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American Morning
Holiday Blues in Manhattan; How to Fight the Holiday Blues
Aired December 24, 2001 - 08:44 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Many Americans say they feel less festive than usual this holiday, both because of the lingering grief over the terrorist attacks, and concern for U.S. forces in harms way around the world.
As CNN's Jason Carroll explains, it all hits very close to home for the residents of lower Manhattan.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's been a while since people who lived in the shadows of the World Trade Center have been able to come together, to smile and rejoice.
But Battery Park City...
NANCY LOVING, BATTERY PARK RESIDENT: The park is crowded today...
CARROLL: ...is a community that is slowly coming back to life, one family at a time.
N. LOVING: We're not going to have the life that we had, but we weren't ready to just pick up and move somewhere else.
CARROLL: Nancy and Kevin Loving, along with thousands of others fled their homes on September 11th. They are among the few who want to return. But for months it hasn't been safe.
N. LOVING: They detected asbestos and fiberglass. So they are doing an abatement.
CARROLL: Their home is a window away from ground zero. In their children's bedroom, scattered clothes. On a desk in the living room, disorganized papers, a metaphor for their lives, which has been interrupted by several moves and some temporary apartments. And many good byes, to friends who've decided it's just too painful to stay.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right. Bye. Love you guys.
CARROLL (on camera): : Do you understand though, why some people want to leave?
N. LOVING: Absolutely. KEVIN LOVING, BATTERY PARK RESIDENT: Absolutely yes. I mean, it's proven to be very difficult.
CARROLL (voice-over): In such a difficult time, it's hard working in a holiday. Or even having the spirit.
N. LOVING: Now, onto the Christmas list. Try to get happy. I know it's hard.
CARROLL (on camera): In combination with everything else that you're dealing with. How do you do that? How does that work?
N. LOVING: Well we -- yeah, he's laughing because...
K. LOVING: It doesn't work, didn't work.
N. LOVING: It does -- It will work, No. It will work. What about puzzles? He really loves puzzles -- there is so much sadness. But at the same time it's so important, shopping yesterday for some of the Christmas things. It made me happy again, it made me -- you know what? It was our opportunity to give, to stop focusing on ourselves.
CARROLL (voice-over): Instead of themselves, the Lovings are focusing on others, namely their three children. Weston, Elise and Elliot.
K. LOVING: Yeah, right there, that's good.
CARROLL: This Christmas they made a few ornaments.
WESTON LOVING: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and I think its silly.
CARROLL: And added the names of their schoolmates who moved away. By the New Year, they should be back in their real home. But they say they already have the best gift of all, each other.
Jason Carol, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Getting a handle on the holidays is always a challenge even in the best of times. The events of September 11th and the subsequent military action now under way have added to the usual stress for many Americans. So how can you cope? For some guidance, we turn to an expert.
Kristine Medea is a psychotherapist, and she is the Director with the National Mental Health Association of Georgia. She joins us right here. Good to have you with us.
KRISTINE MEDEA, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA: Thank you, good morning.
O'BRIEN: This is -- I would think, for a psychotherapist -- this would be a particularly challenging season. It's always a challenging time, I know. How do you -- what reference points do you use? How do you even decide how to react to it, when people are so blue, this particular Christmas?
MEDEA: Well, some of the things that we try to do is to get people to take stock of what they have and the direction they want to go with their families. To simplify, to pare down a little bit and get back to those traditions that we get so busy that we overlook. We go back to the things that have meaning for our family.
O'BRIEN: So, if anything, that is something good that can come out of this terrible event that we've all endured, that people at least take stock of what's important.
MEDEA: That's true, and I think that as families are looking about things to do, they can simplify their stress. There's a lot of stress that goes with the holidays in getting back to some of those simpler traditions. Going for a walk, looking at lights, spending time with family. It's not all about materialism and getting gifts to people.
We also encourage people to get outside of themselves. There's a lot of sadness and grief that's going on right now. We want to encourage people to give to others at this time. You know, go and spend some time -- make a new tradition with your family to go and spend some time at a shelter. And give back to the community in some way. These types of things help quite a lot.
O'BRIEN: Give us a sense of the kinds of stories you are hearing from people when they tell you, I just can't get into the spirit of the holiday for obvious reasons. What do you tell them to do?
MEDEA: Well, we're encouraging people to connect with others in the community primarily. There's a sense that people want to isolate. They want to pull back, when in fact we need to look forward and we need to make sure that they are connecting with their friends. And if they are not close with their loved ones, make a family, a circle of support for themselves. Go out to community centers, get involved in the community.
O'BRIEN: If you know somebody in your family who you think is particularly hard hit by this.
MEDEA: Yes.
O'BRIEN: What should you do about it? It's sort of a ticklish area?
MEDEA: Well I think one of the important things is not to avoid it. To go ahead and approach it and say I'm noticing you're having a hard time. And it makes sense that you are having a hard time right now. And what can I do to support you in that? And can we make a plan? Is there something that would be useful?
I think that encouraging people to not drink a lot during the season, which we tend to overeat and overdrink during this time. Keep a regular schedule, encourage them to get sleep. Because sleep does get disrupted when people are feeling anxious and distressed. And trying to keep a regular exercise schedule, just going for a walk. You know, getting out and being outside is a good thing.
O'BRIEN: Is it true that the holidays are a blue time for people? We say that, but we never really back it up with any sort of facts. Or is it just that we confuse a lot of stress and activity with real depression.
MEDEA: Well, I think that what's true is that this is a very stressful time. We are overcommitted. We are asked to do lots of things, and we feel we have to go overbudget and these kinds of things. I don't think that we have higher rate of depression during this time of year. However, after Christmas, we do see a decline and where people are experiencing more depressive symptoms. You know, they're having a hard time getting back with things. There's the after-the-holiday drop that happens.
O'BRIEN: You know, we were just talking right before we went on the air. It's hard to remember a Christmas that has had such a pall over it. For us really there is no Christmas like this, is there?
MEDEA: Yes. No. This is very different experience for us. And I think that, across the country people are stunned and certainly people in my age range can't remember a time, really, that it has ever been like this. And I don't know that in our history there ever has been a time.
O'BRIEN: All right. So, the nutshell advice, if you're out there feeling a little shaky.
MEDEA: Take good care of yourself. Pace yourself. Only do what you need to be doing. Don't overcommit and stick with the budget. Exercise, get good sleep. Take good care. Have fun.
O'BRIEN: All right. Just what the doctor order. Psychotherapist Kristine Medea. We appreciate you being with us and we appreciate your words of advice.
MEDEA: Thank you. Happy Holidays.
O'BRIEN: Same to you.
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