26/12/2025
My First Christmas as a Family | A Psychological Lens
This Christmas marks a significant life-cycle transition—one that DSM-5 recognises under conditions related to family upbringing and relational context (Z-codes) rather than disorder.
Marriage and motherhood have reorganised my role identity, attachment patterns, and stress-response system.
Cradling my newborn son beside my husband, I witness the foundations of secure attachment (protective factor in DSM-5) being laid—through consistency, emotional availability, and attuned caregiving.
Love, in clinical reality, is not sentimentality; it is regulation of affect, establishment of safety cues, and reliable responsiveness.
Yes, there is sleep deprivation, role strain, and emotional intensity—factors DSM-5 lists as normative psychosocial stressors, not pathology.
Yet within this lies resilience, bonding, and the creation of a primary support system that buffers future vulnerability.
This Christmas is not about aesthetic perfection.
It is about psychological safety, attachment security, and relational stability.
Grateful for this season of healthy adjustment, bonding, and becoming.
Merry Christmas from our secure base ❤️👶🎄