What Is Post-vacation Syndrome?
Post-vacation syndrome collects, in a colloquial way, a set of emotions that people present after returning from vacation —or a long period of time without work— when they return to their workplaces and resume their responsibilities.
This emotional maladjustment is characterized by causing apathy, sadness and both physical and psychological fatigue. Because of the above, it is sometimes called post-vacation depression. Have you had this problem? We will tell you all about it in the following space.
Is post-vacation syndrome a disorder?
None of the psychiatry or psychology manuals – such as the DSM-5 or the ICD-11 – include post-vacation syndrome, and in no way can it be considered a type of depression a priori. However, this does not mean that it can be a source of discomfort for people who return from vacation or a period of rest.
Post-vacation syndrome, therefore, is not considered a psychological disorder, but it is considered a temporary imbalance in which the person has to re-adapt to their tasks after a vacation period.
According to doctors Herrero and Esquirol (2016), the scientific community has not found a consensus on the post-vacation syndrome, since they consider that “it is the result of the fact that in a large part of our environment work is considered a negative, forced and sacrificed activity” .
They add that if in a different society work were considered a place to enhance creativity and personal development, the post-vacation syndrome would not exist. Going back to something you don’t like after something you do like is and has always been problematic, not just when it comes to vacations.
Adaptation as the main problem
Professor Michael Baigent says that the big problem with post-vacation syndrome is adaptation. For this reason, he says that it is normal to feel sad, discouraged or nostalgic when one returns from summer. He argues that, during the holidays, people fill themselves with pleasant activities that they do not carry out in their routine. So when you stop doing things you like, and start doing things you don’t like, you feel homesick or upset.
As it is a problem of adaptation to the job and to reinforcements other than those received on vacation, the post- vacation syndrome does not usually last more than ten or fifteen days, until the person manages to mold their thoughts, behaviors and emotions.
Symptoms of post-vacation syndrome
Being an undefined disorder, the symptoms are not closed or concrete. However, people who suffer from post-vacation stress can present both physical and psychological symptoms.
Physical symptoms
- Fatigue or tiredness
- Dizziness
- Little concentration
- Lack of attention.
Other less common symptoms include:
- Tachycardia
- Headaches
- Lack of appetite
- Insomnia
- Digestive problems
Emotional symptoms
- Apathy
- Melancholia
- Nostalgia
- Irritability
- Sadness
If the symptoms do not remit in a maximum of two weeks, we could be talking about a picture of acute stress, generalized anxiety, panic attacks, etc., depending on the symptoms of the person.
In this case, there are other variables that have been omitted, or environmental or dispositional risk factors, that have led to the development of this disorder. If this happens, it would be important to ask for psychological help, since we are talking about a disorder that can affect the general functioning of the person.
Live for and for the holidays
The coach Shannah Kennedy, in an interview for the magazine Traveler , is a possible cause of the post – holiday syndrome vital approach to most people of European and American cultures.
He argues that most people live by and for their vacations, looking forward to it as the big event of the year. They do not take advantage of, live or appreciate the work period. It seems that vacations are the only thing they have to make you look forward to, make you happy and want to be lived.
This way of life causes people to wait a year to live a month of vacation. For this reason, the normal thing is that after waiting so long, one feels nostalgia, sadness and apathy, since one has to wait another year to get rest again.
Ideally, therefore, include small periods of rest and “vacation” during the year, either on weekends or on the days that are free. Go to the mountains for a day of excursion, visit the beach if you live in a coastal place and, in general, prepare projects for which you do not have to wait a year that cause the same illusion.
Causes of post-vacation syndrome
Although, as explained above, post-vacation syndrome is due to a lack of adaptation when returning to work, there are certain variables that can motivate it. This maladjustment or difficulty adjusting to the routine after the holidays can be enhanced by:
- Body image problems : During the holidays, people tend to eat more than normal, and even to be more sedentary. Therefore, bodies can change, and it may not be the same before going on vacation than after. This can lead to body image problems that make the return to the routine much more complex.
- Tiredness: sleeping habits also tend to change in summer, since people do more nighttime activities and sleep less. The accumulated tiredness can cause the feeling of lethargy and fatigue in the workplace.
- Increased alcohol intake : As mentioned above, people often abuse alcohol while on vacation. This can also influence the tiredness and fatigue of the person.
- Make too many plans: During the summer, it is also common to make too many plans and not rest. For this reason, and in order not to feel the ravages of an excessively tight schedule on vacation, it is advisable to leave time for boredom or contemplation.
Tips to overcome post-vacation syndrome
As very few cases of stress after the holidays need psychological intervention —and those that do need to be because there is a defined disorder with different symptoms and characteristics—, we are the ones who must regulate ourselves in order to adapt to the routine as quickly as possible.
Some of the tips that are given are:
- Have proper sleep hygiene, sleeping around eight hours. No more no less.
- Posing new challenges and challenges, this time throughout the year and not just for next year’s holidays.
- Take care of yourself through nutrition and hydration. Physical exercise would also be recommended, which can change the post-vacation mood.
- Plan the return to work gradually. Do not start with overwhelming intensity from the beginning to facilitate adaptation.
- Do not start work immediately after returning from vacation, but plan to return a few days before.
- Be careful with alcohol and caffeine. While alcohol can aggravate feelings of apathy and homesickness, caffeine can do the same for feelings of stress and anxiety.
- Reframe work. What is work, why is it considered a burden, rethink it in other terms, and, as far as possible, find a satisfactory work activity that encourages personal growth.
For all the aforementioned, to all those who believe they are suffering from a post-vacation syndrome, calm and patience are recommended. Apathy and nostalgia will disappear, in most cases, naturally and in a few days.
Also, once felt, it is easier to plan things differently so that, on the next vacation, one can arrive refreshed and full of energy, instead of listless, stressed and anxious.
