Post Diwali Depression

The festival of lights brings us so much joy and happiness. It’s not just the day of the festival, but the anticipation, the preparations, and the happy hangover for a couple of days after Diwali are some of the great things about this festival. Moreover, the food, the clothes, and the family meetups are the best part. All of us let go of all the stress and worry for a few days and make the most of the time we all have during Diwali. It fills us all with a sense of belongingness and fulfilment by just spending happy time with one another.

However, like all good things, this grand celebration of Diwali also has to come to an end. Returning to your everyday routine now might feel exhausting and one might feel lonely. This state of emptiness and melancholy can be referred to as ‘Post-Diwali Depression’. These holiday blues might hamper our productivity and push us further down the rabbit hole. It becomes hard to follow the normality that follows after this intense rush, both physically and mentally. It is not just the loneliness that contributes to post-Diwali depression, there could be numerous other factors as to why this happens.

Factors Contributing to Post-Diwali Depression

Exhaustion

The preparations for this festival are as huge as the anticipation and celebration of it. Cooking, decorating, buying things, organizing, and spending quality time can exhaust you once the festival is over. One is highly emotionally invested in this, and when that emotional excitement is over, it can wear you out and make your mood low.

Financial Problems

Everyone feels the pressure to celebrate this festival extravagantly. ‘The clothes you wear that day should be new and expensive’, ‘You should grandly conduct the Pooja’ or ‘ You are supposed to burst many crackers after the Pooja’ are just some of the factors that require money, maybe more than one can afford. It can leave you with depression, stress, and feelings of guilt.

The Contrast Effect

‘The Contrast Effect’ happens when you compare two things about each other rather than assessing them independently. You might start comparing your routine and life during Diwali with the one after it. The happiness, social interactions, and bursts of lights and colours are at their peak during this and not going back to your routine might feel mundane, grey, and boring.

Recognize the Symptoms

It is very important to recognize the symptoms of holiday blues before it affects any area of your life severely. Following are the symptoms one might feel if they have post-diwali depression. While it is not a diagnosed condition, it has few of the same symptoms as depression.

• Lack of energy and motivation to be productive.
• Loss of interest in our everyday routine and tasks.
• Facing difficulties in concentration.
• Constant fatigue, despite getting adequate amounts of rest and sleep.
• Feeling lonely and isolating yourself.
• Sadness and melancholy that is persistent even after a while.
• Anxiety about the future and finances.

Strategies to Overcome Post-Diwali Depression

Now that we have familiarized ourselves with the reason why post-Diwali depression happens and what symptoms we should look out for, it is important that we also know how to deal with it effectively.

1. Stay Connected: Social media is full of people posting their beautiful Diwali pictures and wishing each other best wishes. It is important to maintain this social connection even after the festival is over. It gives a sense of belongingness and you might not be the only one feeling these holiday blues.
2. Set Financial Goals: As mentioned previously, Diwali brings a financial burden along with it. The process of buying new things and gifting might take a toll on your purse. Assess your expenditure before and after Diwali and plan your budget accordingly. Creating a plan regarding your finances will give you a sense of security and get rid of the anxiety.
3. Set New Goals: Set new and realistic goals that will help you look forward and motivate you. These goals could be related to health, work, finances, relationships, personal growth, or something else entirely. Doing this may shift your focus away from sadness and anxiety and towards your new achievable goals.
4. Practice Gratitude: Be thankful for all the moments you spent with your loved ones and be happy during this festival of lights. Focus on all the positive memories of this event. Moreover, you can also practice mindfulness meditation. It helps you to be anchored to the present and look back at the past fondly.
5. Limit Social Media Usage: While social media is a great way to stay connected to people, it also brings negativity with it. If you are excessively following everything on social media, it tends to take a negative toll on your mental health. You might see someone extravagantly celebrating Diwali and feel sad that you have not done anything such. If scrolling on social media makes you feel any such negative feelings, consider taking a break.
6. Seek Professional Help: It is alright to feel low and sad when a festival like Diwali comes to an end and everyone has to return to normality. It becomes a problem when it severely interferes with your routine. Seeking out for professional help if and when necessary gives you an insight into the root cause of your problems and feelings associated with it. It can help to adopt effective and healthy coping strategies.

Read More: How do I know I need Therapy?: Psychologist Speaks

Conclusion

Diwali brings a lot of joy, happiness, and love along with it, but it might also have some negative effects once it is all over. While these negative effects are normal to some extent and it is alright to feel nostalgic, it is not supposed to hamper your life and routine entirely. Overcome the post- Diwali depression through practices like mindfulness meditation, staying connected with your loved ones, setting financial goals, and seeking professional help when necessary.