Tufts Medical Center Psychiatrist Dr. Varsha Radhakrishnan on spending Thanksgiving alone

Updated: 7:05 PM EST Nov 20, 2024

FIVE ON YOUR MENTAL HEALTH TONIGHT AND CHOOSING TO CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING ALONE. HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THAT IS DOCTOR VARSHA RADHAKRISHNAN. I THINK I GOT THAT RIGHT. A PSYCHIATRIST AT TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER. GREAT TO SEE YOU, DOCTOR. DID I GET IT RIGHT? I DO. GREAT. YOU GOT IT. I GOT IT RIGHT. I TELL YOU, DOCTOR, JUST TO HEAR HER SAY WITH THANKSGIVING ALONE BRINGS A TEAR TO MY EYE. BUT. BUT WE’LL MOVE ON. AND AS YOU KNOW, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THANKSGIVING, WE TYPICALLY THINK ABOUT FRIENDS AND FAMILY. AND A BIG TABLE IN ROOM FOR EVERYBODY. OPEN THE DOOR. LA LA LA. WE’RE EATING, WE’RE TALKING, WE’RE CATCHING UP. BUT WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE FOR SOME PEOPLE? WELL, FAMILIES FOR ONE, CAN BE SO INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED. I KNOW FOR ALL OF US. YOU KNOW, SMALL TALK, SOCIAL ANXIETY THAT COMES UP WITH HAVING ALL OF THAT PRESSURE AROUND THE DINNER TABLE CAN BE EXHAUSTING. FOR MANY OF US, YOU KNOW, FOR SOME IT CAN BE ABSOLUTELY, INCREDIBLY FUN. AND FOR OTHERS, IT MIGHT BE ACTUALLY A REALLY EMOTIONALLY DRAINING AND STRESSFUL EXPERIENCE. SO IF IT’S EMOTIONALLY DRAINING AND STRESSFUL, DOCTOR, IF YOU’RE DREADING IT, IS IT OKAY TO SKIP IT? SOMETIMES SKIPPING THE HOLIDAYS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED IN THAT MOMENT, BUT WHATEVER YOUR REASON IS, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT’S THE RIGHT REASON FOR YOU AND THAT YOU’RE DOING IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS. ONE OF THE COMMON THINGS THAT I THINK IS VERY TEMPTING TO DO IS TO TO AVOID CERTAIN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS. SO IF IT’S MORE OF A AVOIDANCE, THAT’S NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE THE BEST THING FOR YOU TO DO. LONG TERM. BUT IF IT MEANS THAT YOU KNOW YOU’LL BE HAPPIER THAT YEAR AND YOU JUST NEED THAT BREAK, MAYBE THAT’S THAT’S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. GOOD ADVICE DOCTOR. OTHER PEOPLE MAY BE SPENDING THANKSGIVING ALONE BECAUSE THEY BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO WORK. AND HONESTLY, AND I’M NOT ASKING FOR ANY, YOU KNOW, SYMPATHY OR PITY OR AT ALL. OUR BUSINESS NEVER SHUTS DOWN. WE’RE ALWAYS ON ALL THE TIME. SO IT DOESN’T MATTER. HOLIDAYS, BIRTHDAYS, EVERYTHING. SO WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR THOSE THAT HAVE TO WORK AND CAN’T REALLY ENJOY THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY? WELL, BEING ALONE IS OF COURSE DIFFICULT, BUT THERE’S STILL SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO THAT THAT CAN BE REALLY MEANINGFUL. COOKING YOURSELF A NICE MEAL USING THAT DAY AS A SELF-CARE DAY. SLEEPING IN IT IS A DAY OFF, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, MAKING SURE THAT IT’S A DAY OF RELAXATION AND SELF-CARE. ALL RIGHT, D

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Tufts Medical Center Psychiatrist Dr. Varsha Radhakrishnan on spending Thanksgiving alone

Updated: 7:05 PM EST Nov 20, 2024

Dr. Varsha Radhakrishnan, a psychiatrists at Tufts Medical Center, gives some advice on what those who have to spend Thanksgiving alone or have made the decision to spend Thanksgiving alone should do.

Dr. Varsha Radhakrishnan, a psychiatrists at Tufts Medical Center, gives some advice on what those who have to spend Thanksgiving alone or have made the decision to spend Thanksgiving alone should do.

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