Help beating the holiday blues

Help beating the holiday blues

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Story Published: Dec 24, 2008 at 9:33 AM PDT

Story Updated: Dec 24, 2008 at 9:33 AM PDT

By Herb Weisbaum

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It's the time of year when we're supposed to be happy. But for some people that just doesn't happen.

They get what we call the holiday blues. They find the parties boring, the gifts too expensive, and the memories of holiday's past painful.

So how do you deal with that?

"Spend time doing things you enjoy, preferably with other people," says Dr. Jeffrey Kahn, associate professor of psychiatry at Weill-Cornell Medical College in New York.

"Cook favorite meals, go to favorite restaurants and try to avoid arguments."

Kahn says it sometimes helps to sort things out. Make a list of all the things that happened to you this year -- write down the good and the bad.

"For most people, it'll turn out that there have been some pretty good pluses even in a year that seems pretty bad."

Dr. Kahn says just realizing you're in emotional pain can start the process of dealing with it. But if you can do it on your own -- don't be afraid to get professional help.

For More Information:

Beating the Holiday Blues

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