Beating Valentine’s Day Depression

Mental Health and Valentine’s Day

While Valentine’s Day is meant to be a day of joy and romance, a lot of people spend the day feeling lonely and depressed. In fact, some research suggests that Valentine’s Day is the start of an annual rise in suicide rates that peaks in April.¹  These statistics aren’t that surprising when you consider that relationship problems are the number one cause of suicides in today’s day and age.² For some people, the romance and love associated with Valentine’s Day become triggers for their depression. If you are feeling this way, it is important to get help immediately.

How to Deal With Valentine’s Day Depression

Whether you like it or not, Valentine’s Day is coming, but our Boca mental health facility has some tips to beat Valentine’s Day depression and make the most of this Hallmark holiday.

• Especially if you are suffering from heartbreak, avoid social media and the inevitable flood of couples’ photos that will fill up your feed for a few days.
• Though romantic love may be absent from your life right now, focus on the other types of love in your life and take a moment to appreciate the people who care about you.
• Misery loves company. Your single friends may be feeling down as well, so plan a fun Galentine’s Day activity. You will all forget about your Valentine’s Day woes.
• Be your own Valentine and spend the day treating yourself with something you enjoy.
• Give yourself words of affirmation instead of dwelling on any of the negativity you are feeling.
• Avoid the temptation to drink your problems away; it will only leave you feeling worse in the end. Also, if this behavior becomes your norm, you could wind up needing dual diagnosis treatment.
• Focus on healthy outlets like meditation, yoga, journaling, or going to the spa to cope with any poor feelings.
• While it is natural to feel everyone is in a relationship, remember that you are not the only one who is single and that being single has its perks.
• Don’t jump into a relationship or scramble to find a date just to avoid being single. A bad relationship and even a bad date can hurt your mental health.
• Avoid comparing yourself to others as it will only leave you feeling worse. While your friend’s relationship may look perfect, no relationship is without flaws.

When Your Valentine’s Day Depression is Too Much

If you have been battling depression for a long time now, it may be more than just a case of Valentine’s Day blues. Whether a heartbreak has sent you spiraling into a depression you cannot seem to get out of on your own or your mental health has been a lifelong struggle, there is something you can do. Instead of continuing to struggle on your own, a formal depression treatment program could help you finally start to lift this burden off of your shoulders.

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At Banyan Mental Health, we offer mood disorder treatment designed to help patients take back control of their lives. If you want to learn more for yourself or someone you love, call us today at 888-280-4763.

Sources:

1. WVLT - Suicide increase on Valentine’s Day
2. Washington Examiner - Broken relationships are at the heart of the suicide epidemic