Ten Tips for Surviving the Holidays with Depression

5. Scale back on your decorating - and don't feel guilty about it. If you normally decorate everything in sight, limit yourself to a tree and a wreath. Don't sweat it - does the quantity of your house's holiday swag really determine whether you're a Grinch or not?

6. Stay away from alcohol. Seriously. Even if you normally drink socially, if the holiday season is making your depression worse, then the last thing you need is alcohol. Remember that alcohol is a depressant. It may not feel that way, since it initially relaxes you, but it ultimately will be detrimental to your mood.

7. Under no circumstances should you host any events. Use whatever excuse you have to in order to get out of it. Promise to do it two years in a row when you're feeling better, because trust me, it's a bad idea. Even if you manage to pull things off perfectly, there will be a high cost to your peace of mind.

8. If you don't have a therapist, find one, at least on a short-term basis. It's crucial at this time of the year to have someone objective to talk to. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy might be helpful if you're committed to banishing negative thoughts when they crop up. Talk to your doctor to figure out what's right for you.

9. If the usual holiday music is grating, try listening to classical or jazz renditions of carols. I have a Starbucks Holiday Baroque Music album that's one of my favorites, depressed or not.

10. One of the worst things about the season is that everyone and everything seems to be saying that you should be enjoying yourself, so of course that makes you feel guilty. Don't. Please remember that you have an illness. Just think of it as having the flu. You wouldn't expect too much of yourself if you were laid up with the flu. Just do what you can. As far as other people are concerned, depending on how much you want to tell them, you can either say that you're having a tough time because of your depression or just say that you're really stressed because of everything that needs to be done. Almost everyone can relate to feeling that way.