Return from vacation syndrome resembles depression
After a long holiday break, employees are back at work. Those who start working again after the holiday may have adaptation difficulties. If you feel depressed, tired, exhausted, complain of insomnia and loss of appetite, you may be experiencing post-holiday syndrome.
Psychiatry Specialist Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alper Evrensel from Üsküdar University NP Etiler Medical Center said that people who go on vacation with great expectations and cannot cope with stress may experience post-holiday depression.
Noting that holiday depression can often manifest itself with insomnia, loss of appetite and fatigue, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Evrensel stated that the classic symptoms of depression are also valid in holiday depression and said, "Cheerlessness, reluctance, distraction, inability to enjoy, boredom even from routine work and lack of energy. When we question the patient who comes to us with these symptoms, we determine that they have just returned from vacation and that there is no regression in these symptoms even though two weeks have passed since then."
LIKE WAKING UP FROM A BEAUTIFUL DREAM
Stating that depression is a disease characterized by stagnation, lack of joy, reluctance, lack of motivation, sleep and appetite disorders, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alper Evrensel said the following
"External factors play an important role in the formation of depression. Depression occurs when a person is exhausted while struggling with a stress-inducing external factor or lacks this equipment. Paradoxically, depression paralyzes the person even more and the possibility to fight the problem disappears. A complete lock-in occurs. In this situation, a physician and treatment must step in to unlock the lock and solve the problem. Suggestions such as 'be your own doctor' or 'make some effort, get out and walk around' are useless. This general information also applies to the post-holiday period. Because it is not pleasant to come back into contact with the realities of the world after a year-long desired situation such as a vacation. It is like waking up from a beautiful dream. If these realities are also stress-inducing, the return from vacation can be a living hell."
STAY IN TOUCH WITH REALITY ON VACATION
Noting that how the person spends his/her holiday is also important, Assist.Assoc.Prof. Dr. Alper Evrensel stated that people who move away from reality during the holiday feel the pain of reality more when they return and continued as follows
"The further away from reality during the vacation, the more severe the painful effect of reality will be. When the distance increases, adaptation difficulties will arise. People with insufficient adaptation skills will not be able to adapt to this change and may be dragged into depression. As much as the quality of the vacation, the quality of the post-vacation work life is also an effective factor in this adaptation. If a person is not satisfied with his/her job, waking up in the morning and going to work every day, not just after the vacation, is already an ordeal for him/her. This will be a much bigger nightmare after the vacation. It is also important not to lose touch with reality during the vacation. Because like all good things, vacations have an end. Although knowing and thinking about this may diminish the pleasure of vacation, it should always be kept in mind. This knowledge reduces disappointment after the vacation. For example, if we have a very old and sick relative, waiting for his/her death helps us to overcome the mourning process more easily. Because death is a reality. Even while having fun on vacation, one should not forget the life conditions after the vacation."
SHOULD NOT LAST LONGER THAN TWO WEEKS
Noting that people who do not have sufficient stress management skills may experience holiday depression more frequently, Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Evrensel noted that a specialist should be consulted for complaints lasting longer than two weeks. Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alper Evrensel said, "People who have problems adapting to the new situation after the holiday are more depressed. Those who prefer to live by avoiding the bitter and cold face of reality in normal life, those who do not have enough sense of responsibility, those who tend to complain and blame the environment instead of finding solutions when faced with problems experience this depression more. In fact, the classic symptoms of depression also apply to holiday depression. Cheerlessness, reluctance, distraction, lack of pleasure, boredom even with routine tasks and lack of energy. When we inquire about the cause of a person who presents to a physician with these symptoms, the fact that they have just returned from vacation and that there is no regression in these symptoms despite the fact that two weeks have passed leads to a diagnosis. In these symptoms, it is now necessary to go to a specialist."