Sigh! This happens to me all the time though one would think that by now I would know full well how to avoid, or at least conquer, this dilemma. My latest book Safety Skills for Asperger Women: How to Save a Perfectly Good Female Life recently published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, is all about how to get beyond the barriers that turn up to keep a life (female or male) from being all it can be. Indeed I do know how to conquer most of the bad stuff. I've developed a finely tuned set of coping strategies to assist me in daily life, but let's be real- the holidays are not daily life. It's no secret the vast majority of people suffer through some sort of despondency during the holidays. Good rarely comes without bad nibbling at its edges. We might be happy to see loved ones, but then feel lonely when we note some loved ones are gone forever. We might enjoy receiving a gift, but feel a tough financial stretch when we try to return the gesture. We might be happy to see the neighbor's holiday decorations brightening up our dim street, but saddened when we realize an invitation to their party will never come our way.

All of these extraneous variables make the holiday season, heck- the whole month of December and much of January- a whirl of way too much for me. I'm in a rut right now, but will eventually find my way out by: slowly adding elements of my old routine back into my days; eating better; stretching and walking, lifting weights and swimming; spending more time with my favorite obsessions that have been pushed aside these past weeks; and sleeping during a more regulated schedule. These variables are the constants that help me through anything.

If you are facing a depression that will not go away or thinking thoughts that are keeping you from reclaiming a sense of happiness, I encourage you to reach out for help. Don't let the notion that the holidays are supposed to be jolly and joyful take over the fact that they can also be biting and isolating.

Here's hoping 2012 is a kind year!