"Help! The holidays make me so sad"

Almost 60% of us feel down this time of year— that’s why we asked the experts for simple ways to heal holiday melancholy and find true joy

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Feel your feelings

Outsmart hidden triggers

’Tis the most wonderful time of the year—except it often isn’t. And that’s okay. The roots of our emotions often stretch back decades. “You may not have received gifts as a kid or you may not have felt loved during the holidays,” observes psychotherapist Pamela D. Blair, PhD, who suggests taking a look at emotional triggers. Awareness is the first step to pinpointing a coping mechanism, like finding a trusted “grief buddy,” she suggests. “Having a friend you can exchange stories with helps you find hope.”

Draw a heart