Holiday "Tip" List
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1. Be sensitive to those around you who may be carrying undigested trauma in their system - don't make assumptions that everyone should be happy.
2. Examine your expectations and
see how you might change those to reflect understanding, perspective
and kindness to those in psychological pain-this attitude may even be
self-applicable.
3. Begin to look at what in your past might be informing your distress. If you identify incidents from your past that are still causing you pain, be compassionate towards yourself. If necessary, talk to a professional trauma specialist about how to heal and move forward.
4. Be conscious of inclinations to drink or self-medicate in order to
relieve stress. Find healthy alternatives like exercise, talking to
people who understand you, and treating yourself to activities that
help you feel better.
5. Use careful planning to manage your time. Make lists of what you have to do and see how you can best fit it into your schedule and allocate time.
6. Learn how to say, "No" to activities that may induce more stress or consume too much time.
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Trauma & The Holidays
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December/2008 |
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Dear ,
December with its holidays is upon us! This indeed can be the most wonderful time of the year, but - and we are sure you will agree - it can also be one of the most stressful. Holiday parties, presents, and travel all have their moments both good and bad. Memories of holidays past are often happy, but sometimes they are painful. Add the current economic crisis to the mix and it is enough to turn holiday cheer sour. During a season where extravagance and indulgence are practically insisted on, financial instability can be devastating.
However understandable it may be, stress and suffering should not be endured as a "natural" aspect of the season. Instead, they should be addressed and dealt with in a healthy way. To help you through the holidays, our small gift to you is some guidance on and resources about dealing with the trauma the season can bring.
We are proud to be your health resource at any time of the year. If any of your concerns have not been addressed, please do not hesitate to direct your questions our way.
Warmest wishes for a safe and wonderful holiday season,
Vanessa & Wilma
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Trauma and the Holidays
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 Peace, joy, warmth comfort - the words that speak of family and friends being together, sharing moments of celebration and tradition; a magical time away from the routine of daily life promising happiness and new memories. Kwaanza, Christmas, Channukah - whatever your tradition - holidays are meant to symbolize good cheer and inner happiness. So why are so many people distressed and edgy when the holiday season arrives? The spirit of goodwill is so often superseded by crankiness, irritability, depression and short tempers, with stress and anxiety having the potential to reach new heights.
Consider a child growing up in a family where holidays were characterized by drunken, negligent, maybe even abusive parents. Or perhaps a tragedy occured in your life around the time of a given holiday. The associated pain, despair and upset become part of the tradition as well, so that being happy at the holidays is simply not an option.
Past traumas rear on anniversaries and unfortunately the holidays are often littered with memories that still hurt, making it difficult to be cheerful. Sometimes people will try to drown the past with drugs or alcohol, compulsive shopping and other distractions.
Trauma that is improperly attended to remains stuck in our system and plagues us year after year without fail. Understanding that we can repair and heal, that we can take charge of our past and open up to new beginnings, are real opportunities for us to enhance our lives and our happiness. We can start to enjoy our precious time with loved ones and make happy holiday memories to carry with us from now on.
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Thank you for your continued support for Trauma Outreach Associates. It is our hope that you have found the information presented in this newsletter interesting and useful.
We also believe that in this time of economic distress, it is altogether appropriate and fitting that we address this topic of concern. As a result of this crisis, many will lose their jobs,
money, educational opportunities and stability. Others who have been spared
those losses may live in constant fear of eventually sharing the same fate. The
immensity of the crisis our nation currently faces will without a doubt be a
major cause of stress and strife for many if not all.
If you have any concerns about dealing with the stress that accompanies economic crisis, please feel free to use us as a resource for advice and support.
If there are any topics you would like to see featured in a future
article of Trauma Talk, please do not hesitate to let us know and we
will do our best to address them. We appreciate your comments, stories
and thoughts as they will help us refine and enrich the newsletter in
such a way to further benefit you.
Until our next talk, stay healthy, and do not forget to take care of yourself.
Warmly,
The Trauma Team
Trauma Outreach Associates, Inc.
Phone: 415.772.9999
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In the next issue...
A Different View of the Economic Crisis
Find out ways to prepare your business and workers to cope with the fallout
415.772.9999
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