Year-end blues hit Bengaluru

Bengalureans tell Metrolife why they feel glum during the holiday season and how they cope with it

As 2022 draws to a close, some Bengalureans are experiencing year-end blues. Psychologists use this term to describe feelings of sadness, irritability, introspection, and exhaustion many go through now.

“The end of the year is a period of reflection for the months gone by. This can lead to increased episodes of depression and anxiety. Because of cognitive bias, people usually tend to focus on the first and last few months of the year while they sweep every achievement they may have had in between, under the rug,” psychologist Nithya J Rao explains.

Metrolife spoke to Bengalureans about how they cope with year-end blues.

Antara Khaund decided to seek professional help in 2020. “It was around 2018 when I first noticed a pattern. Once the festive season concludes in October, gloom sets in. As I tend to reflect on the year, I am overcome with regret and guilt for not meeting professional and personal goals or not being in touch with important people in my life,” shares the public relation professional.

The festive season in December doesn’t help. “Christmas is important to me. But when I am already gloomy and there are too many plans to meet, it gets too much to handle. I get anxious and I crave for space,” she adds.

Today, she is glad to know that this “cocktail of emotions” has a name. “I was able to make peace with my emotions when I started going to therapy,” says the Domlur resident.

A common reason why people end up with year-end blues is because of the unrealistic expectations they set at the start of the year. Nithya illustrates, “If you read no books last year and set a goal of reading 150 in the current year, how will that work?”

Take the case of 43-year-old Arvind Dwarkanath. “This year, I wanted to lose weight and stay healthy. But somewhere along the way, I lost track. Now the remaining weeks are a constant reminder that I failed. I feel like I am entering a new year with (an emotional) baggage,” he says. He plans to start working out now rather than wait till January.

Banaswadi resident Sara James (name changed) is in the same boat. After two years of staying indoors because of the pandemic, I had plans of achieving new targets, grabbing new skills, and breaking habits like eating junk and sugary food. But not much has happened on these fronts,” she says. Being a November-born is a double whammy for her. “The year-end reminds me that I am growing a year older and that I haven’t achieved what I would have liked to,” says the 38-year-old.

She is re-evaluating her expectations and building a step-by-step plan and list of dos and don’ts for the upcoming year.

To avoid such disappointments, Nithya says people should set small and realistic goals and build on them year after year.

“It is important to enjoy the process, rather than just focus on the end product. Your goal shouldn’t just be about ticking boxes on a list, this will only provide a temporary dopamine rush,” says Shreya Giria, counselling psychologist.

Sometimes, it is down to the change of seasons. Fatima R, 24, was diagnosed with seasonal depression in 2019. “It was at its peak as I was living away from my family. At times, I wouldn’t want to get out of bed. I decided to see a doctor. Now I know why I feel this way,” she says.

Travelling helps her beat the blues. “I try to fit in as many trips as I can in the last three months. While I visit new places, I make it a point to visit familiar places because I find them more comforting,” says the mass communication student.

According to Shreya, year-end blues also stem from the capitalistic way of life, which is regimented by design and pushes us to keep working and behaving in the same manner year-round. “This isn’t fair as we are highly contextual beings,” she says.

Tips to beat the blues

Low levels of Vitamin D and B12 can also lead to year-end blues, says psychologist Nitya J Rao. “Get your B12 level checked and get as much sun exposure as possible. These will boost your mood,” she says.
She also recommends journaling: “Write down one important thing that happened to you each month or something you are grateful for. It is also important to reflect on your loss, if any.”

Counselling psychologist Shreya Giria says don’t exert yourself to achieve goals last minute. “Set boundaries and learn to say ‘no’ to certain things,” she says.