DECATUR - Wise County Messenger

THE COUNSELING CORNER
ALL AROUND WISE, Decatur, Texas, Thursday, December 18, 2008 11
BY THE AMERICAN
COUNSELING
ASSOCIATION
While the holiday season
is usually one of joy, happiness
and celebration, for
many people the emotion of
the season is often depression.
Fortunately, it doesn’t
have to be that way. Many
of the things that leave us
feeling depressed are things
we can control.
For example, the constant
stream of media and advertising
holiday images contributes
to depression for
many people. Comparing
our own lives to these unrealistic
images of holiday
Y JIM MILLER
Dear Savvy Senior,
Over the past few years,
y mother, who is 75, has
gotten where she dreads the
holiday season and becomes
very melancholy. What can I
do to help
Hating the Holidays
Dear Hating,
Millions of people experience
the holiday blues this
time of year, but seniors
tend to be especially vulnerable.
Here are some suggestions
that can help.
Holiday blues
There are lots of factors
that can contribute to an
older person’s sadness or
apathy around the holiday
season such as the loss
of a spouse, sibling or a
close friend. Some seniors
feel alone and isolated because
their grown children
and grandchildren live far
away. While others may
feel blue because of finanial
concerns, poor health
on Brycen
Brycen is in Miss Ashleigh's
Preschool class. Brycen loves
being a cowboy and is a BIG
fan of the Decatur Eagles! He
also loves doing projects with
his friends. Come join Brycen
on his quest for knowledge.
DIRECTV is the
#1 satellite
provider in the
country.
D.A.C.
S P OT L I G H T
GET IT ALL:
✔Ease ✔Value
✔Selection ✔Service
701 Deer Park, Decatur • 940-626-4444
perfection, it’s easy to feel
left out, inadequate or as if
we aren’t getting all that’s
due us.
While there’s no avoiding
the holiday media/advertising
blitz, it’s easy to accept
that what we’re being shown
isn’t reality, but rather the
make-believe that comes
with actors, make up artists
and high dollar productions.
We don’t have to compete
with that.
Eating healthier and getting
enough rest is another
way to fight holiday blues.
Holiday foods usually mean
too many rich, high-calorie
party temptations, treats
loaded with sugar and opportunities
to drink too
much. Toss in a busy holiday
schedule and it’s easy
to feel tired, unhealthy,
overweight and generally
depressed.
So should you just avoid
all those holiday foods Actually,
no, since that can
leave you feeling deprived
and more likely to finally
over-indulge. Instead, use
common sense and moderation.
Limit alcohol consumption
and enjoy your favorite
holiday foods, but in
reasonable-sized portions
and without going back for
seconds.
And don’t forget exercise.
It’s often ignored in busy
SAVVY SENIOR
or because they’re unable to
perform routine holiday activities
like shopping, baking
or even attending religious
services.
How to help
Depending on what’s
making your mother blue
during this holiday season,
here are some tips that may
help:
■ Be a good listener: Talk
to your mom about how
she’s feeling and why. Very
often just being able to
share feelings with someone
can help.
■ Prevent isolation: Encourage
family members
to be around your mom as
much as possible during
the holidays. If you can’t be
there physically, be sure to
call more often.
■ Find community help:
Contact her church or other
community resource where
someone may be able to stop
by for a visit, or pick her up
for a religious service or
community activity.
■ Ease her financial guilt:
If your mom is on a tight
budget, be sure she doesn’t
feel guilty if she can’t afford
to buy the grandchildren
fancy gifts. It’s not what the
holidays should be about.
■ Lend a helping hand:
If poor health or physical
limitations are causing her
blues, lend her a hand with
shopping, decorating and
other holiday preparations.
■ Suggest volunteering:
Many churches or civic
groups would love her help
(also see Web sites like
www.volunteermatch.org
and www.getinvolved.gov
to find volunteer opportunities).
Helping others is
a great way to forget your
own troubles.
■ Watch the holiday spirits:
Alcohol consumption for
many people goes up during
the holiday season, and alcohol
is a depressant that
can intensify the problem.
■ Go for a walk: Exercise
is a natural antidepressant
holiday schedules, yet studies
show that even small or
moderate amounts of exercise
can lift your spirits.
It’s also a great way to burn
those extra calories of the
season.
Lastly, don’t let depression
rule your life. Holiday
socializing is a great way
to combat the blues. Make
the effort to go and meet
people at a party, or just call
up a friend to go for coffee
and talk about interesting
things. Spending time with
others and refocusing your
thinking on positive things
you enjoy is your goal.
Eating right, exercising,
taking a realistic view of
so encourage your mom to
go for a daily walk, or if possible,
take one with her.
Watch for depression
There’s a big difference
between feeling sad or blue
and being chronically depressed.
If your mom’s blues
linger beyond the holidays
into the New Year, she may
have a more serious problem.
Here are the signs to
watch for:
■ A persistent feeling of
sadness.
■ Lost interest in hobbies
or activities that she formerly
enjoyed.
■ Feeling worthless or
hopeless.
■ Inability to sleep or
sleeping too much.
■ Loss of energy or motivation.
■ Not eating or eating too
much.
■ Trouble thinking, concentrating
and making decisions.
■ Feeling anxious, rest-
Continued on page 18
DONNA JUROSEK
the holiday madness and
having an active social life
all take effort, but they’re
all essential to helping you
enjoy the holiday season.
Even small efforts in these
areas can help you feel better
physically and mentally.
But if you find nothing
seems to help fight that
holiday depression, talk to
a counseling professional.
They’re trained to help you
NEED MONEY
CAN’T WORK
Social Security Disability Benefits
can help those unable to work
even temporarily in some case
Application Help, Initial
Claims, Appeals, Hearings
Tiffany Thrasher says she’s amazed about
how caring the faculty is at the WC Education
Center in Decatur. “They’re so willing to work
with you and go out of their way to help.”
Tiffany’s a little “amazing” herself.
The single mom of two small children
is a full-time student working on a
business degree and works full
time, too. She’ll transfer to Texas
Wesleyan soon to pursue a law
degree.
“WC has really given me a
good start on my education,” said
Tiffany. “Hey, if anyone here needs
a good lawyer for anything in a few
years, give me a call!”
WC CAMPUSES CLOSED
DEC. 22 - JAN. 2
work through and cope with
these feelings.
■
“The Counseling Corner”
is provided as a public service
by the American Counseling
Association, the nation’s
largest organization
of counseling professionals.
Learn more about the counseling
profession at the ACA
Web site, www.counseling.
org.
Call 24 hours for a FREE
Informational brouchure
1-877-525-5885
HANDY MAPSCO ®
bound maps for
•Fort Worth
•Dallas County
•Denton/Cooke
•Collin/Grayson
•Texas •USA
MAPSCO®
FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT!
We’re talking about their fi rst two Parker-Hood-Wise Counties
editions. The maps inside have always been bullseye accurate,
but Mapsco mistakenly pictured the courthouses in Granbury and
Weatherford on the covers. As everybody knows, those county
capitols pale in comparison with our own crown-jewel on-the-hill.
At last Wise County’s turn has come, and you simply MUST own
this very special, third-edition, SUPER-USEFUL Mapsco!
It’s easy to switch to DIRECTV.
WITH DIRECTV YOU GET:
• 100% digital-quality picture and sound.
• Access to over 265 channels.
• No equipment to buy. No start up costs.
Call today and ask about DIRECTV’s current offer!
Standard system only.
On approved credit.
Programming commitment
required.
RICKS SATELLITE
& ELECTRONICS 800-662-1396
Your Local Authorized DIRECTV Dealer
Hardware and programming available separately. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc., and are used with permission.
✔EASE
✔VALUE
✔SELECTION
✔SERVICE
115 S. Trinity, Decatur 940.627.5987
Public Fax 940.627.1004 7:30-5:30 Mon.-Fri.
messengerofficesupply.com