LEWISTON – Limit your intake of sugar cookies and don’t avoid the treadmill.

Consider donating food or taking a name tag from a giving tree.

And don’t hang your hopes on a perfect holiday. If you do, you’re setting yourself up for a fall.

Knowing what to expect, doing things for others and taking care of yourself are keys to a good holiday, said counselor Donna Mrowka, director of Sweetser PromiseLine Services.

“Ask yourself what you can realistically expect. The Norman Rockwell ideal is not realistic for anyone,” Mrowka said. “We get caught up in the season and set ourselves up for disappointment.”

It’s also important to be on the lookout for the holiday blues – in yourself as well as others. Signs of trouble include anxiety, dread and sadness.

Tough for some

“While this is a joyous time for many, we also must remember that for some of Maine’s adults and children, this can be an especially difficult time of year,” said Carl Pendleton, president and CEO of Sweetser.

The behavioral health agency issued tips this week on how to prevent and cope with the holiday blues. Its PromiseLine service, which connects people in crisis to the services they need, is available statewide, Mrowka said.

It’s normal to feel stressed by errands and shopping and gift-wrapping during the holidays, but when people feel overwhelmed, they don’t have to manage on their own, she said. “The message is that there are people available to help them.”

That goes for the mildly depressed as well as those suffering from debilitating depression, struggling with mental illness or suffering from a recent loss. Symptoms to watch for include lack of interest, trouble sleeping and feelings of emptiness.

Not everyone is amenable to seeking professional help, but it’s important to let loved ones in apparent crisis know that help is available, Mrowka said.

“Be supportive, give them a number to call, let them know someone is out there and that lots of others are feeling the same way,” she said. “Suggest that they just talk to someone.”

Another way to avoid holiday disaster is to limit alcohol consumption, Mrowka said.

“We’re off our usual routine, dealing with the added stress of being around family. Adding alcohol could put us in situations where things get more heated, and there’s more potential for arguments.”

We need to be strong to deal with whatever comes up during the holidays, Mrowka said. And that comes back to taking care of yourself.

“Sometimes we feel the holidays give us license to do more, spend more, drink more. Be conscious of that and try to have a plan. Ask yourself, ‘What do I need to have a good holiday?'”