Holiday blues nothing to sing about

By Jomay Steen, Journal staff | Tuesday, December 18, 2007

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In the monthlong preparation for the winter holidays, people typically experience the rush and excitement of the school’s winter activities, office and social holiday parties and church celebrations. But for many, it’s a time of overwhelming expectations and the blues.

Take the Journal's quiz on the Holiday Blues, depression and bipolar disorder.

Community Health Center of the Black Hills has a depression outreach clinic; sadly, the holidays and depression often go hand-in-hand for a lot of people, according to Crystal Jordan, chief executive officer.

The health organization has its main office on 504 Monroe St., with a dental office across the way on La Crosse Street. Outreach sites are at the Cornerstone Rescue Mission, Working Against Violence Inc. women’s shelter and the Salvation Army as well as Cornerstone Rescue Mission’s Women’s and Children’s Home.

“We decided to do outreach on depression, the signs of depression and what people can do about it,” she said.

Working with the underserved, the organization helps those suffering from depression make medical appointments and receive their medication, and serves as a watchdog with the federal government to ensure that people receive the type of care they’re prescribed, she said.

While the number of attempted and successful suicides may fall, there are more episodes of depression and an increase of depression-related hospitalizations during the Christmas season.

“It isn’t a myth,” Jordan said.

Brian Griffith, Community Health Center outreach coordinator, agreed.

“Suicides don’t tend to happen in the holidays, but the holiday blues definitely happen,” he said.

Often spurred by Seasonal Affective Disorder, a cyclic-seasonal condition that is connected to sunlight, the blues may appear as more demands for time, travel to holiday destinations, forced family gatherings, school activities or just shopping increases, he said.

For men, the blues often appear with the physical chill of getting out into the cold to venture into the malls, decision-making over what to get for the office gift exchange and the realization that they will burn through 95 to 100 percent of their salaries for the month of December.

“If you live month-to-month on what you take home, it’s gone,” Griffith said.

It’s easy to become overburdened with activities, expenses and expectations. Add to the overload a sharp decrease in sunlight, fatigue and the possibility of an unplanned expense. It can all lead to the blues.

“There’s more of a sense of obligation in the activities at church and with family. But there’s a bottleneck of demands, resources and time that each person can give,” he said.

“I can relate,” Griffith said.

Last year, Griffith opted not to take part in the office gift exchange. Rather than speed out to a department store to shop for a gift for someone he didn’t know very well, between obligations of picking up his children after their sports activities, he stepped out of the role as Secret Santa.

Rather than feeling like a Scrooge, Griffith felt relief.

“It reduced so much stress,” he said.

Contact Jomay Steen at 394-8418 or jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com.