The pandemic has resulted in higher rates of work-related burnout. — TNS
For many of us, the start to the new year offers a clean slate from our gruelling end-of-year holiday schedules, providing us with an opportunity to reset and create resolutions.
But striving to achieve such lofty goals can go against our natural instincts as humans, said Brianda Diaz de Leon, a licensed social worker with Dallas-based mental health company Thriveworks.
The winter season (and perhaps rainy season in Malaysia) – which brings with it colder weather and gloomy skies – takes a toll on many.
The pressure to accomplish more in January, coupled with the fallout from the holiday season, causes people to struggle with their mental well-being, she said.
“We’re still kind of animals, and in a sense, (winter) is a hibernation time for us, so we experience more fatigue and tiredness,” Diaz de Leon said.
Here’s what else makes this time of year challenging for people and ways to cope with mounting anxiety.
A depressing month
While January presents a new set of challenges, mental health begins to fall off toward the end of the year, Diaz de Leon said.
In 2022, more people were stressed during the holiday season than last, in part due to rising inflation, according to a survey from the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
“Sometimes our capitalist society, and the demands of our capitalist holiday season, don’t truly align with just being human,” Diaz de Leon said.
A recent poll compiled by the APA revealed that recession, gun violence and the Russia-Ukraine war also contributed to Americans’ anxiety in 2022.
During the holiday season, people also have uncomfortable conversations with family members they haven’t seen in a while, she said.
Those who suffer from anxiety are more likely to feel residual shame from these exchanges, which can continue into January.
“We’re kind of at a place where there’s a shift of consciousness and maybe even political identity so that definitely came to head during the holidays,” she said.
This year, Diaz de Leon said she has noticed higher rates of work-related and pandemic-related burnout among her patients.
News of the XBB variant last December raised concerns among some clients who are entering their third year of a global pandemic.
“Most of my clients are having a really hard time,” she said. “We are remaining hopeful, but it’s harder for them to bounce back than before.”
What about the new year?
Many workers also use their paid time-off (annual leave) to celebrate the end of year. But returning to the office comes with the paid time-off blues and readjusting to the stressors of regular life, Diaz de Leon said.
“Once January comes around, the holiday season is over,” she said. “A lot of us now are having to face the consequences of the financial decisions we’ve made.”
Unrealistic new year’s resolutions may also contribute to feelings of failure and depression, and can peak around mid-January.
“Halfway through the month, we’re realising that our new year’s resolution is probably not attainable, and a lot of us are kind of falling off the wagon,” she said. “So there’s also a lot of guilt and shame that’s being added to the stress we were already feeling.”
How do I cope?
Diaz de Leon recommends people engage in self-care, which includes staying hydrated, eating nutritious meals, sleeping enough and incorporating some sort of physical activity.
“What I mean by engaging in self-care is literally taking care of yourself in the most basic sense, like making sure that we’re actually getting in enough food/meals, and our meals are rich in nutrients and calories that we need especially in the winter months,” she said.
For people who work from home and lead sedentary lifestyles, it’s important to move around during the day, even if it’s taking a walk or doing a five-minute stretch.
And when it comes to new year’s goals, she advises people to break them up by month or quarter to better manage their expectations.
“If your goal is to open up your office by the end of 2023, maybe we can break it down into quarterly goals so that we can better keep track of what’s going on,” Diaz de Leon said.
If you are in a crisis or struggling to cope with daily living, help is available. – Tribune News Service
Those suffering from problems can reach out to the Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service at 03-2935 9935 or 014-322 3392; Talian Kasih at 15999 or 019-261 5999 on WhatsApp; Jakim’s (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia) family, social and community care centre at 0111-959 8214 on WhatsApp; and Befrienders Kuala Lumpur at 03-7627 2929 or go to befrienders.org.my/centre-in-malaysia for a full list of numbers nationwide and operating hours or email sam@befrienders.org.my
