I just got back from shopping on Black Friday, the day after Christmas. It’s called Black Friday because it’s the first day of the year that retailers (potentially) start seeing black ink on the balance sheet instead of red. For almost anyone else, unless you’re suffering from the holiday blues, Black Friday is the beginning of the the holiday season, full of gift-giving, parties, lots of yummy food and family togetherness.

For anyone with depression, however, Black Friday might be thought of as the official start of one of the worst times of the year. Not only are there so many more demands on your time, energy and finances (often an issue for anyone with depression), but there’s also an increase in potential irritants like holiday music, crowds and commercialism (which is depressing to everyone).

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