A lot of people look forward to the summer months, but there are also a lot of people that find this time of year particularly difficult. Summer vacation means having your kids off school for the next couple of weeks, and this means a lot of changes in your home which can cause an increase in anxiety or depression. While summer has many benefits, it can also come with a range of negatives such as the following:
- Feeling more on edge
- Increased number of panic attacks
- Worrying or obsessing over things
If you are experiencing any of these things, then you need to know that you are not alone. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the things that you can do to survive the summer vacation if you are dealing with depression or anxiety, so keep reading to find out more.
Don’t Try To Do Too Much
The first thing that we are going to recommend is that you don’t try to do too much. The more you are trying to do, the harder it can become to get up and go to do things. We’re not saying that you should lay in your bed all day and hide from the world, but don’t push yourself beyond what you can handle.
Try to think of fun things that you can do with your kids during this time such as heading out to the park, or going on a well planned trip somewhere. Heading out to the park is not something too difficult, but it keeps the kids entertained and gets you out of the house, being with nature which can often help.
Stick To A Schedule As Much As You Can
One of the biggest problems that people experience with summer vacation is the fact that the general schedule of their days has been interrupted. Things are no longer the way they are usually which can cause an anxiety spike. It’s for this reason that we recommend trying to stick to a schedule as much as possible. Of course, it’s not always going to be possible, but you can do your best to ensure that you’re getting up around the same time, going to bed around the same time and doing at least some of the same things daily.
The familiarness of the routine will be extremely helpful to helping to calm yourself when you feel anxious.
Avoid The Heat Of The Day
The body has a physical reaction to overwhelming levels of heat. It might be that it impacts your mood, making you more irritable than usual, or it might just take all of your energy and leave you feeling tired. Neither of these things are particularly good for you, which is why you should try to avoid the heat of the day as much as you can. If you’re at home, then make sure you’re not going out during these hours. Or, if you are out somewhere, try to stay indoors throughout this time which could mean going for a meal or something.
However, you should not be hiding inside all day to avoid the heat. Instead of doing this, you can schedule things to do at cooler times of the day like in the morning or later in the evening. By doing this you are not overexposing yourself to the sun, but you’re still having fun.
Find Some Fun Indoor Activities
We know that we just said not to stay indoors all the time, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a lot of fun indoors. For a lot of people, having some downtime inside can be extremely helpful, which is why when we say ‘activities’, we mean things that will help you to relax or have fun in your home. For example, if you have children then this might be something like watching a movie with them or playing a game. It’s sometimes the simple things like this that can make all the difference to your mood and how you are feeling.
Another activity that you can do indoors is reading. This is a fantastic way to clear your mind of all the things that you may be worried about, focusing instead on the characters in the story. Really, you can do whatever you want to, even if this is taking up a new hobby such as baking. Just make sure that you are having a good time, not forcing yourself to do things just because you think that you should.
Don’t Feel Bad About Asking For Help
There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it. If you are feeling overwhelmed and need some time before you snap, then you can ask someone you trust to look after the kids for the day or overnight. Or, it might just be that you want someone to come and sit with you for a little while as you decompress. No matter what it is that you need help with, you should never feel embarrassed or ashamed when it comes to asking for it.
Everyone needs help sometimes, and if you are suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), specifically summer anxiety in this case, then it’s important to reach out. If you don’t, you risk running yourself down to burnout, and what good is this going to be for you or anyone around you? It makes far more sense to ask for the help that you need, even if you don’t actually know what you need at the time.
Help in Lakewood CO & Longmont CO
We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the tips that we’ve got for surviving the summer vacation. It’s not easy, and it can feel even more difficult when you have people all around you so excited for this time of year. Don’t panic, there’s nothing wrong with you, everyone has things that they are anxious about, this just happens to be yours. Hang in there, because we know that you’ve got this!
If not, we’re here to help. We invite you to call us at 720-551-4553 for a free 20-minute phone consultation with an anxiety specialist. You can schedule your appointment via phone, and read more on the Anxiety Page on our website.
Self Care Impact Counseling envisions a new age of counseling for adolescents, adults, couples & groups that makes a REAL difference with core values of GROWTH | BALANCE | COMPASSION | INNER HARMONY.