Managing holiday stress: Upstate expert shares advice for balancing cheer and challenges [Video]

MOTELS AROUND GREENVILLE. WHILE THE HOLIDAYS BRING MERRIMENT AND JOY, EXPERTS SAY THIS TIME OF YEAR CAN ALSO LEAD TO STRESS AND FEELINGS OF LONELINESS. WE SPOKE WITH THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF RECOVERY CENTERS OF AMERICA AT GREENVILLE. IT OFFERS TREATMENT FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION. DOCTOR COOK RECOMMENDS LIMITING TIME SPENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WHICH CAN EXPOSE PEOPLE TO THINGS THAT MAKE THEM FEEL SAD OR STRESSED. ALSO, HE SAYS, IT’S IMPORTANT TO SET BOUNDARIES AND REMEMBER WE CAN’T DO EVERYTHING, HE SAYS. IT’S NOT UNCOMMON FOR PEOPLE TO TURN TO ALCOHOL TO COPE WITH HOLIDAY STRESS. AND HE SHARED THIS IMPORTANT REMINDER ABOUT A WAY TO FEEL GOOD. ONE THING THAT’S HELPFUL THIS TIME OF YEAR, AND EVEN ONCE THE NEW YEAR STARTS, IS PHILANTHROPY AND GIVING. SO, YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAD GIVING TUESDAY. AND IF PEOPLE FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE SERVING OTHERS AGAIN, GREAT NEUROCHEMICALS ARE …