Survive After. Post-New Year's Syndrome - A Whim Or A Problem? - Quality Of Life, Self-development

2023 Author: Oswald Adamson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 20:18

Fireworks outside the window interfere with sleep less and less, New Year's movies are no longer happy even as a background. With the feeling “it's over” we are inevitably approaching the first working week of the new year and this fact does not bring any enthusiasm. Fatigue, apathy, anxiety and irritation are what we experience in the last few days before the end of the vacation

At first glance, this whole story resembles a whim. It would seem, what else is needed? A wonderful holiday, visits from friends, interesting trips, delicious food, fun, dancing and a celebration every day. So why, at some point, we realize that there is no more joyful mood, the surrounding shine and tinsel are annoying and nothing brings pleasure?

Anhedonia is a decrease or loss of the ability to receive pleasure, accompanied by a loss of activity in achieving it. Anhedonia lacks motivation for activities that are usually enjoyable, including sports, hobbies, music, sexual activity and social interactions.

The long New Year's holidays have nothing to do with it. The peculiarities of "post-holiday disorder" are solely due to the way they are carried out. And now is the time to understand and neutralize the possible consequences.

So, the reasons for mood decline, blues, irritability and anxiety are conventionally divided into 2 parts. First of all, these are the biochemical reactions of our body. Causes directly related to metabolic disorders and hormone production. And this is inextricably linked with the inner mental experiences of a person. The body functions as an integral system, and if some functions fail, others will be involved.

Biochemistry

1. Lack of daylight

We have experienced the darkest month of the year, passed the “Celebrate the New Year” exam and subconsciously await a miracle and change. But the sun did not appear, the daylight hours are short, and during the holidays it is generally invisible. From a lack of daylight, serotonin decreases, melanin increases. Desires "to eat and sleep" prevail in the body. And if we deal with “eating” well during the holidays, “sleeping” is a special conversation connected with violation of the regime. Vitamin D is still not enough, and, in fact, all the conditions for a pre-depressive state are met.

2. Alcohol and excessive eating

No, this is not boring advice about asceticism and abstinence. These are sensible suggestions for making dietary adjustments. Drinking alcohol in unreasonable amounts in one way or another leads to mental consequences. The state of anxiety and apathy is explained by the fact that the body is struggling to remove toxins. The work of all systems and organs is disrupted. The activity of the nervous system changes: after an increase in the production of serotonin and dopamine, their level drops sharply. And we remember that without sunlight there are not many of them? Even with moderate alcohol consumption, the New Year's regime can deplete the reserves of the hormones of joy that are so needed now.

Food is also not easy. The traditional New Year's table for most is a rather heavy meal. Yes, the fashion for a healthy lifestyle makes its own adjustments. But, let's face it, New Year is perfect for a cheat meal (planned diet breakdown) and everyone, even the most staunch healthy lifestyle adherents, sometimes wants to break the rules. The variety of dishes, late mealtime - all this increases the feeling of heaviness in the body and in the soul, causes lethargy. And, of course, excess weight, which may be just fluid retention in the body, does not bring joy in any way. Here it is, a sense of guilt, self-criticism and the classic further seizing of the problem in order to please yourself with something.

3. Excessive emotional stress

Specifically, the change of permanent stress by powerful overexcitation. Look, on the eve of the New Year we are in a chronic nervous overstrain. The end of the year, those notorious results, the race for gifts, the desire to fit into the budget, planning, work … It seems that there will be no end and edge to this. We must do everything! Corticosteroids are on the edge, immunity is lowered, mood is dropping. And then the expected New Year comes, we exhale with relief (by the way, regardless of the results, we did not have time) and start celebrating. We have fun, laugh, dance, meet guests, visit, enjoy every day. Only after a few such days the fun becomes a little feigned and the desire to go somewhere disappears. And again, the matter is in serotonin and dopamine, the amount of which in the body is limited (especially in winter!),and the body needs time to recover.

4. Saving sleep

And here we violate all possible boundaries of our body. Eating at night and sleeping during the day is not good for anyone. Even the "owls". Even real "owls". And so, with the chimes, most of us dramatically change the rhythm of life. And not as a one-time promotion, but for the next few days. Our entire metabolism is associated with the solar cycle; man is a daytime creature. If the secretion of hormones and nerve mediators is disturbed, a serious malfunction occurs in the body. And this is the shortest and most proven path to depression.

Psychology

1. Unreasonable expectations

The feeling that everything went wrong is familiar to everyone. And the gifts are not the same, and the guests are not all. In post-holiday disappointments, we tend to be very childishly offended by everything around us. This is, of course, from childhood. Forgive yourself. Everything went well. There is a whole long and interesting year ahead, in which there will be many wonderful events. The best thing to do now is to have a good rest and sleep before working days.

2. Feeling lonely

Loneliness can have many reasons. Trauma of betrayal, loss of a loved one, possible complexes that prevent you from getting closer. In such a situation, work with a specialist is definitely recommended. If you ignore the problem, it will quickly develop into clinical depression.

Loneliness is often a personal choice. The company did not suit, they did not want to invite anyone to visit, and then they did not invite you either. It is possible and necessary to correct the feeling of "uselessness" now. Old friends, new acquaintances - in the New Year it is very easy to meet, meet and communicate.

3. Waiting to go to work

Perhaps right now you realize that your work is not at all what you want to do. At the peak of New Year's emotional experience, the brain is under stress and various ideas and conclusions come to your mind. Especially if the previous New Year's excitement provoked you to unforeseen expenses. This is a very good start for thinking, thinking and making a further plan. There is no need to worry anymore - all purchases are made, groceries are bought and even eaten. We are looking forward, planning a budget, thinking about a possible change in activity, even if only in theory.

Spread straws

You need to prepare in advance for the return to wonderful everyday life. For example, during the holidays. After all, the longest night of the year is already behind, the day has begun to increase, so there is no reason to indulge in despondency, finding yourself at work after a long fun.

The simplest recommendations relate to a healthy lifestyle. Refusal from alcohol and heavy food - everything is clear here. The body itself tells us what it needs, unless, of course, we are not talking about serious violations.

1. Do not deny yourself walks in the fresh air

It is a huge resource for a good mood and the production of the "right" hormones. Well, then it's time to plunge into a carefree childhood and go to the hill or skating rink.

2. Set goals

Vacation planning, job change, income increase. When we set goals, we understand that getting involved is the path to achieving them. Incentive and motivation appear, the expectation of hopeless everyday life disappears.

3. Don't be angry with yourself

Perhaps, even before the New Year, you came up with many activities and scheduled every day. In fact, this did not work, or it did not work out in full. It's okay, sometimes they won't hurt anyone to be lazy. On the remaining days of the vacation, allow yourself to do what you want - there will be more benefits from this than from the scrupulous implementation of the obligatory program.

4. Planned joy

Meetings with whom you did not have time to meet, going to the theater, cinema or exhibitions, trips out of town - you need to plan not only useful, but also pleasant. Then no depression threatens you - because there simply will not be time for it.

If you feel that the depressive state is dragging you in and nothing helps to get rid of it, if you understand that nothing pleases you and nothing causes you emotions at all, please do not postpone the consultation with a specialist. Post-holiday apathy is not as harmless as it seems, and it is important to stop it early on.