Beating The Post-Holiday Blahs

By 250 News

Prince George, B.C. - First and foremost, if you're feeling a little down as the holiday season comes to a close -- that's okay, it's normal.

Northern Health's Director of Mental Health and Addictions says, Sherri Hevenor, says Christmas is one of the times of year that is very entrenched in customs and so if something has happened in your life and those customs have shifted -- you've lost a loved one, your kids have moved away, or you've lost your job -- "we can all feel sad and a little bit down and that's normal for everybody."

Hevenor says it's important to remember the basics:  eat healthy, make sure you're fuelling your body; make sure you're getting an adequate amount of sleep; and make sure you're getting off the couch and going outside.

She says we're not getting much sunlight at this time of year and our bodies crave it, so take steps to get out in the sunshine -- even if it's only for 10- or 15-minutes during your noon-hour break.

"If all year-round, we're taking care of ourselves -- we're eating healthy, we're sleeping and we're exercising -- it's like putting money in the bank, so that when you have times of feeling down you can make a withdrawal out of the bank.

However, Hevenor says, "If you're experiencing something that's more out of proportion -- if you're overly sad, or you can't get out of bed, or it's lasting longer than it should -- then these would be clues to you that perhaps you're in more than just a seasonal funk."

And the Mental Health and Addictions director says that's when you need to seek professional help.  She says three great resources to point you in the right direction in Prince George are:

1. the 24-hour crisis line at 250-563-1214
2. Northern Health's Community Response Unit at 250-565-2668
3. the Canadian Mental Health Association at 250-564-8644

Hevenor says, "We have to remember that depression is a very treatable thing -- there's many things people can do to support themselves and these three resources can help them with that."

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