Doctor offers ways to keep holidays from turning blue The holiday season can bring great joy, a time when celebrating with family and friends is buoyed even further by a sense of renewal and the hope for better things in the year ahead, but not everyone will share in the celebratory nature of the season. For some, the presence of so much celebration can cause a heightened awareness of what makes them sad. There's nothing wrong with occasional sadness or reflecting on the past, and those who are alone or who have lost a loved one may be more susceptible to feeling the blues this season. If you are feeling more dread than joy, you can take some steps to help steer yourself away from sadness. First, plan to stay as busy as possible. Make a list that includes fun activities that you do by yourself or with others. You'll probably find that inviting others will lead them to reciprocate with invitations for you to join in their activities. Second, keep expectations reasonable. Because the holiday season is a time when we stand between two calendar years, we have a natural tendency to compare our past to our lives today and to compare ourselves with others and think that we are the unfortunate ones. The reality is that everyone's life is a mix of pain and pleasure. Learn to count your blessings and to cherish and accept each season. Another way to feel good is by volunteering. All kinds of organizations, including animal shelters, nursing homes, soup kitchens, food banks and hospitals rely heavily on volunteers. At the same time, be aware of family, friends or neighbors who may be alone, and lonely, this season. Make a special effort to reach out to them and to include them in your celebrations. The holidays are truly a time when the saying "the more, the merrier," can hold true. Finally, if you are feeling blue and are having a difficult time coping, don't assume that you are alone. You'll find that family and friends will be more compassionate and understanding than you may have thought, or make it a point to talk to your physician or a member of the clergy. Many times, simply talking about your feelings can make even the darkest case of the blues seem a lot brighter. Dr. Narsimha Pinninti Psychiatrist UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine Stratford