Tag:

holidays

Recognize Your Limit

(Unflattering sick post from my Snapchat)

Well, in addition to the stress of the holidays (which I wrote about here), among other stressors, was also the added stress on my body having made an impulsive decision to switch from a high protein (mostly animal-based) diet to a Vegan diet practically cold turkey. I watched several Netflix documentaries that turned me off to carnism and found myself repulsed at the thought of even eating my daily hard-boiled egg for breakfast (those who know me know this has been my routine to start my morning for the last 2 years). Well, in addition to also getting a stomach bug, all the combined stress culminated a few nights ago when I experienced the symptoms listed above (see photo) and was out of commission the following days. I welcomed the opportunity to rest (fortunately it was my day off, then had the weekend) especially since I haven’t been sleeping well in the last few weeks.

{more Snapchat (username = freudandfashion) posts}

Well, I guess my quick (because I really want to go out for a run since I have more energy today) and main point of this experience is the importance of listening to our bodies and being aware of the need for self-care when we’re overwhelmed and approaching our limit. I could’ve forced myself to sleep earlier (but I didn’t), could’ve more properly planned a better way to ease into eating more plant-based protein (but I didn’t), and could’ve allowed myself to relax rather than stress about the perfect gifts to buy (I’m still not done with my Christmas shopping, but whatevs), but sometimes we get so wrapped up in the moment that our own needs become an afterthought.

If any of you identify with me and the stress I’m experiencing, then it’s nice to know I’m not alone. And if so, I hope you start this week being kinder to yourself and take the proper measures to maintain your sanity for the remainder of the year (and thereafter).

December 20, 2015 9 comments

Psychiatry

Holiday Mental Break

written by freudandfashion

{With our new family dog, Levi}

Whenever I visit my parents’ home, I regress to a childlike state and become the complete opposite of how I am in my normal, adult life (i.e. instead of my usual high stress, on edge, active, rigid self, I wake up late, lounge around in sweats, and enjoy writing “nothing” on my to-do list). Hence, I’ve taken a brief mental break to reset/recharge and in my relaxed state, I realize this is the first time in eight years that I’ve had time off during the holiday (consider 2 years of hospital rotations during medical school, 4 years of residency training, and 2 years being the newbie doctor at my first job). I initially felt guilty about being away from the clinic for so long, but am aware that my ability to provide quality care declines the more burned out and overwhelmed I feel. I know how hard it can be to prioritize yourself, especially if you’re the caregiving type who’s used to putting others’ well-being before your own. I hope you are able to find time to care for yourself during the remainder of the year, and if not this year, then consider as a possible New Year’s resolution to put self-care amongst the top of your list.

December 28, 2014 11 comments

Psychiatry

Happy, Crappy Holidays!

written by freudandfashion

{Photo with my sister in Fairfield, CA}

While skimming research articles for scholarly information to include in a blog post on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), I put the information aside for a bit in order to write about my own observations and experience dealing with seasonal mood changes.

Long story short…basically, A LOT of people get depressed during the holidays, fall, and winter seasons. But not everyone meets enough criteria to be formally diagnosed and treated for SAD . Yet, a lot of people feel BAD (no acronym…just “bad”) and guilty that they’re not as happy as expected to be during the joyous holiday season. Several of my patients say they feel down, need to force themselves out of bed, and lack motivation. Many also attribute feeling depressed due to missing family members and loved ones, especially since holiday celebrations tend to make their absence even more apparent.

I read quotes that spread throughout social media with phrases along the lines of “December is the last month of 2014…get off your butt and make it count!” Honestly, I myself would be content if I made it through December 2014 by accomplishing the bare minimum of my daily tasks.

And don’t get me wrong — the holiday seasons are a joyful time for many, and I love when people go all out with their decor, gift-giving, and traditions. But I want to acknowledge that there’s a range of how people feel this time of year and that it’s okay if you don’t feel peppy, super motivated, holiday cheery, and overjoyed because there are a lot of people who feel the same way. With my patients, I try to normalize and validate their feelings, focus on the general progress they’re making, and if their mood declines this season, we try to to work on ways to get through this difficult time of year and hopefully move forward once the holidays are over.

Now, here are some bullet points on SAD:

to meet criteria for SAD, one must experience at least 2 yearly consecutive episodes of depression (with a seasonal pattern), which causes significant impairment in daily functioning (for example: calling in sick for work, negatively impacting relationships, feeling suicidal, etc). For more details, please click here for a good summary on the NAMI website.
About 5% of the U.S. population experiences SAD, with symptoms lasting approximately 40% of the year
Cause may be due to a combination of factors, both biological and psychological which may include the following:
- One of the chief biological causes found in the literature is due to changes in our sleep/wake cycle (circadian rhythm) which tend to occur with seasonal changes (Anyone else struggle with winter daylight savings time? I definitely do). For more details, check out this research article by Dr. Alfred Lewy.
- more vulnerabilities to stress this time of year (as I mentioned above)
There are treatments that have been researched to help: light therapy, psychiatric medications, psychotherapy (specifically cognitive behavioral therapy)

If you are struggling with symptoms, you shouldn’t have to go through this alone. Please seek help by reaching out to your doctor, who can discuss possible treatments or even refer you to a psychiatrist or therapist.

And if you know someone who might be struggling with symptoms, you can help by showing them your support and encouraging them to seek help.

References:

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Rohan KJ, Roecklein KA, Haaga DA. Biological and psychological mechanisms of seasonal affective disorder:
a review and integration. Curr Psychiatry Rev. 2009;5(1):37-47.

December 8, 2014 8 comments