Lisa:  For many, the holidays are an extremely difficult time, especially during an election year.

Doctor Naomi Edelson, you are a clinical psychologist. Are the holidays the most beautiful time of the year?

Naomi:  The majority of people get pretty stressed around the holidays.  Some of that stress can be a positive, right? It can give us the energy that we need to cook a giant dinner, plan travel, or participate in a lot of activities.

We call that you stress, but some of the stress can be harmful or problematic.  So we can experience not just mental distress but also physical.

Lisa:  What can people do if the holidays bring them stress and anxiety?

Naomi: You might consider doing a mindfulness or meditation exercise. Even 15 or 20 minutes a day can really help you shift from a stressed-out state to a relaxed state.

If you exercise normally, keep exercising during the holiday season.  Have good boundaries with family or friends.  If you’re feeling overwhelmed, saying no to things is okay.

Lisa: Many people have strong feelings about the 2024 presidential election.  What do you do when you realize that people close to you might not share the same political beliefs?

Naomi:  Yeah, this happens quite a bit.  So it’s important to remember your values and why people spend time together over the holidays. It’s generally not to change other people’s hearts and minds; it’s just to spend time together.

Recognizing why you’re here and remembering that it can be useful to practice under reactivity, such as not reacting if people make comments that might be triggering, might be a better way. Just being mindful, taking a moment to breathe, not responding, and then continuing forth might be a better way.

You’re probably not going to change anyone’s mind over the holidays anyway, so it’s better just to not react.

Lisa:  You specialize in health psychology. What is that?

Naomi: Health psychology is the practice of examining the ways that our mind and body influence one another.

So, many conditions can actually be significantly treated by looking at the brain, changing our thoughts, and changing our feelings, and then we end up feeling a lot better.

Lisa:  Doctor Naomi Edelson, thank you.

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