Holidays are a time for celebration and joy. But if you have chronic pain and other disabilities, it can be hard to enjoy the holidays when they seem to bring more stress than joy. You might have had some of these experiences:

Christmas is coming. You know it, and you hope your body can handle it.

Christmas can be stressful, and it’s easy to end up feeling like you’re running on fumes. You may not realize how hard the holiday season is on you until after everything has passed. The stress of Christmas can cause physical problems and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. It’s important to take care of yourself during this time so that you don't end up with a major problem down the road—or worse, end up in the hospital with stress-related problems!

The tree is up. The decorations are out. The music is playing.

There is a lot to do beforehand, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. For example, you can make a plan for your holiday shopping. That way, when you begin shopping, you won't feel like there's no end in sight and will be able to focus on each task as it comes up.

Another thing that helps me personally is knowing my triggers: what makes me more stressed? Being annoyed by family members? Working too many hours at my job? Getting caught in traffic? Knowing these things allows me to plan around them so I can stay calm and get through the holidays without feeling overwhelmed or depressed.

It’s Christmas time again, and you remember last year when the blues hit hard in mid-December.

You’re not alone. You’ve been feeling blue for a while, and you know what it’s like to feel sad over the holiday season. Maybe you’re feeling this way because of family? Maybe it's because of friends? Either way, it's okay that you're not feeling 100% right now.

It's okay to take some time off from social media and television until January 1st—it's actually recommended! Try and spend some time with people who make you happy (like those close to your heart) instead of worrying yourself with what everyone else is doing on Facebook or Twitter during their holiday vacations abroad. Focus on yourself, focus on how much love there is in your life and re-evaluate what matters most!

You thought you could handle more parties and time with the family. But the demands of family and friends were too much because you have chronic pain. Your PTSD flared up after an argument with a relative about your disability. And the chronic fatigue returned with a vengeance because everyone wanted you to do more than you could reasonably do.

You thought you could handle more parties and time with the family. But the demands of family and friends were too much because you have chronic pain. Your PTSD flared up after an argument with a relative about your disability. And the chronic fatigue returned with a vengeance because everyone wanted you to do more than you could reasonably do.

It’s okay to take a break when you need one, ask for help when you need it, and don’t feel bad about needing time to yourself or not being able to do as much as you used to be able to do before your disability hit.

Now the holidays are here again, and you want to prepare for the blues before they hit this year so that you can enjoy them more.

Now the holidays are here again, and you want to prepare for the blues before they hit this year so that you can enjoy them more. Did you know that if you know what your triggers are, then it's easier to plan ahead? If not, that's okay too! Nobody has perfect knowledge of their own stressors; but even if you don't happen to be aware of what causes holiday stress for you personally, there are still ways to avoid it.

First off: think about what it is that makes your life stressful on a regular basis. Is it work? Relationships? If so, these can easily be one of the biggest causes behind holiday stress as well. When we're busy at work or feeling insecure in our relationships during busy times like these (and let's face it—the whole time), it becomes harder than ever to deal with other people who may also have those same problems coming up over the holidays themselves! But just because something might cause some extra stress doesn't mean there aren't ways around them either...

Here’s how to prepare for possible holiday stressors so that they don't become full-blown crises this season:

• Know your triggers and make a plan for dealing with them.

• Make a list of the things that you know will stress you out this holiday season, then brainstorm ways to deal with those stressors when they come up. For example, if family drama always makes you tense, maybe consider writing down everything that happens in order to release some tension later on (or maybe just document it for later use).

• Think about what activities are going to help you keep your cool this Christmas: maybe it's taking time away from friends and family by shopping alone at the mall; maybe it's calling a friend or two every day so you can vent without anyone judging; or maybe it's journaling every night before bedtime so that nothing builds up inside of you until one day explodes in an ugly way.

1) Know your triggers and make a plan for dealing with them – Really spend time thinking about what causes you stress during the holidays, so that when those situations arise, you already have plans in place on how to deal with them or avoid them altogether.

• Know your triggers and make a plan for dealing with them – Really spend time thinking about what causes you stress during the holidays, so that when those situations arise, you already have plans in place on how to deal with them or avoid them altogether. If all else fails, don’t be afraid to ask for help from family members or friends. It can feel embarrassing at first but once it’s out there in the open it becomes easier to deal with the situation without feeling like everyone is watching you.

Conclusion

You can do this! The holidays are going to be hard, but with some preparation and planning, you can make them great.