Living with hyperhidrosis may change your holidays, but you can still have enjoyable and meaningful celebrations. Although excessive sweating may make some holiday traditions challenging, it doesn't mean you can't enjoy connecting with friends and family during the holiday season. By communicating your limitations due to hyperhidrosis, being flexible, and adjusting your expectations, you can help make sure the holidays are happy and memorable.
Communicate Your Needs
Let your loved ones know that connecting with them over the holidays is as important as ever to you, but excessive sweating is making it hard to plan as usual. Self-consciousness about hyperhidrosis may make certain group gatherings extremely stressful, which can exacerbate sweating and odor. You need to put your needs first to make sure you're taking care of your physical and emotional well-being.
Be Flexible
Instead of saying "no," say "yes" to something else. If a family tradition no longer works for you because of excessive sweating, it may be time to suggest an update.
If a large group setting feels too overwhelming, consider using a video chat service such as Skype, Zoom, or FaceTime to have a special holiday call on a smartphone or laptop. During a video chat, you can:
If your family has a hard time understanding why you've chosen not to join in person, try sharing this Message for Employers, Family, and Friends from the International Hyperhidrosis Society.
Adjust Your Expectations
Even without the issue of excessive sweating, holidays often come with high expectations that lead to disappointment and stress. Letting go of the illusion of a "perfect" holiday can help you keep expectations realistic and focus on what's most important about the holidays. For many people, that means connecting with loved ones, being thankful for what you have, and finding hope for the new year.
Here are some mindful tips from Johns Hopkins Medicine for adjusting holiday expectations:
During the holidays and year-round, the members of MyHyperhidrosisTeam are here for each other. Joining MyHyperhidrosisTeam means gaining a support group of thousands of others with excessive sweating who understand exactly what you're going through.
Here are some conversations from MyHyperhidrosisTeam members about navigating the holiday season with hyperhidrosis:
Have you found ways to celebrate the holidays despite excessive sweating?
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