30/11/2023
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can cause a whole host of symptoms, which can affect every area of your life, and when this is paired with ‘expectations’ of how you should feel (like over the festive season or other times of celebration), it can become unbearable.
Holiday seasons are expected to be a time of happiness, cheer and get-togethers, but for many people with PTSD or C-PTSD, it can be a stressful and unhappy time as it’s also full of loud, busy and overstimulating events. Meeting new people, parties and family events all add to the sense you have to behave in a certain manner (i.e. forget your worries and feel happy). Add to that, for some people, it's the very friends or family members that they're expected to see during this time that may have caused their trauma in the first place through abuse, neglect and/or estrangement for example.
Putting on a ‘smiley mask’ can just add to feeling of guilt, panic, shame and fear - and the change in schedule can make it difficult for many people who use routine to help manage their symptoms.
The first step in coping with PTSD or C-PTSD during seasonal ‘high days and holidays’ is to accept WHY you may not feel as excited about these times as other people.
Our blog article looks at the 'whys' along with some tips on how to help manage your symptoms or additional pressures over the next few weeks. You can read this here: ptsduk.org/dealing-with-ptsd-over-the-holidays/
You've got this.
Artwork by .joan.short on Instagram
