Does the Holiday season depress you?

It leaves me with very mixed emotions. I look forward to seeing my family, especially my nephew and my cousins but at the same time it can really get me down. I am close to my family but whenever I am around them it always reminds me how much I have let them down over the years. I especially feel this over Christmas when I struggle to buy them all good presents and things like that. Then there is the fact that I miss my mum, grandad and other people so much over Christmas. Then there is worry over how certain relatives are going to behave themselves. Also I struggle with eating, mainly bulimia and there is so much food around and pressure to eat over the holidays, it scares me as I know I will end up bingeing a lot. It all adds up and I often think the stress of it all out-weighs the good but then again the only times I have not gone home for Christmas I have felt even worse.

I have mixed feelings about the holidays. On the one hand, I look forward to spending time with family and making happy memories together.

On the other hand, it is a very stressful time for me. I work in retail AND I am a college student, which is a terrible combination with crazy hours and finals coming up. I have always felt that Christmas has becoming increasingly superficial; all about buying the most/best gifts when all it really does is stress people out. Customers can be very rude also if they decide to take that stress out on you. It all kind of makes me feel resentful that I am stuck behind a register at all crazy hours waiting on people who can be mean and crabby.

What is also hard for me this year is that my boyfriend and I almost broke up, our two year anniversary would have been the day after Christmas. I try not to let it bother me though, just remember that I will be too busy with family to even care.

I know exactly what your saying... Every year i look forward to the day and i love watching the lights come on at my local plaza and always so excited for them, this year is different. It seems sad and i feel depressed not even really looking forward to this christmas. Im kind of going through a hard time maybe something is standing in the way of your happiness this christmas? The world doesnt stop for anyone, even if its almost christmas time if you know what i mean. We need this xmas to come and go! Everything will get better afterwards and then comes new years which is a fun fantastic night! Good luck happy holidays!

No not at all.

For me it is no different than any other time of the year. I don't go out maxing my credit, stress over what gifts to buy. That's not the meaning of it anyway.

Society and T.V has taught us to run out and buy everything you can think of or you just can't have a nice holiday, or there is something wrong with you.

There isn't anything wrong with me, I just don't believe in spending hundreds of dollars on one day just to keep up with the world.

I feel that I am blessed just having my family, health and all that God has for me. ( some may think that's weird) but Oh well, that's life.

God bless.

Great question! The holidays are hard for me. I have major depression and anxiety disorders and with all the stress of the season, it really takes its toll. I don't even want to leave my house because of the crowds bad weather. I haven't left hings my house since last Wed. It also makes grief harder to deal with. I lost a son and I do things like buy a gift for a little boy who's age he should be from the angel tree. It's just hard.

I didn't really have good memories during Christmas. Parents fought a lot, we didn't have a lot of money either. My parents I could tell, felt guilty because of the money issue and because of that I always ended up feeling guilty too. I never liked to ask for anything either, I lied a lot to my friend during childhood because I was, I guess embarassed. I try to be optimistic of this coming Christmas with my bf and his family, but sometimes I can't help to get that feeling all over again...

I get depressed and down on myself during the holidays. I don't have family in this area. I don't like being alone, but sharing the holidays with friends makes me feel like a fifth wheel and a charity case.

well i don't get depressed by holidays cause i cant r ember a good Christmas i just try deal with it like it was another day Christmas is to materialistic in anyway if you calculate the amount of people that go to church which would be about a hand full of people in my neighborhood go to church but everyone will be celebrating Christmas now that makes no sense