, January is the month of the diet and detox. There are so many different fads: cutting out sugar, carbs, alcohol, etc. It can be overwhelming to choose what to cut out and what to add to our diets.
- Going Back To A Drab Work Routine: Work happily left our minds for a while, then we go back and it's the same old thing. Many of us realize that the next thing we have to look forward to is the annual beach vacation in June. It is a stinging reality that there are months of only work ahead.
- Paying Bills & Facing Problems: January can be an expensive month. Right now your new healthcare plan is starting and you've got to fix your car, pay overdue bills, and just got handed some hefty property tax bills. Not to mention, you've put off doing a million things and the to-do list is overflowing. Between work, running errands, paying bills, and cooking dinner, there seems to be no free time.
People are left feeling guilty or unsatisfied in some kind of way, despite getting everything they wanted. Somehow expectations are not met like maybe your mom didn't give the reaction you wanted from the gift you gave her.
It can also be stressful trying to keep up with your New Year's Resolution to quit drinking or to work out at least three times a week. But ultimately, the New Year is a clean slate, a chance to start over and do better than you did last year. It is a chance to become healthier, happier, and maybe learn some new skills.
Let 2017 be the year to become the best version of you yet!
