If you’re going to be alone for Thanksgiving, take comfort in that you’re not the only one. And the same is true for all of the holidays. There are others facing the same situation, and it’s tough for many. We found this great article by John M Grohol, Psy.D. for PsychCentral.com on just this topic. Unlike a lot of the content you’ll find online about loneliness, depression or mental health at the holidays, Dr. Grohol’s article walks the line between proactive and realistic without falling into pollyanna or maudlin territory. It’s possible that you’re alone this Thanksgiving… and it’s possible for that to be OK. Read this excerpt, and then click the link below for the full article.
…if you feel like you’re missing out on the ideal holiday Hallmark scene, it helps to be brought back to reality. For most families, holidays are often a time of stress combined with a time of togetherness. It’s not all flowers and sunshine, and some people absolutely dread getting together with their family because of family expectations of “togetherness.”
That’s part of the problem — this sense of “togetherness” comes part and parcel with the holidays. As psychologist Dr. Elaine Rodino noted about coping with the holidays, “There’s so much hype for this wonderful time of togetherness, that it accentuates the feeling of being alone and disconnected.”
Although we may sometimes feel very much alone in the world, we are the makers of our own reality and feelings. If you’re alone this Thanksgiving or Christmas, change your expectations — change something up this holiday season — and you can change your holiday from one of feeling lonely and sorry for yourself, to one of feeling alone — but content.