Even in the best of times, holidays can be stressful. Add a global pandemic and social isolation to the mix and you could have the recipe for high anxiety or deep depression. KLCC’s Tiffany Eckert spoke to a mental health expert about facing hard choices and finding balance.
Nasim Talebreza-May is clinical program manager at the Center for Community Counseling in Eugene. She reminds it’s important to acknowledge the difficult position many of us are in.
“Trying to balance this idea of family and tradition and what we want-- versus what we know we should probably do,” she said.
On the one hand there’s the value of staying home and not contracting or transmitting COVID-19.
“And then on the other hand, we have years of tradition with our families of gathering together,” said Talebreza-May. “Here is a big decision that we have to make of whether or not we go home and you know, if two families gather together-- then who gets left out?”
As therapists are inclined to do, Talebreza-May posed her points as questions. ‘Do I want to make sacrifices for the greater good?’ or ‘If I’m feeling ok, does that mean that grama is going to be safe after I leave?’
“Is this holiday worth it possibly being the last holiday that we are all healthy and well?”
Talebreza-May said nothing beats talking about your feelings. Whether it’s fear, disappointment or that hum-bugger guilt, finding words to express how we feel-- and someone to listen-- is key.
The Center for Community Counseling is one mental health resource in Lane County that will be open right up though Christmas eve and New Year’s Eve.
