Navigating Christmas Worries: Managing Seasonal Anxiety

The festive season can amplify feelings of loneliness and anxiety, with worries often manifesting as 'what if' scenarios. Metacognitive therapy suggests techniques like 'worry postponement' to manage these feelings, emphasizing the importance of questioning beliefs about worry's utility and controlling responses to reduce its impact.

The festive season often exacerbates feelings of loneliness and anxiety, transforming ordinary concerns into urgent issues. This surge in pressure gives rise to various 'what if' scenarios that can lead to excessive worrying.

Psychologists differentiate between worry, a thought process, and anxiety, a physical response. Metacognitive therapy highlights the significance of beliefs about worry, which can perpetuate the cycle by making it feel uncontrollable. Positive beliefs might include thoughts like 'worrying helps me prepare,' while negative beliefs may view worry as uncontrollable.

Techniques such as 'worry postponement' aim to disrupt this cycle. By confining worries to a specific time slot, individuals can reduce their impact. Studies indicate this method, paired with reframing beliefs, helps mitigate anxiety and enhances practical problem-solving over incessant worrying.

(With inputs from agencies.)