Even though the word "holiday" is supposed to evoke images of carefree fun and frolic, we all know the truth: The holiday season is one of the most stressful times of the year.

No matter what is causing our "winter blues," it is important to stay on our own side and have faith that these moods can and will pass. To fight these battles, we must believe in our own resilience, in our ability to tolerate pain and to overcome the inevitable hurdles life brings.

We are in the throes of the holiday season, a merry time of year -- but that's not true for many of us, who are living less-than-perfect lives. Here are some tips that can help you to cope with holiday stress when you are feeling out of sorts.

This time of the year I get a barrage of patients who feel terribly stressed due to the holidays. I tell my patients they have a choice: participate in the frenzy of the season, or reduce stress by changing their view and celebrating in a way that is unique to them and truly theirs.

Conversations that include difficulties as well as blessings bring people together. Once sorrow is expressed and comfort is received, we tend to feel better. As the burden of faking it is lifted, there is so much more energy and connection available

It's very easy to fall into a "poor me, nobody loves me, I'm going to go eat worms" state of mind when you don't have any invitations for the holidays. Alternatively, you could choose to enjoy your holidays anyway. It's all in how you see it and who you hold accountable for the situation.

There are many reasons why we suffer from holiday stress, but one of the reasons is we unknowingly put undue pressure on ourselves with unrealistic expectations that generally revolve around family, friends, time management and spending.

Wait ... hear that? That's our collective sigh marking the fact that the great holiday season of 2011 has finally come to a close. And while for ma...

It's not at all unusual for people to feel more anxious, exhausted, frustrated or depressed at this time of year than they typically do. And what's more, we feel like we are alone in our unhappiness. This common misperception only adds to our pain.

A genuine decision to quit calls for a shift into a new relationship with the hard-edged reality of smoking. At this time of year winter blues and holiday stress, as well as holiday hype and disappointments, provide plenty of triggers for smoking addiction to feed upon.

By Tammy Worth It's a myth that suicide is more common around the holidays (springtime is actually the peak). But holiday cheer isn't a given eit...

It is terribly ironic that the holidays, which are meant to be a time for celebration, joy, family, loved ones, connection, harmony and contentment, bring sadness and depression to so many people. Why is this the case?

If you find yourself on a trajectory of anticipating an awful Thanksgiving, consider what you might do to change that. Ultimately, how you experience that day is a reflection of your attitude.

Holidays can either sync you or sink you. If creative thinking produces ideas that move in diverging directions, there's never a better time than right now to brace yourself and bring it on.

Did you know that sleep deprivation can lead to depression and suicidal tendencies? Dr. Oexman pointed out that chronic sleep decreases serotonin, And if you're low on serotonin, you're not thinking or reacting as well as you should.

This is not for you if you're one of those people who thinks about the upcoming holidays with your family and considers how very lucky you are to have each other.

Let me define Blah. Blah is when I can't really complain about anything but don't have much energy. Blah is when I'm lacking passion and everything is beige.