A psychologist's survival guide for Grinches
"In many parts of the world, we are expected to love Christmas and embrace all things about it," writes Karen Rodham, professor of health psychology at Staffordshire University.
"Anyone who doesn't is quickly labelled a Grinch and advised to keep their views to themselves
so that they don't ruin a magical time for others. But how reasonable is this? And if you are a Grinch, how can you survive the yuletide season?"
Rodham has a few suggestions. Get support , she says. "Countless studies show that people who live with long term health conditions hugely benefit from finding other people who understand what they are experiencing, so one solution is to find other grinchy people – perhaps with the help of social media – among whom you can stay true to yourself."
You must be strategic. "If you can't face the thought of Christmas dinner but don't want to explain why? Why not conjure up another commitment which means you can only come to the pre-dinner drinks? Don't fall into the trap of feeling that you need to over-explain your other commitment – this is what people do when they lie!"
Whatever approach you adopt, Christmas can be a particularly draining time. It is therefore very important to be kind to yourself. Make sure you schedule things that are meaningful and restorative to you. Remember that the Christmas season, like everything, will pass."
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