Dealing with depression at Christmas

24 December, 2009

Depression is a problem for over 2.9 million people over Christmas, according to Dr Gowrisunkur consultant psychiatrist from the Priory.

More than 2.9 million people in the UK are diagnosed as having depression at any one time. As many as one in three people will be affected by depression at some point in their lives.

People who have had deaths in the family or have experienced divorce or the loss of a child are more prone to depression, especially during the holiday season.

Dr Jaya Gowrisunkur consultant at the Priory said: “The last thing someone suffering from depression may feel is optimistic about the New Year but depression is treatable with appropriate interventions and support.

“Psychological treatments for depression are many and varied. They range from the emotional support provided by the regular opportunity to talk about feelings to a professional, right through to specialised forms of psychotherapy such as cognitive behavioural therapy.”

A depressed patient will report at least five of the following symptoms for longer than a two week period:

Depressed mood, nearly every day during most of the day
Diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities
Significant weight loss, weight gain, or change in appetite
Too much or too little sleep
Agitation or lethargic
Fatigue or loss of energ
Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt
Impaired ability to concentrate or indecisiveness
Thoughts of death or suicide

Dr Gowrisunkur said: “Many people struggle anyway with depression and anxiety during the darkest months of the year. Christmas adds extra stress with presents to buy, meals to prepare, expectations to live up to and family to deal with. Add to that the financial problems that might arise when the bills arrive in January and it is little wonder that Christmas is the most likely time of the year to experience depression.

“Feelings off detachment, numbness, loss or pressure to make Christmas special can make the symptoms of depression worse. For people who are on their own Christmas can be the loneliest time of the year. A sense of isolation can be felt much more acutely when the rest of the population appears to be celebrating and having a good time.”

According to Dr. Gowrisunkur there are a few simple steps that could help alleviate a depression.

Beware of drinking to excess.
Remember that alcohol is a depressant and can worsen the symptoms of depression.
If you are worried about being alone, find out what is going on in your local community or join a local volunteer group.
See whether there is a good day or time to visit friends or relatives if you crave company.
If, on the other hand, you are worried about being overwhelmed at family events, think ahead about which you want to go to, and which you will be able to make your apologies for.
Sharing your feelings with others, such as friends and family members can help you identify and work through any emotional challenges you may be experiencing. Having a reliable network of social supports can help combat the feelings of isolation that often accompany depression.
Regular physical activity has been shown to have antidepressant effects in people with mild to moderate depression.
Do not be afraid to seek professional help.

Dr Gowrisunkur added: “At a time when depression is affecting more and more people it is important that the medical profession acts quickly to identify and treat the illness, thereby empowering the sufferer to address the issues and challenges facing them and move ahead with their lives.”

Readers' comments (18)

Anonymous | 24-Dec-2009 3:38 pm
Psychiatrists and psychotherapists live in cloud cou-cou landa and totally out of touch with the feelings of their patients. If you could follow all those simple steps there wouldn't be any need for depression in the first place. What about those of us who have no close friends nearby or any family at all and no supportive social network, job or income byond the basic minimum. Its easier said than done to just go out and join social groups even with the best will in the world and even if one is the most sociable of individuals. They need to be physically accessible e.g. transport, during the daytime for active 60 year old women who are rationally afraid of going out alone at night because of agression. Friends usually have families and do not stop to think one might be alone over Christmas or do not want any hangers on outside family. Anyway it may not be much fun to intrude on a family at such a time and one may just feel like a spare part and mentally be unable to share in all the jolity even though they much show the outward appearance of doing so so as not to upset their hostess/host or others - no wants a sad person in their midst so one can learn to mask one's true feelings.
Doing sport on one's own which is free of cost is depressing in itself if one is a sociable being and requires huge motivation which is often absent - especially for sports without an objective such as walking, running, etc. Team sports are more fun - fitness centres are totally monotonous to others and demotivating.
Most others, even close friends don't want to listen to your problems, and even if they do they often don't know how to respond with empathy and instead try to change the subject, avoid it, gloss over it, minimise it, patronise and give inappropriate advise as if one is an idiot who can't think for themselves, or may have already tried a particular strategy and found that it doesn't work for them, or life is as simple as others often try to make out. Others like to make themselves feel good by implying they are coping and can get on with things so why can't you. All this can be very irritating and sometimes very hurtful - as my mother used to say keep your own counsel which can also lead to total social withdrawal. I hope this gives food for though to all those supercillious individuals working with mental health patients while they smugly enjoy Christmas with their families, loved ones and friends.
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Anonymous | 24-Dec-2009 4:25 pm
Further to my comments above, these steps mentioned in the article are merely stating the obvious. Some more original suggestions would be more helpful. Individuals with depression do not lack common sense but when every strategy they try ends in failure they may give up and turn in on themselves and it is the motivation that is lacking and when depression may have serious and dangerous consequences.
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Anonymous | 24-Dec-2009 4:25 pm
I have to agree. Also, if someone has the motivation to engage in these suggestions then, their depression is mild to non-existant!
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Anonymous | 24-Dec-2009 6:03 pm
I had to look twice at this - surely this is meant for the daily mail not a professionals publication - sounds like a sales pitch from a priory doc.
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Anonymous | 25-Dec-2009 11:19 am
I agree with the previous comment. I would have thought a consultant psychiatrist would have more intelligence and insight and these comments merit some explanation from him or one of his colleagues.

Individuals suffering from Christmas related depression are being grossly undermined and patronised.
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Anonymous | 25-Dec-2009 11:23 am
You wouldn't find an article like this written in a professional psychiatric journal so why the Nursing Times. I thought all articles published in this journal were peer reviewed before going to press!

It is the type of article I would expect to see in a lower end of the market women's magazine where articles cater for individuals with a lower intellect but may be misleading.
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Anonymous | 25-Dec-2009 11:30 am
so where are the constructive comments
about dealing with depression at Christmas?
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Anonymous | 25-Dec-2009 12:05 pm
looking through some NT articles it doesn't appear to be an academic journal for nursing professionals. Some of the articles appear to be directed at nurses' own symptoms rather than contributing to the body of evidence based knowledge vital to nurses caring for patients. cf IBS article 19th February which address the 2nd person singular - which is the reader and not the patient. Considering nursing training is soon to be university standard, this is shocking.
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glyn goodchild | 26-Dec-2009 11:27 pm
I couldnt agree more with the comments that have been written above. I cant imagine what on earth the Nursing times is doing allowing such rubbish to be printed in a so called professional journal.
All that she has written could be found in magazines lying around dentists surgeries and such like.
This article trivializes the serious nature of depression and Dr Gowrinsunkur should know better.
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Anonymous | 1-Jan-2010 10:14 pm
I find it hard to comprehend that there seems to be alot of passive aggression related to this subject and Doctor. It is true that there may have been some patronising comments or tips offerred but depression is the black dog of the world and i dont think anyone really understands it. That includes professionals and the person suffering. Open your hearts and let the spirit within shine. Of course antidepressants can help take the edge off as well as following some of the suggestions in the article.
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Anonymous | 2-Jan-2010 12:02 pm
The above comment also shows a total lack of understanding of depression. Depression is as individual as the person who suffers from it and is related to many underlying overt and covert reasons. One can try all the strategies listed in the above article and many people with any social intelligence usually have, but this doesn't not change the fact that even when surrounded by company the festive season can be a very socially isolating and depressing time of year for many and often the underlying causes such as the suddnen loss of a family or recent job loss cannot be changed and those nearest and dearest cannot be replaced.
The point of the comments have also been missed as it would be expected that as nursing has become a more academic subject, articles in any nursing journal would be of a higher calibre to help nurses better understand the disorder and be able to offer empathy, and positive regard with and constructive rather than patronising advice to their patients who may be highly intelligent individuals, and indeed sometimes more intelligent than those caring from them. Other articles with suggestions such as those above, as mentioned before, can be read in any womens' magazine for lay and not professional readership.
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Anonymous | 2-Jan-2010 12:12 pm
with further reference to the comment of January 1st above, most of the comments above have less to do with passive agression and more with concern about preserving the standard of articles in a professional nursing journal aimed at nurses who have a duty to adhere to the new NMC code of professional conduct and their professional duty and protection of those in their care and the general public. Articles should be for professional nurses and written by nurses. Medical articles belong in medical journals unless they particular relate to the nursing process. However, I doubt whether this article would have been accepted by a medical journal.
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Anonymous | 30-Jan-2010 3:18 pm
The comment on 2 January - telling people with depression to open up shows a further total lack of understanding of individuals suffering from depression. This type of remark is very unprofessional and demeaning and is what helps to spread discrimination against, and stigmatisation of, individuals undergoing psychological difficulties and mental health disorders. It is not the role of healthcare workers to moralise or give give out orders but to demonstrate insight, empathy and understanding and work in partnership with their patients to find solutions help them overcome their difficulties and lead fulfilling lives which in turn should help improve their quality of life - please uphold the professional codes of conduct and ethics.
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Anonymous | 4-Mar-2010 10:26 pm
So I might be three months late but the first comment posted in response to this article:-

“Psychiatrists and psychotherapists live in cloud cou-cou landa and totally out of touch with the feelings of their patients”

You’ve obviously never had the pleasure of going private to the likes of The Priory or having Dr Gowrisunkur as your consultant psychiatrist. Let me tell you I have and she’s an amazing, caring Dr who has done more for me in the time I have been seeing her than the NHS Psych services ever have!

I’ve been regularly reading Nursing Times for several months, but somehow missed this edition, probably with it being Christmas I was travelling ;) otherwise I would have commented sooner.

The article might sound like a cliché but remember the Nursing Times is not just written for people who are qualified professionals, there are people who read it in the library, potential future students who read it just setting out on the path of possibly going into nursing and there may well be people out there that do not know the first thing about depression. Just maybe that article can help someone who reads it, help someone else.

Regards, A future Mental Health Nursing Student 2010
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Anonymous | 12-Mar-2010 0:09 am
regarding the above comment, the Nursing Times is a professional journal and one of the journals published in the UK that nurses should be able to look to as a reliable source to inform practice and as a tool for continuing professional development as well as enabling them to keep abreast with innovations and changes in practice and in the health services and government policies affecting health, etc. Publication of the highest quality of material is therefore paramount. Although it is available to the lay public it not a patient consumer magazine as it would appear from some of the articles and comments!
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Anonymous | 21-Dec-2010 1:39 pm
I wonder how many people are really totally alone at Christmas, physically, mentally or both and not of their own chosing? I wonder if the Priory are going to come up with any more of their bright suggestions of how to cope with it when the above aritcle was obvously written by someone, a psychiatrist, who has such perfect control of her own life, and quite clearly demonstrates that she has absolutely no idea of what it is really like to be alone at this highly emotionally charged time of year or how to cope with it effectively or any other time of year when one feels totally alone, for that matter. She should realise that aloneness and lonliness are deep and sad feelings and not just a physical attribute. One can be totally alone and not feel the negative effects and can enjoy the time and space or one can feel extremely lonely when one is not alone and does not have the luxury of being able to enjoy the space and time to oneself and such feelings can lead to fear of or panic at an eternal and hopeless situation.
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Anonymous | 22-Dec-2010 8:36 pm
S C H E I ß E !
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Anonymous | 3-Dec-2011 12:03 pm
Dr Gowrisunkur

pull yourself together and write something constructive
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