The holiday season can be a tough time for your mental health.
"People are concerned about it for a lot of reasons. There’s all kinds of family interactions, or there could be a lack of family interactions which brings concern. Sometimes people can feel isolated. There’s also financial pressure," said Greg Shinn with Mental Health Association Oklahoma.
In addition to the stress of planning events, gift-giving and family visits, the days are shorter and colder. It all potentially adds up to seasonal affective disorder.
Shinn said it’s easy to feel down or out of energy, but overindulging in food or alcohol won’t make you feel better.
"Really, talking to somebody about it is the first step. Not doing anything, not talking to anyone about it is really just compounding the problem," Shinn said.
Your primary care physician can be a place to start, but if you need help finding a mental health professional, Mental Health Association Oklahoma’s statewide assistance center can be reached at 918-585-1213.
