Friends, Family & Carers Forum

[NikNik]

When you think of the festive season, what reaction do you have?

If it's anything like this,  we need to talk 🙂

For this Topic Tuesday we will be looking at surviving the holiday season. We will be looking at common stressors (on top of what you already have to manage!) and strategies to get you through.

We will kick off at 7pm AEST

Hit the 'like' button below if you're going to join us.

[NikNik]

Hi Everyone!

I want to welcome you all to Topic Tuesday. Tonight we are discussing the "festive" season and getting through it in one piece!

I thought we could start by inviting you all to introduce yourself and tell us what sort of reaction you have when you think of the festive season / christmas - do you get tense or feel dread.. excited and looking forward to... indifferent?

[coffeegirl]

Hi!

I'm coffeegirl and I'm a coffee-holic 🙂

The from Christmas to after new years is one extreme to another for me - I love certain elements of it and then find myself really stressed about other stuff... so I just get.. exhausted from being so emotional.

[Eagle]

Christmas is quite stressful for me. I don't have time to consider my emotions, I'm too busy managing others' emotions!

[NikNik]

Welcome @Eagle and @coffeegirl 🙂

@coffeegirl great point - It's not as simple as either loving or hating it - you can have a mixed bag of emotions.

@eagle it sounds like your a key support for those around you! Needless to say - you deserve to experience the festive season without always having to managing everyone else 🙂

Can I ask, do either of you (or anyone else lurking 🙂 ) have things you like about this time of year?

[Eagle]

I love the weather and getting to the beach 🙂

[coffeegirl]

I like to think of myself as a bit of a cook. I don't like being lumped with all the cooking on Christmas - but I do like to do creative things... like cake decorations

[NikNik]

LOVE the beach too @Eagle

For many carers there is a unique range of challenges to us on an emotional, psychological and social level which can be compounded by the demands of a caring role. Which is why it's really important to identify situations/things/people that can escalate stress and/or anxiety and have plans on how to manage these before they take hold.

Are there any key "stressors" that you are aware of?

[Shaz51]

My husband  said there is tooo many people , he stresses out when we have too many christmas parties to go to and christmas day where we have to go to both parents places is so stressful that he becomes totally sick

[Eagle]

Oh where do I start -

Shopping centres

finances

family conflict (not all the time.. but there's potential)

Seeing the rest of my family who have a healthy functioning relationships (which I don't with the person I care for)

unripe avocados (odd... I know 🙂 , I use them a lot during the holiday period...)