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While everyone knows that the holidays can trigger depression in some people, the blues that descend on us after the fact are never truly addressed. But experts say that post holiday depression is just as prevalent. Here are a few post holiday depression triggers:

Conflict in Relationships

If we spent an inordinate amount of time with family members during the holiday season, it's quite possible that some conflict occurred. Many times, old wounds resurface as we are thrust back into our families of origin; some of us may revert to old patterns we thought we'd rid ourselves of years ago.

Overspending

American retailers are quite savvy at "encouraging" shoppers to spend more than they have at Christmas. While many bemoan the materialism of the holidays, the fact is that retailers are behind this phenomenon, in an effort to beef up their financial statements. The problem is that budget busting can lead to unnecessary, post-holiday stress, not to mention buyer's remorse.

What Goes Up, Must Come Down

Perhaps we had a wonderful holiday season, filled with joy and harmonious family interchanges. If such is the case, January can leave us feeling let down, and kind of "blah." Even putting away the decorations becomes a sad chore, leaving us feeling blue.

Physical Wellbeing

Most of us neglect our exercise routines during December as the demands of holiday cooking, shopping, and partying take over our schedules. Nutrition and healthy eating also go by the wayside as we overindulge on sugar, alcohol, and fat laden appetizers. We may have also disrupted our sleep patterns trying to stay on top of our to-do lists.

There's an old adage which states "knowledge is power." When it comes to post holiday blues and depression, this is certainly true. If we become aware of why we aren't feeling up to par, we are better able to deal with our mood swings. Here are some coping suggestions:

Accept Others for Who They Are

If Aunt Mary has always been a bit on the critical side, chances are nothing has changed and she will be back to making her snide remarks. If our Uncle Albert has a habit of getting drunk at family gatherings, well, we can just about count on it happening again. "I've accepted the fact that my sister won't like what I give her for Christmas. Once I realized that she would never change in this regard, I stopped becoming irritated and simply accepted it," says Ellie.

There comes a point where we just have to let go and allow our loved ones to be who they are, period. Chances are

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