SINGAPORE: According to psychiatrists, people who suffer from depression are more affected during the festive period because there is a conflict between the nature of those who are depressed and the upbeat mood prevalent during the holidays.

And psychiatrists said it is more common for women to suffer from depression, while men are more prone to personality disorders, and these conditions usually worsen during religious holidays.

Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre’s psychiatrist, Dr Tan Chue Tin, said, "Will God be angry with me? Will I offend God? Will this bring disaster to my family? These are real issues when people suffer from such delusional ruminations, and gradually it can become psychosis."

Men are also more prone to becoming more anti-social during this time of the year.

Dr Tan pointed out, "Antisocials are the types who actually dislike festive celebrations (where) people (are) getting together, celebrating together. They get depressed because what they see is alien to what they themselves feel."

Experts, therefore, said that those close to people who get depressed should try to have smaller festive celebrations, especially at home.

Help is also just a phone call away. The hotline of the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) is 1-800-221-4444.

Those who wish to be trained as a volunteer with the SOS and help operate its 24-hour crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotline can email pv@samaritans.org.sg or log on to www.samaritans.org.sg. Volunteers must be at least 23 years old. - CNA/ac