Depression or post-holiday syndrome: how to avoid it?

Ending your vacation and having to deal with your routine again can lead to post-vacation depression or post-vacation syndrome. This state is characterized by apathy, tiredness and lack of motivation and is associated with returning to work.

Find out which ones in this article most common symptoms And how to deal with depression after the holidays are over.

What is post-holiday syndrome?

It is not a disease, but an adaptive disorder. Post-vacation syndrome occurs when a person has assimilation difficulties a change in your habitsafter a generally long holiday.

The reality is that this adaptation process affects most people, but not everyone in the same way. When this change cannot be overcomesymptoms appear that damage well-being. These include anxiety, occasional episodes of insomnia, and profound apathy.

But how long can post-holiday syndrome last? Normally, It doesn’t last more than two weeks.

✅ Important! Women are the ones who suffer most from post-vacation syndrome. It is possible that there is a connection between the stress return to work and greater responsibility at home or in the family.

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Does post-holiday syndrome really exist?

There is no consensus among experts when it comes to defining or classifying post-vacation syndrome. It is true that none of them define it as a pathology and some even deny the possibility of suffering from post-holiday depression.

Whether it is a disorder or not, it is undeniable that some people have it difficulty internalizing this change after the holidays. And it is precisely for this reason that we must stop and reflect on the origin of this malaise: is it due to the return to routine, or rather to the return to harmful working conditions?

For many people, readjusting to work after a period of rest is unhealthy. It’s a abrupt transition between the tranquility of leisure days and completely different days, sometimes marked by a huge workload stress. When there is professional dissatisfactionthis transition is inevitably more difficult. And if it’s a work under pressureSo, don’t even talk about it.

Therefore, the psychological imbalance caused by post-vacation syndrome may have more to do with the work environment and perception of work, than with the return to the work routine itself.

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Symptoms of post-vacation depression or post-vacation syndrome

Some experts compare the symptoms of post-holiday depression or post-holiday syndrome to those of stress. In most cases, the psychological effects end up having physical consequences that include:

• Insomnia or difficulty falling asleep;
• Apathy;
• Lack of motivation at work;
• Headaches and abdominal pain;
• Bad mood, with occasional drastic changes;
• Lack of energy at work, but also in daily household chores;
• Decreased productivity at work;
• The most serious cases of post-holiday depression involve tremors, episodes of anxiety and even palpitations. In these cases it is advisable to consult a specialist.

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How to deal with returning to work after holidays?

Experts recommend following a series of instructions for those who suffer from adaptation problems after a long holiday period:

1. Avoid taking work home with you. Although it is not always possible to free yourself from worries, it is important to protect your personal life. Choose to turn off email notifications and/or avoid work WhatsApp groups;

2. Lean on family and colleagues. Share your concerns about quality of life with them. Socializing has been shown to be a powerful neutralizer of post-vacation depression symptoms;

3. Sleep at least 7 hours a day. It is important to ensure good quality sleep;

4. Gradually return to your routine. Try to reserve the first week for readjustment activities that aren’t too stressful. For example, plan your first week to do the most «enjoyable» tasks, leaving the ones you don’t like so much until later;

5. Limit overtime at work. At least during the first few weeks, after returning to work.

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