Content Overview 
- Summary
- Revise holiday activities to fit your current physical and emotional condition and to include people you care about. Don't over extend yourself..
- Look at past holiday stressors to see what has previously helped you cope and move forward.
- If you are in treatment, talk to your doctor about taking time off during the holidays or changing your schedule.
- Keep your expectations realistic.
- Prioritize your activities.
- If you're not physically or emotionally up to going shopping, or you are not allowed in holiday crowds, shop online or from catalogues.
- If a money crunch is causing stress, focus on the real meaning of the holiday. Reign in spending with a budget.
- Live healthy. Don't over indulge. Exercise. Get rest.
- If you are dealing with grief, use the holidays to help finish your grieving.
- Share your feelings. As Art Linkletter said, "Laughter is the best medicine." It's okay to cry.
- Build in alone time
- Practice forgiveness
- If you're lonely... get busy. Consider volunteering.
- Accept what you can't change.
- If you make resolutions, keep them doable.
- Practice coping mechanisms, including renewing spirituality.
- If seasonal decrease in sunlight causes you to suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), get treatment.
- If you are going to travel, talk with your doctor about any special travel needs. Prepare.
- Use the holiday as a time to share memories and to make new ones.
- If none of the above work for you, call your doctor or other medical practitioner.
How To Cope With Holiday Stress & Depression & Colorectal Cancer
If you are dealing with grief, use the holidays to help finish your grieving.
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Many different types of loss can cause grief – from the loss of a loved one to the loss of your health to the loss of a job. In cases of advanced cancer, you may be grieving the future. Grief can be a roller coaster ride with many ups and downs. Grief can also leave you feeling tired. Take care to eat as well as you can and get plenty of rest, and take that walk for some beneficial exercise for the body and mind.
We all grieve in different ways. The key is to not bottle-up grief. Allow yourself to feel what you feel. Enjoy the good times, but also take the time to grieve if you need to - forcing yourself to be happy may cause additional stress. If you need to cry, find a quiet space and have a good cry. Surround yourself with people you feel comfortable around. Let others be supportive.
If your grief becomes too overwhelming, seek professional help. Ask your doctor for a referral, or see the document in "To Learn More." For tips about dealing with grief, click here.
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