9 Holiday Depression Busters

9 Holiday Depression Busters

Time-tested ways to cope with the flurry of the 2011 holiday season.

By Therese J. Borchard

It's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year--but not if negative emotions take hold of your holidays. So let's be honest. The holidays are packed with stress, and therefore provoke tons of depression and anxiety. But there is hope. Whether I'm fretting about something as trite as stocking stuffers or as complicated as managing difficult family relationships, I apply a few rules that I've learned over the years. These 9 rules help me put the joy back into the festivities--or at least keep me from hurling a mistletoe at Santa and landing myself on the "naughty" list.

See the first tip on beating the holiday blues.

Therese J. Borchard is the author of Beyond Blue, Beliefnet's spiritual mental health blog.