For many people, the holidays are about spending time with loved ones. But that’s not always possible. What if you have a kid in college who can’t make it home this year, or you’ve moved to a different part of the country where there’s no family? Being separated by distance can be challenging, but there are ways to cope.
Technology can help with phone and video calls, watching movies together on streaming apps, and even cooking the same recipe on video chat.
Nicholas Mahoney, DO, Psychiatrist, OCD, Anxiety, and Depression Center, Adult Residential Care, explains that tough emotions can creep in when there are barriers to being together with family and friends.
“Feelings of depression and anxiety come up in a lot of different shapes, forms, and symptoms,” says Dr. Mahoney. “If you’re experiencing sadness or not enjoying the activities around the holidays as much as you can, do things like engaging as much as possible with others and enjoy activities that focus on you.”
