For the most people, Christmas is intertwined in our minds with images, emotions but also with family moments that are carefree and tender. The magic of Christmas creates a sense of euphoria and optimism while people remember their childhood years with nostalgia. In contrast to the social, festive and happy profile of Christmas, which is usually projected by the media, Christmas is classified as one of the most stressful and mentally charged holidays of the year while the emotional charge that people feel those days is called “Christmas Depression”. According to research, Christmas is the period that activates the feeling of sadness and often of depression. At Christmas there are more and more reports of suicide attempts, as many people are unable to control their emotions, while psychologists and psychiatrists report an increase in cases of depression at Christmas. Many psychologists consider this seasonal outburst of “Christmas Depression” as a result of loneliness and deprivation, on a physical and spiritual level of human presence, which many people experience more painfully during the holidays.
Indeed, nowadays more and more people are experiencing loneliness, during the holidays, while their emotional charge is affected by the high expectations that they have about the festive atmosphere of Christmas. In addition, there are many who associate the holidays with countess “musts” and compulsions, as a result of which they overload their program with too many obligations while at the same time they do not take care of themselves at all. The phenomenon of “Christmas Depression” began to intensify and occupy researchers since the 80’s. And this is not accidental as in the 80’s in Europe a model of consumerism started that “filled’ people with obligations, expenses and the image of how Christmas should be, how it should feel and how to behave these days in order to be happy. In addition, there are many experience mental and physical fatigue these days from the extra obligations. There are also many people who, due to the social situation of the holidays, are forced to meet with family members with whom, during the rest of the year, would not want to have any contract. Also family tables are not always happy, in conditions of love and oneness and there are many who experience for days before incredible stress and pressure in order to attend or organize something like this. At the same time the festive atmosphere creates expectations of joy, fun which are eventually refuted soon, since joy can never be planned.
To those people who experience the religious side of holidays, there is a felling of love, hope and offering that may help a lot mentally each person. Those who do not experience the religious side of Christmas, should face the holidays us part of their lives, without “filling” themselves with extra expectations and responsibilities and without forcing themselves to respond to social calls that they do not want.
