Holiday hype and those who struggle with depression...

[BusynMember]

And maybe even those who do not struggle with depression. I just wanted to personally say "i understand and care" to everyone here who finds the holidays the worst time of the year. Between all the happy holiday cheer on television and in stores, you can't get away from it no matter where you are. It is all around us. And it's NOT happy holidays for everybody. Some people don't have anybody to share the holidays with. Some have difficult families. Some have kids who no longer see them (at Christmas I still miss my son Scott who used to be such a big part of our celebration). Some people are ill. Some just get depressed trying to live up the hype of "all things wonderful at Christmas."

I wish, for the sakes of in my opinion the silent majority who do not have perfect holidays, they would take the hype down a notch. I am not surprised that there is more suicide around the holidays than at other times. The expectations are so high. I think the meaning of the holidays get lost in the hype.

Ok, well, thanks...just a vent and some thoughts.

 

[DammitJanet]

mwm...right now, be glad you dont have extended family who is going to show up. You could be in my position with the brother in law from hades who is in my front yard right now attempting to crank his car every 5 minutes and its not working. I have no idea how he is getting home. I have no idea why anyone would travel out of town with no money at all...not even money to buy food. Its idiocy to me. Heck he doesnt even have the money to put in the gas tank to get back home but that isnt my problem. I hope his girlfriend has it.

Heck...Tony woke me up at 4:30 when he left for work this morning, then when I finally tried to go back to sleep...the car cranking started. I couldnt sleep through it because my brain is trained to think that car cranking is not a good thing.

 

[BusynMember]

LOL, Janet. Thanks for making me laugh. I have been reading your story

 

[klmno]

I'm with you. I believe in the holiday meaning of Christmas and don't want to be sacreligious (sp) but will be sooooo glad when this is over. I really am tired of Christmas songs on every station and don't understand why they have to bombard everything with them every year for a month. I don't want to spoil others' joy or spirit or anything but all of us can't celebrate that every Christmas and it's a real PITA to not be able to find any 'space' to just go on our daily living from the end of Nov to early Jan every friggin year.

 

[DammitJanet]

And the car is still being cranked! It has moved another three feet!

 

[BusynMember]

LOLOL, Janet!!! Well, any progress is a good thing!

I really think that all the hype makes families feel pressured to be the Brady Bunch every Christmas.

 

[PatriotsGirl]

Janet - is your brother in law Eddie from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation??

 

[PatriotsGirl]

And I completely understand this post. Christmas was always a big deal for us and with difficult child not living at home, it is just not the same. It leaves me very depressed!! This year was the first she wasn't here. It was like it wasn't Christmas at all here. Just not the same. I really hope I don't feel like this every year....

 

[Steely]

As per my other post MWM - Christmas is NO longer in my vocabulary. I totally agree with you!!!

I thought the same thing last night - no freaking wonder this is the number one day for suicides. And really who needs this day as a "holiday"? It is only a superficial artificial anticipation that gets so ramped up that we can't help but feel less than as a human being when all our dreams don't come true.

 

[BusynMember]

I think Mothers Day is #1 for suicide. I get that too.