Happier Holidays: Managing an Anxiety Disorder
during the Season of Joy

Signs of the holidays are popping up everywhere - in magazines, in stores, at the movies. This means shopping, cooking, traveling and extended visits with family are right around the corner for many Americans. And while these events bring about a certain degree of stress in almost everyone, most people ultimately enjoy the holiday season.

However, for people with anxiety disorders, participating in routine holiday activities like office parties and family gatherings are often an unwelcome addition to their lives. The stress associated with these activities, like any other stress, can trigger or aggravate the symptoms of an anxiety disorder in some people. This makes it important for individuals with anxiety disorders to prepare for events that may cause them anxiety during this time of year, and remember and practice stress management when they begin to feel the holiday pressure.

Holiday Triggers

A number of holiday activities can cause stress, nervousness, dread and even panic for people with anxiety disorders. Common stressors include:

Office/Holiday Parties

The thought of making small talk with co-workers, participating in a gift exchange party with friends or attending a large family dinner can be terrifying for people with anxiety disorders, particularly social anxiety disorder (SAD), or social phobia. People with SAD suffer an intense fear of being negatively evaluated by others and are terrified that they will act in a way that is embarrassing or humiliating in social situations. Often, they will do anything to avoid events such as office parties and other holiday related activities. However, avoiding these gatherings will not solve, and will only perpetuate, their fear. People with SAD can make holiday gatherings less stressful and more manageable by keeping in mind some "dos and don'ts." Click here to read more.

One particular point to keep in mind: alcohol or drugs is not an effective way to relieve social anxiety. Although it can be tempting in holiday situations, when the alcohol is often flowing, it can serve to make anxiety worse, can trigger panic attacks in people who are prone to them and is not a long-term solution.

Travel

Traveling - a stressful task any time of year - is even more difficult during the holidays. The roads, airports and vacation destinations are jam-packed with hurried travelers, many of whom are frustrated and impatient.

For people with anxiety disorders, travel can present a variety of challenges. Individuals with panic disorder or agoraphobia may find overcrowded airports and train stations overwhelming. People with travel-related phobias who must use mass transit may anticipate their trip with dread, and those with generalized anxiety disorder may find a host of new things to worry about while traveling, further interfering with their daily lives.

While travel is often difficult to avoid during the holidays, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Avoidance will not help someone overcome an anxiety problem, and it may even stir up other undesirable feelings or consequences (i.e., being the only member of the family absent from Thanksgiving dinner). Instead of looking at travel with dread, look at it as a chance to put everything you've learned about facing your fears to work. Some of the following suggestions can help you both confront your anxiety and, in doing so, actually reduce it:

Plan and Confirm All Details: Even before you get to the airport or the train station, the logistics associated with travel can provide a host of things to worry about. To decrease your stress level, try to book flights that leave early in the day, when airports tend to be less crowded (a seemingly small detail that can make a big difference for people with anxiety disorders). Always confirm flight, hotel and car rental reservations to save angst and decrease stress about an impending trip. Allow yourself ample time for packing to ensure you organize your belongings effectively and bring everything you need, including any medications you may be taking.

Prepare for Anxiety: Make a list of activities you will engage in while traveling and rate your anxiety level about each. This can help you consciously prepare for each task and ready yourself for dealing with the challenge at hand.

Decrease Anxiety and Panic on the Spot: If you feel your tension rising or think a panic attack may be coming on, try these techniques:

• Close your eyes and count to ten. Find a bathroom or lean against a wall to decompress.
  
• Breathe in and out deeply, counting to five as you inhale and again when you exhale.
  
• Drop your shoulders back. Sometimes people don't realize they're hunching their shoulders, but if you drop them back your whole body will loosen up.
  
• Squeeze your muscles - each individually - and then let them relax. It will give you a task to focus on and allow the anxiety to pass.

• Take extra time to rest and reflect. The holidays are meant to be enjoyed, so make an effort to slow down. Give yourself some time to relax and reflect on accomplishments, and challenges you overcame, during the past year.

• Realize you can choose to say "no." Schedules tend to get even more packed during the holiday season, so be sure not to over-schedule yourself. Participate in the activities you want, but don't feel obligated to accept every invitation that comes your way.

• Stay physically healthy. Exercising regularly (even a daily walk can help), getting enough sleep and eating a balanced diet can all make a difference in maintaining and improving mental health.

• Form a solid support network. Whether it's family, friends, trusted co-workers or online chatters, having people you can contact when you're feeling frazzled or down can be a big help.