Sweetpea76
Moderator
The holidays are often horrible times for our loved ones with PTSD. Since we love them, we hate to see them suffer. Sometimes it is hard to enjoy things when your sufferer is isolating, depressed, or lashing out from holiday stressors. Sufferers don't want to make their supporters feel bad during the holidays, so that adds even more guilt and self-loathing. It can be a never ending cycle. This can make the holidays a big bucket of suck for everybody. Thanks a lot, PTSD.
What is your favorite way to handle the holidays now? Did you find a good coping mechanism, or maybe change some traditions? Any Suggestions or advice? Nothing is going to fix it, but sometimes the little things can help.
We can all use some good ideas! :tup:
For example, we've adjusted an existing tradition to make things smoother. I have always gotten my kids Christmas jammies as a gift they can open on Christmas Eve and wear to bed (pro-tip - it makes for better pictures in the morning if everybody has on cute PJs). Now instead of making the rounds of various family get-togethers on Christmas Eve (his and mine), we have officially declared Christmas Eve "our" family time and stay home. We all get Christmas Eve jammies, then spend the evening at home in them, order pizza and watch funny Christmas movies and cartoons. Insert a big eye-roll from my vet who doesn't wear "jammies"... but he's a good sport about wearing his goofy PJ pants that night.
We get to do something Christmas-y, and all he has to do is change into something comfy and watch movies with just immediate family. So far he has been able to manage it, even when he has been feeling really crappy. We make sure to keep the movies funny... like Elf, Bad Santa, and National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. No sentimental junk. So far, so good!
What is your favorite way to handle the holidays now? Did you find a good coping mechanism, or maybe change some traditions? Any Suggestions or advice? Nothing is going to fix it, but sometimes the little things can help.
We can all use some good ideas! :tup:
For example, we've adjusted an existing tradition to make things smoother. I have always gotten my kids Christmas jammies as a gift they can open on Christmas Eve and wear to bed (pro-tip - it makes for better pictures in the morning if everybody has on cute PJs). Now instead of making the rounds of various family get-togethers on Christmas Eve (his and mine), we have officially declared Christmas Eve "our" family time and stay home. We all get Christmas Eve jammies, then spend the evening at home in them, order pizza and watch funny Christmas movies and cartoons. Insert a big eye-roll from my vet who doesn't wear "jammies"... but he's a good sport about wearing his goofy PJ pants that night.
We get to do something Christmas-y, and all he has to do is change into something comfy and watch movies with just immediate family. So far he has been able to manage it, even when he has been feeling really crappy. We make sure to keep the movies funny... like Elf, Bad Santa, and National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. No sentimental junk. So far, so good!