Valentine’s Day can be a happy day for many people, an exciting time for couples to celebrate their love and build new memories. But for many people, even those in relationships, Valentine’s Day can be a source of stress, anxiety, and even depression. The day can bring to mind past heartbreaks, loneliness, or dissatisfaction in your current relationship. Valentine’s Day depression is a common experience, but it isn’t one you have to deal with alone. If Valentine’s Day brings up feelings of isolation and depression, a depression treatment program can help.
In Atlanta Center for Mental Health’s depression treatment program, you will learn to identify the underlying fears and experiences that contribute to depression and how to combat them. Our compassionate and caring staff has years of experience helping clients improve their mental health and overcome depression. If you are seeking depression treatment in Atlanta, GA, call Atlanta Center for Mental Health at 833.625.0458 to learn how we can help you today.
Three Tips to Overcome Valentine’s Day Depression
Everybody’s experience with depression is different, and Valentine’s Day depression may trigger for a variety of reasons. Usually, though, Valentine’s Day is a constant reminder of everything wrong in your love life. Overcoming Valentine’s Day depression is often about prioritizing your own mental health and avoiding the aspects of the holiday that depress you. You can do that by celebrating other types of love, practicing mindfulness, and disconnecting from social media.
1. Celebrate Other Types of Love
Not all love is romantic. Celebrating the friends and family in your life can take your mind off of romantic troubles and remind you of the joy they bring. You can make plans to see a close friend or write Valentine’s Day cards for a family member. You could even celebrate self-love by making plans to relax and re-energize with a quiet night in or reward yourself with a gift. Search for the relationships and activities that make you happy and make your Valentine’s Day about them.
2. Practice Mindfulness
Sometimes, the spiral into depression can begin with a single thought. If you’re single on Valentine’s Day, it could be something like: “I’m alone today. Maybe I’ll never find love.” That kind of thought process can spiral further into overgeneralizing and distorted, catastrophic thinking that leaves you locked into negative thought patterns.
Mindfulness can help you learn to shut out the mental noise, process negative emotions, and change your frame of mind. These can include practices such as:
- Breathing exercises
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Journaling
- Painting
Doing these practices daily has been associated with lowered stress and anxiety and can help you through a difficult Valentine’s Day.
3. Disconnect From Social Media
Many people report feeling especially depressed and anxious after scrolling social media. Seeing idealized and curated pictures of the love lives of friends, family, or celebrities can make you feel left out and envious. This Valentine’s Day, consider taking some time away from social media and focusing on yourself and your real-world relationships.
Find Relief From Valentine’s Day Depression at a Depression Treatment Center
Though these tips can be a useful tool for dealing with Valentine’s Day depression, you may continue to struggle with your mental health. If you’re experiencing depression this Valentine’s Day, do not be afraid to speak up. There are resources available to help you at Atlanta Center for Mental Health. Our depression treatment program in Atlanta, GA, is dedicated to helping our clients overcome depression and reclaim their lives. Make an appointment to speak with a professional at our Atlanta, GA, depression treatment center by calling 833.625.0458 or filling out our online contact form.
