Is the New Year a good time to tackle stress and anxiety?

Many cultures around the world associate the change of year with hope for a better future. In the West we often tie this to the tradition of making New Year resolutions and ringing in the New Year. But is there really a better time to try and improve your life?

The fact that you are reading these words, suggests that you have been thinking of making a change. It could be that you have a longstanding problem that you are seeking to address. Perhaps you are one of many who find the Festive Season to be full of added stress, anxiety and judgement. Maybe you just want to change things for the better.

Seeing friends and family in an unusually hectic timeframe can be a joyous thing, but many people experience anxiety around the forced social conventions that come with Christmas Parties and a significant number will have feelings akin to dread when anticipating festive family reunions. The start of a new year is a natural time to take stock and think about where we have come from and where we want to go. Thinking about help with problem habits that got out of hand in the past few weeks, or looking for new ways to look at life are some of the most common requests a therapist may get in January. As with many things in life, there is a shadow side to the festivity that can draw us all away from the positive. However, negative reactions to the shared celebration are not necessary and they don’t have to endure.

At this time of year the ghost of Covid still haunts many people’s experience of life. One of the most reported by-products of the lockdown process is increased social anxiety. For some, the thought of catching a virus still creates anxiety. One of the most commonly reported experiences since “normality” returned is increased anxiety around social situations. Whether it is a staff party or meal out with extended family, large groups and loud places have become a source of anxiety where once they may have been the motivation for socialising. Small stresses can be the trigger for wider worries.

And what if you have emerged from the festive period with self doubt and negative thoughts as an everyday feature of your life? Perhaps things didn’t work out as you wanted this year or maybe such a long time around judgemental family members has left you feeling diminished and frail. At these times when you feel flat or can’t shake negativity, Therapy can seem like someone holding out a hand to steady you. Simply having someone make time to concentrate on you, without judgement or agenda can provide the relief you need to take a breath and see what lies ahead.

The New Year is a unique time for self-reflection. However, self-reflection can be a two edged sword if unguided. Sometimes people need help to direct that powerful resource towards a positive future, rather than focussing on what is wrong with their lives. Seeing a Psychotherapist or engaging with Hypnotherapy are both processes that require some energy and discipline, but the potential change you can make to your life is a reward that will last a lifetime. By understanding where your stress, anxiety or destructive tendencies come from, you can begin to shape a future without them and ring the changes at any time of year.