I have a close family friend who tends to experience feelings of depression around the Thanksgiving holiday. Her mother died a day before Thanksgiving while she was making dinner preparations. Her mother died in the early 1970's and she still associates the pain of that time with the Thanksgiving holiday. What about you? Do you find that you are often depressed on Thanksgiving Day?

Whether this is new for you this year or something that happens on an annual basis - -the key to feeling better is in figuring out who or what you associate with the holiday which in turn makes you feel the holiday blues.

1. Did you have big fight with a family member whom you don't speak to anymore? Or worse has died and you cannot make peace with?

2. Do you not have any family and therefore spend Thanksgiving alone? That can be depressing for many.

3. Does your family always argue on Thanksgiving and you're not looking forward to spending time with your family?

4. Do you wish you were spending the holiday over a significant other's house instead of with your family year after year?

5. Does the stress of preparing for the holiday get you down?

6. Does Thanksgiving mean to you that Christmas or Chanukah is basically around the corner and you're panicked?

7. Did a family member whom Thanksgiving was very important to die, and perhaps you don't feel the holiday is the same without him/her?

8. Are you in charge of dinner this year and you are totally stressed out?

9. Did some people you were counting on RSVP'ing - not do so? Are you disappointed?

10. Does the whole holiday seem meaningless to you? A dead turkey. Football all day. Pumpkin pie. Are you just feeling like "whatever" about it?

These are just some thoughts to get you going - but you see my point right? If you are feeling depressed on Thanksgiving, and only around this time of year, there is a reason. And probably a good one. But it's best to pinpoint that source of pain for you and begin to work through it. Because why should you spend every Thanksgiving of your life - depressed, isolated, and miserable?

And remember what depression is. For many of us it's a feeling of anger or rage that we have turned inward and it manifests itself into depression as we know it. So what are you angry about? Pinpoint that source, work past it, and it will be happier Thanksgiving dinners for you for years to come.

Gobble Gobble Everyone:)

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Lisa Angelettie, "GirlShrink" is an online advice authority. Her site GirlShrink.com is the #1 "Advice & Counseling" site on the web and contributing author of "101 Great Ways To Improve Your Life". Instantly get a FREE Bonus when you sign up for her free Better Choices Ezine. Please visit us for more discussion on this topic in the depression forum to talk about it further. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for topics in the news, new articles, website & book reviews, and other useful mental health resources. Subscribe below.