I just need to make it to the holidays!

We made it through a pandemic (hopefully!), we left winter behind us, we can travel, see our friends and families again, go to events and yet, for many, it still doesn't feel like we have our pre-pandemic life back. Relationships might have changed, financial pressures increased; the workload seems higher and pace faster than ever. Life throws a war in Europe at us, energy prices and the cost of living are escalating, loadshedding won't end... It just won't stop!

We so often hear "I just need to make it to the holidays", or "I can't wait for the year to be over" - but what magic do we expect from a holiday or calendar change? Sure, time off provides short-term relief in terms of work or family life, but depending on how life affected you up to this point, it might not be enough to fully reset and recharge.

Repeated stress can trigger inflammation in the body, which can lead to a whole variety of health problems like heart disease, diabetes and depression. Chronic stress can interfere with the hormones in our brain and can cause it to chemically change. We can't expect that damage to our health or mental health, built up over weeks, months or years, can be fixed in a two-week holiday.

Pull the stress-handbrake for the holidays and reset your thinking for the new year.

Align expectations

Start by aligning your expectation of your holiday and think about long-term and gentle change. We don't always have to aim for 'higher, faster, more'. Maybe this is what brought the stress on us in the first place. Perhaps it's time to set a new course to purposefully aim for 'lower, slower, less'. For the upcoming season, this could be to agree with your family and friends on a budget for gifts, or no gifts at all, or to simplify this year's festive feast - it will probably take stress off everybody's plate.

Presence vs presents

Try to be more present in the moment while you enjoy some free time, either by just focusing on yourself or when sharing your time with friends or family. Gift your time to people that are really important to you, but on top of the wish list must be time for yourself! You cannot pour out of an empty cup!

Avoid the drama

Holidays seem to be a perfect time for things to escalate in relationships or families. Again, it's the expectation of everything needing to be perfect. Remember that Hollywood's Christmas movies of cheerful couples or happy families are just that - Hollywood. The reality is that many of us run out of energy and money at that time of the year. These pressures, plus a couple of holiday indulgences or trying to do too much, can create the perfect recipe for drama. Whatever comes up - breathe, and let it go; when you're tired, it is not the right time to deal with drama.

Take a tech holiday

Take a holiday from social media and tech. High social media use is linked to increased anxiety and depression. Too much screen time can lead to the same, as well as to sleep problems, chronic neck and back problems, and other long-term consequences. Lock your phone or laptop away and break the routine of constantly checking it.

Think about your mental health during the holidays Listen to mental health podcasts, read books on the topic, go for walks or meditate. Check in with yourself and think about whether you are striving, coping or just surviving? Identify your stress triggers and consider how can you manage them now and in the new year.

Where to get help

You don't have to figure it all out by yourself. South Africa has fantastic, free support systems in place. Here are two examples where you could start:

SADAG, South Africa's biggest mental health organisation, provides free telephone counselling, support and nationwide referrals. Call the helpline on 0800 567 567 or visit their website www.sadag.org.

Lifeline offers 24-hour counselling service in Johannesburg on 0861 322 322 or www.lifelinejhb.org.za. The Western Cape contacts are 021 461 1113 or www.lifelinewc.org.za.

The Scheme has recognised the increased need for mental health assistance for our members. Together with our administrator, we are working on a new Mental Health Care Programme where we will focus on high-risk cases. These will receive further management tools and benefits through a team of dedicated and specialized care coordinators.

Published: December 2022.