Hello Everyone,
I HOPE this week has treated you well AND that you are keeping up with your new year resolutions. A lot that has happened around us would not have simply changed — and neither the pain that it may have caused — but this year we can all work together to change our mindset and develop new and healthy ways to cope with these issues.
By tomorrow, most of us will have resumed our ‘normal’ life — back to work, school, gym, healthy eating, no drinking, etc. (as much as COVID-19 will let us) It is really hard to adjust back to our regular routines after holidays, especially Christmas. It was a long break with so much going on in between.

There are a few things that we have to deal with now that the holidays have come to an end. I would like to speak about them in the hope of making the transition easier for as many as possible, as even I struggle with this. The first is loneliness. Many of us do an unusual amount of socialising during the Christmas season, which makes us feel noticed and loved, whether we realise it at the time or not. Some people find this adjustment hard as others are back to their busy, personal and private lives.
Another thing is going back to or starting a healthier lifestyle. Those who read my column often know that I always preach eating right, sleeping more and exercising often. This is not at all for vanity or weight reasons, but rather I genuinely believe in the term ‘healthy body, healthy mind.’ I believe when we look and feel our best, we turn that confidence inwards, build better self-esteem and are automatically better equipped to deal with daily life’s stressors.

The comings and goings of our families during the season also result in sadness and in extreme cases, separation anxiety. So many of us had family come in or that we visited, whom we are still missing today. Separation anxiety is a psychological disorder where an individual feels excessive anxiety or sadness when leaving a home environment or loved ones, where there is a strong attachment. It can be both long or short term, sometimes requiring medication and other times, disappearing with distraction or regular communication with the ones missed. Deeply missing loved ones after the holidays is normal. I have experienced this as an international student. For a few weeks, after I left Guyana and returned to wherever I was at the time, I know both my family and I suffered this. I felt this way about my family, friends, roti and green mango. Seriously- I’m not downplaying the seriousness of this feeling, I honestly felt that way over all of the above — things I was used to daily and that comforted me.

So, how do we adjust back to normal life quickly and easily, in a way that promotes good mental health? Easy! First and foremost, do not continue over drinking and eating as so many do. Yet again, start a healthier lifestyle — this is different for everyone and you will know what physical activity works best for you.
Incorporate some of the new things you learnt over the holidays into your routine life. For example, if you really loved a certain meal, look to cook it; if you met someone nice, stay in touch; if you visited somewhere nice that brought you joy, keep a trinket or reminder nearby. This keeps the excitement as well as provides new learning and social opportunities.
Make a list of things to look forward to. January is always a slow month, which causes people to be bored and feel a little down- make a list if it helps. Is there a birthday coming up? Anniversary? Wedding? Quality time with special people? Etc. This will produce new excitement that may have disappeared along with the holiday season.
Continue to make plans with your friends and family. Yes, people are busy again but it doesn’t mean you have to wait for another big holiday to see them again.

For those who miss their families and have the means to keep up with social media and the latest technologies. I’m aware that it is not as good as personal interaction, but with the technology and apps available these days, it’s actually quite hard to miss someone. I’m sure most of us would be used to this method of communication since COVID began.

For those of you who are studying or working abroad–take it from me–home will always be here. It will not drastically change or forget about you. Missing things and people while looking forward to seeing them has a positive impact on the relationship. In the meantime, do new activities — there is so much more available to you which will encourage growth and development. Enjoy the independence which is caused by this alone time and distance.

Thanking you for reading. Please keep sending any topics you’d like to talk about to caitlinvieira@gmail.com . For private counselling, please call or message +592 623 0433
Suicide Prevention Helpline numbers: 223-0001, 223-0009, 623-4444, 600-7896

Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always