WINNIPEG — Heading out to pick up a gift in the last days before Christmas can be stressful.
Traffic is often slow, finding a parking spot can be beyond frustrating and that’s before you even step inside a mall.
If you’re daunted by the prospect of braving the crowds, you’re not alone.
“There are so many people in such a small area that people that don’t normally go to the mall are now going at the worst time of the year in terms of the number of people,” said psychologist Richard Shore.
The holidays can evoke anxiety in people for a variety of reasons which can be exacerbated by crowded and unfamiliar surroundings.
“Anything that happens in the Christmas season can be lumped into Christmas so that whole period of time results in an escalation of unresolved stress,” said Shore.
He said one way to deal with the stress is to mentally prepare yourself for what you will encounter, “You really need to plan that this is going to be an adventure that essentially could include meeting a number of very stressed people.”
The other way is to not try and force yourself into enjoying the experience.
Shore says it’s important to accept that not everyone enjoys everything about the holiday season.
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