Beating the Holiday Blues
Grace Weatherby
/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2023

Beating the Holiday Blues

The holidays can be overwhelming. Social commitments, financial pressures, tension among family members, and routine-disrupting events can leave us feeling exhausted. Those who are struggling with grief or without social connections often to choose to isolate and can feel resentful of the season. Furthermore, people often feel pressured to create a perfect story-book experience for their families.

An important factor to avoid the holiday blues is to take control over what you would like your holiday to be. Choose to forgo traditions that may be overwhelming and become comfortable with deciding what you can realistically make, give, buy, and handle. Allow yourself to decide which events to attend and be unapologetic about building in time for self-care activities that help you to reduce stress. 

Layering Stressors

The holidays can also be a time when some of our most stressful experiences seem to be amplified. If you have experienced any traumatic events in the last several months, such as the death of a loved one, divorce, loss of housing, major illness, or job loss—you may be at greater risk for mental health conditions. Depression, anxiety, and substance use disorder are some of the more common mental health issues resulting from trauma and recognizing the signs and symptoms early can make all the difference in lessening the symptoms and promoting early recovery. The pandemic, while becoming a more normal part of life, also had a major effect on our collective and individual wellbeing. Its repercussions are still playing out, especially during the holidays.

What to Do

If you feel you might be struggling with excessive anxiety, stress or have depression, you should speak with a counselor for proven treatments that can help. Locally, you can call 802-442-5491 or talk to your primary care provider. If a friend, family member, or acquaintance has begun showing signs of withdrawal, including decreasing interactions with others, discontinuing their favorite activities, or increasing their use of alcohol or other drugs, it’s important to reach out and ask them about how they are doing. You don’t need to be a physician or mental health counselor to make a difference. Letting them know you are concerned and willing to help, as well as providing resources is often the first step to reaching mental wellness.

 

Katie Aiken is a Blueprint Spoke Clinician with United Counseling Service.  

Print
7936

Theme picker


 

 

 

Six Questions with General Surgeon Gina Diaz, MD

Both outpatient surgical procedures and those requiring an overnight stay are once again being offered at SVMC. General Surgeon Gina Diaz, MD, answers six questions about resuming surgical procedures safely.

1. How does it feel to be able to, once again, offer all of the procedures you had in the past?

As a surgeon, I like to do surgeries. So, to be honest, it feels wonderful get back to the work I enjoy. From late March through the beginning of May, we were still performing emergency surgeries, so everyone who needed a surgery was able to receive one during that time. But it's good to be back to a mix of scheduled and emergency procedures.

 

2. What types of procedures you perform?

My mentor during training sub-specialized in colon and rectal surgeries, and he passed that expertise and interest on to me. But I decided not to sub-specialize, because I also enjoy doing gall bladders, ulcer surgery, hernias, and the removal of skin lesions, cysts, and melanomas. Dr. Charles Salem and I work as a team on breast cancer surgeries. As a group, we provide thyroid and parathyroid and endocrine surgeries. And I provide colonoscopies. I grew up playing video games, which have a lot in common with colonoscopies, I think.

 

3. What do you like most about your job?

Surgery allows you to fix a problem for a patient right then and there. You don't have to wait 6 months for the problem to get better. You can make a problem go away. It’s very rewarding in that way.

 

4. In general, what additional precautions have been put in place to ensure that care is safe?

As surgeons, our precautionary measures have always been among the most advanced. We have always washed and sanitized many, many times a day. We were accustomed to wearing masks and shields, long before COVID-19. We implemented all of the recommendations from our industry, state, and national health institutions and review them consistently.

The whole team takes and reports their temperature daily. If patients are at risk of COVID-19, we wear N95 masks and can convert the operating room into a negative-pressure room. All of these precautions ensure that we don’t transmit infections to patients and they don't transmit them to us. I feel really good about the precautions that we have put in place.

 

5. What would you like to share with people who postponed care because of COVID-19?

I would share that it is safe to come to the hospital, see your providers, and have surgeries done. Adequate precautions are in place, and they are not going anywhere. We, as a group, feel it's safe. We encourage patients who are apprehensive to ask a lot of questions. We want them to be as comfortable as we are about having their procedure done.

 

6. How do you feel about providing care during this time?

I feel comfortable and safe providing care at this time. The new precautions we have put in place really protect both patients and staff, and the quality of care we provide is as high as ever. 

Theme picker


Theme picker


Theme picker


Our Services

PARTNERSHIP IS POWERFUL MEDICINE

A commitment to excellence and a patient-centered approach sets Southwestern Vermont Health Care apart.

 Cancer Care
 Orthopedics
 Emergency
 Maternity
 Primary Care
 ExpressCare
 Cardiology
 Rehab & Residential Care
View All Services

Theme picker

Theme picker

Theme picker

Theme picker

Theme picker