First Psychology blog

It’s that time of year again when the festive season creeps up on us and we lose ourselves in a frenzy of buying last minute gifts and tying up every single loose end at work so that we can take some time off. Why is it that this ‘wonderful time of the year’, which should be a time for celebrating and enjoying the festive atmosphere, turns into a stressful affair? Emotional and financial worries are usually to blame for the amount of stress we undergo, causing us headaches, nausea and insomnia, which can have a detrimental effect on the heart. Research published by medical journal,  BMJ , has shown that there is a higher risk of heart attacks during the Christmas period, and it’s no surprise. Christmas can be a very expensive time of year that many of us can’t afford but it doesn’t have to be that way and there are ways we can ease the stress and the financial burden. Cut back on spending Although it’s considered to be a season of giving, this doesn’t mean you have t...

Although it should be a happy time of the year, the festive season can be a worrying time where finances are concerned. In the run-up to Christmas, when we're expected to be preparing for a season of fun and festivity, many of us become more anxious and stressed as the Big Day approaches. Undoubtedly, it’s an expensive time of year when money worries become even more concerning. Debtpression We’ve all the heard the phrase ‘money is power’, and a study in the Journal of Consumer Research saw participants actually salivating at the concept of money when primed to feel they lacked power. So what then of debt? How does it effect how we feel about ourselves and what is debtpression? Many people equate money with power and success, believing it to make them appear more attractive, popular and successful to others. Conversely, not feeling able to spend can create a strong sense of powerlessness and failure, which can be highly disturbing. Debt equates to emotional pain. Indeed, ...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – but for many of us, it’s also the time when we do lots of things for other people and can easily lose sight of what is good for us and our closest friends and family. As we are pulled in different directions and have many things to do, what is meant to be valuable family time can get railroaded, leaving us feeling stressed and short tempered. So what can we do to avoid Christmas burnout and ensure that we spend quality time with our nearest and dearest over the festive period? Set time aside to share At no other point in the year is a calendar more important than December. There are places to be, things to do and the demands on our time are all encompassing. Make sure that you schedule in quality time with your family. We don’t mean sat in front of the TV (though you can schedule time in for that too!). We really mean being mindful about how you spend your time together. Even in very close families, Christmas will mean different things for e...

With the darker nights coming earlier accompanied by colder temperatures, treating yourself to a glass of alcohol in the evening to heat yourself up and unwind might be the obvious choice. However, daily tipples combined with those wild Christmas nights on the town could cause more problems than a bad hangover... Despite it being a popular way to de-stress around family, relax around awkward moments with colleagues, and experiment with that new dance move, alcohol can become a more serious issue when we fail to recognise that we're drinking much more than we should. This can result in bad decisions being made, jobs being threatened, relationships tested, or even a dependence on alcohol developing that will be hard to kick come the new year. Write it down The best way to work out if you're exceeding your limit this year, is to take pen to paper and jot down some facts. What have you had to drink this week and how much of it? Is there a pattern in who you're drinking ...

A house full of trimmings, more social engagements than you’ve managed to pack in all year and an abundance of changes to your usual routines and patterns all serve to make Christmas a busy, chaotic time. Yes, it’s only once a year, and yes it’s only for four weeks or so but for some people dealing with these disruptions to normality – on top of our jobs and home life - can be extremely stressful which takes the shine off the festivities. According to this article  "there is something about Christmas that sends even balanced people, the types who do meditation or mindfulness classes, slightly out of whack.” It suggests dealing with Christmas in a more modest way to ease some of the stress and often unrealistic expectations that we place upon ourselves and our families to be ‘perfect’. So what can we do to make sure that Christmas is a cheery season, rather than a time when our stress levels soar? Have a calendar of events Even if you're not a write it down kind of perso...

Christmas Day is often described as the perfect opportunity to spend time with others. Be it family, friends or a partner, there is often the assumption that the best way to enjoy the festive period is with other people. But what if this isn't your idea of a perfect Christmas? Or maybe it is but it's not possible for your to be with other people this year. Or, what if you hate this time of year and can't think of anything worse than being around people? Whichever it is, it's OK. If you want to spend the day in bed alone with a hot water bottle and a box of chocolates then why not? However, if you're looking for ideas on how to make the most of your Christmas Day by yourself this year, we have some suggestions you might want to try. Get outdoors The local pub and the shops might be closed, but nature is wide open. A cold, crisp walk on Christmas Day can be just as enjoyable by yourself, if not more enjoyable! Choose somewhere quiet where you can enjoy the peace...

Learning to deal with anger is a challenge for everyone at times. Stress can be a huge influence on our anger levels and for many, Christmas is the most stressful time of the year. The British Association of Anger Management found that the average family has their first argument at 9.58am on Christmas morning! The aim of Anger Awareness week is to identify and bring awareness to anger as a social issue that needs to be addressed. Have a read through our top tips for innovative ways to keep your cool this week and throughout the festive period. Breathe… The Christmas period can be a busy one. Many of us will be spending more time with close and extended family than we would usually choose to! This can result in louder arguments and messy meals which can cause stress anger levels to rise. If this happens to you, take a step outside the room and find a quieter place to just breathe. Never underestimate the benefits of allowing yourself this time to yourself, to gather your thoughts and ...

Christmas is nearly here. How do you feel? Is the stress beginning to set in and your credit card groaning from over-use? Christmas is the season most associated with giving. But rather than this being an opportunity to show off to the neighbours or stock up on the latest gadgets and technology, there is actually a psychological benefit to giving – when it’s done with the heart, rather than the wallet. There have been many studies on the act of gift giving over the years. This one by Yale University is about why sometimes our gifts miss the mark, even when we’ve put a lot of thought into them and is well worth a read. It’s a complex subject and the giving/receiving of gifts is an important part of the relationships we have with other people. It is often said that it’s the giver, rather than the recipient, who reaps the biggest psychological benefit from the sharing of gifts. This makes perfect sense when you think about the time and effort that goes into finding the perfect gi...

So you've got Black Friday and Cyber Monday out of the way and still scratching your head about what to buy for your nearest and dearest? If you need some pointers on how to obtain the perfect gift, then read on... According to recent research carried out on behalf of the department store Debenhams by Professor Karen Pine, we can get it right every time if we apply some basic principles to the gift buying process. Listen The first step to getting a gift that fits the bill is to really listen to the messages the recipient is giving you. People often give out information about their likes and dislikes without realising, for example, they may often say how cold they feel, or that a band is playing nearby, or they may be talking about the great gift they are going to buy for someone else and why. These are all clues (some more subtle than others) about what they may like themselves. Observe In addition to listening, really watch what makes the recipient happy. Which website...

Now we're into December, we start to field the barrage of advertisements in readiness for Christmas. The sharing of gifts is a great way to show those closest to you that you care about them and it’s all too easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of glitzy presents and the latest must-have gadgets. However, according to the Citizen Advice Bureau, they helped an astonishing 350,000 people to get to grips with their debt last year alone. While excessive spending is not the only reason people end up in debt, it can be a contributory factor. Psychologists have been studying the emotions that we feel when we buy things and have found that people tend to fit into two distinct groups. Those of us who like spending and those of us who don’t. It’s as simple as that. They then looked at the spending habits of those who spend more, to evaluate the effect that their spending habits had on their happiness. For many, the act of buying things makes them feel good. It releases feelings of exci...

December is without doubt a busy month for most people.  There are all those presents to buy, Christmas activities to do with the kids, events and parties to attend or host and the usual amount of work to squeeze into less days! It's no wonder we start to feel stressed the closer Christmas becomes. So why not aim to be more mindful this December? Mindfulness stems from ancient practices and has become a popular antidote to modern life. It has its roots in ancient meditation practices and research has shown mindfulness to be effective for reducing stress and improving mental and physical wellbeing. Mindful breathing is a good way to get started with mindfulness. Aim to practise the exercise below for at least five minutes each day and you should start to feel the benefits of a calmer mind. Mindful breathing Find yourself a comfortable upright chair and sit down with your feet flat on the floor and your hands gently resting on your legs. Position yourself so that the bas...

With Christmas Day approaching fast, the thought of spending time with your extended family may have started to make its way to the front of your mind. While we are bombarded with advertising images of happy families and couples enjoying the big day, in reality things are often not so rosy. While the thought of spending time with your siblings and their children, or you or your partner's parents may be idylic in your head, it may be that in reality they always seems to rub you up the wrong way and leave you feeling cross or upset. Read our tips to keeping your family on an even keel so nobody ends up in the dog house this Christmas! Parents and parents in-law "Parents can have a powerful effect on their grown up children. While we often look forward to spending time with our parents, being in their company for extended periods can lead to discussions and niggles coming to the fore," says Professor Ewan Gillon, Counselling Psychologist and Clinical Director of ...