Andrea Domene Lupiañez |
Madrid (EFE).- Returning to routine can cost more than it seems and end in what is known as post-vacation syndrome, a set of symptoms and negative emotions that appear at the end of the vacation and that can last up to fifteen days, according to psychologists warn.
The experts clarify that this syndrome is not a clinical picture, but an “adaptation process” to return to work practice.
Normally, the symptoms that appear when returning from vacation last two or three days, although in some people it lasts up to two weeks.
If the symptoms last longer, professionals advise that psychological help be sought. “There are people who experience these feelings in a very intense way, to the point that they can block themselves in the adaptation process,” explains Mercedes Bermejo, member of the Official College of Psychology of Madrid.
most common symptoms
Among the most common symptoms of this syndrome are discouragement, apathy, negative thoughts, insomnia or irritability, as detailed by the psychologist from the College of Psychologists of Madrid Miguel Hierro.
Better management of this period can help prevent the appearance of anxious-depressive symptoms and improve relationships with your partner and family.
Although it depends on each person, and not everyone experiences it, “returning to a routine that requires high demands and stress makes the return more expensive,” says Bermejo.
Children and adolescents
Returning to established schedules sometimes causes a “very strong shock that the body notices,” according to psychologist Silvia Álava.
Furthermore, the transition from well-being and happiness to a scenario of stress and demand affects the state of mind and produces general discomfort not only in adults, but also in children and adolescents.
In the early stages of childhood and adolescence, special care must be taken, especially when they are in a “process of brain maturation or hormonal changes,” since these sudden changes can create more severe symptoms, maintains Bermejo.
Tips to cope
To return to the routine normally, experts recommend that the body be well rested and set short-term goals, in a progressive and undemanding way, adapting to the routine “taking care of well-being and mental health.”
It is also necessary to adapt the schedules a few days before the return, look for activities that entertain and plan the work with the aim that the change, in the end, “is as least abrupt as possible.”
