Supporting Your Mental Health During the Holiday Season
In the 2003 holiday movie classic, “Elf,” the main character, Buddy, shares a particular fondness for the holiday season, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!” No matter what traditions you celebrate this winter, not everyone shares Buddy’s enthusiasm for this season. While the holidays can be a time of celebration and joy for many, it also can be a period of stress, sadness, and loneliness for others—and sometimes can be particularly difficult for people living with mental health and substance use conditions.
A survey conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) found that 64 percent of individuals living with a mental illness reported that their conditions worsened around the holidays. Whether due to separation from loved ones, personal grief, the pressures of gift-giving, economic hardship, challenging interactions with family members, or shorter days, this time of year can bring unique behavioral health challenges.
As we approach the holiday season, it is important to remember that it is very common to feel added stress — and this stress can worsen symptoms of a mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety, or a substance use disorder. However, there are ways to help address the stress or condition and improve your mental health. Below are strategies to help you find moments of joy amidst the hustle and bustle this holiday season.
Strategies for supporting your mental health:
Pay attention to your feelings
Remember that it is okay to feel unhappy during the holidays. Recognizing your feelings is the first step to addressing and nurturing them.Develop a plan for when you are feeling stressed, sad, or lonely
This plan may include calling a friend or family member, going for a walk, engaging in an activity that brings joy, or watching a favorite movie. Having a plan ahead of time can help ensure the difficult moments are more manageable.Practice self-care
It is important to schedule time for yourself and activities that recharge your mind and body. This may include reading a good book, working out, spending time in nature, and practicing stress management skills, such as deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness. It is also important to remember to prioritize necessities, including eating a balanced diet, getting plenty of sleep, and finding time for exercise.Connect with community
If you can’t be near loved ones during the holidays, finding a supportive community through clubs, support groups, community centers, local meetups, and faith communities can help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation. Consider scheduling a regular phone call with family and friends as well.Support others
During this time of year feelings of grief and loss can amplify. Check in on loved ones who may be alone or struggling during the holiday season. Helping a friend or neighbor not only gives joy to others, but it can improve your own happiness and well-being.Recognize seasonal mood changes
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a condition in which people experience symptoms of depression that are triggered by the change in seasons as the days get shorter. While this form of depression often improves in the spring and summer, it is important to talk with your health care provider if you feel you are experiencing these symptoms. Treatment is effective and may include light therapy, antidepressant medication, and/or talk therapy.Avoid alcohol and drugs
For people in recovery, the holiday season presents challenges that can trigger the use of alcohol and drugs. Having a plan for navigating social events and feelings of loneliness, can reduce the risk of substance use. For family and friends, it is important to check in on those who may be struggling with substance use over the holidays.Know when to seek help
If you feel that your mental health struggles are becoming overwhelming and difficult to handle, it is important to seek help and know that treatment is available. Below are free and confidential resources that can connect you with effective treatment and support.
You are not alone. Here’s how to seek help.
SAMHSA’s National Helpline — 1-800-662-HELP (4357) - A confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.
FindSupport.gov — An online guide that helps people navigate through common questions when they are at the start of their journey to better behavioral health.
FindTreatment.gov — A confidential and anonymous source of information for persons seeking treatment facilities in the United States or U.S. Territories for substance use/addiction and/or mental health problems.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — If you or someone you know needs support now, you can contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Simply call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
Veterans Crisis Line — Reach caring, qualified responders with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Many of them are Veterans themselves. Dial 988 then press 1.
The Days are Getting Shorter—Are You Feeling the Effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder?
We’re in full Fall swing, which means baseball playoffs, pumpkin spice everything, cool, crisp weather, and shorter days. If you’re like most people, even if you love Autumn, you secretly crave more hours of sunlight every day. Why? Our bodies naturally crave the energy and mood-boosting power of the sun. When we start to experience fewer regular hours of daylight, especially as Fall turns to Winter, it can begin to impact your mood, especially if you are sensitive to a condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). What is this moody condition, and how might it be affecting your internal happiness-o-meter? Read on to find out.
What is SAD?
SAD, often referred to as major depressive disorder with seasonal pattern, is a type of depression that’s associated with the changing of the seasons. Those who experience SAD most often feel a decline in their mood in the Fall and Winter months. While experts still need to conduct more research on the causes of SAD, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) believes the condition may be triggered by reduced exposure to sunlight, causing a chemical imbalance in the brain and a disruption of the circadian rhythm (our internal clock).
While the APA reports that only about five percent of Americans experience SAD annually, it can plague their mood for up to 40 percent of the year.
SAD Symptoms
Symptoms of Fall and Winter SAD may include:
Regular feelings of depression or hopelessness
Difficulty sleeping
Changes in appetite or weight
Being easily agitated
Reduced interest in hobbies and activities
Feelings of low energy
Difficulty concentrating
In the most severe cases, SAD can result in thoughts of death or suicidal ideation.
What to Do if You Believe You are Experiencing SAD
If you notice a recurring, negative impact on your mood and emotional wellbeing during times of the year that experience less consistent daylight, talk to your doctor. He or she will be able to diagnose whether or not you are experiencing a seasonal, or more persistent form of major depressive disorder, and can prescribe a treatment plan. Common treatments for SAD include:
Psychotherapy – Treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help patients understand and manage their reactions to certain situations and environments.
Prescription Medication – For some, antidepressant medications help to increase serotonin levels, improving mood, and lessening feelings of depression.
Bright Light Therapy (Phototherapy) – During this treatment approach, a patient sits in front of a lightbox for twenty minutes to an hour daily, ideally in the morning hours, during the times of the year when they typically experience SAD. The light exposure may help to restore the patient’s normal circadian rhythm.
Lifestyle Changes – Changing one’s routine to maximize exposure to sunlight may also help improve mood. Committing to an afternoon walk, changing window dressings to allow more natural sunlight into rooms, and sitting near a window during work hours are all helpful tactics. Obtaining regular exercise and eating healthy also help to stabilize and improve mental health.
#dailycheckin
#PositiveMindset
#FocusOnWhatYouCanControl
#SAD
4 Tips to Support Your Mental Wellness This Season
Though the story behind Thanksgiving is multi-faceted (Cain and Hadden, 2022), millions will celebrate on the fourth Thursday in November. They’ll be dedicating a chunk of time to give thanks. However, their experiences may not match the research.
Studies on gratitude
A 2023 meta-analysis and review concluded that gratitude interventions can positively affect people.
increasing feelings of and recognition of appreciation
upping life satisfaction levels
boosting mental health
uplifting mood and positive emotions experienced
“Acts of gratitude can be used as a therapeutic complement for treating anxiety and depression and can increase positive feelings and emotions in the general population” (Diniz and colleagues, 2023).
Yet many people feel sadder and more anxious on Thanksgiving. For example, some people:
feel extra alone or lonely
worry about the extra pressures
can't afford to celebrate but want to
dislike being together on the holidays
already struggle with mental distress that the day amplifies
There’s a lot that Thanksgiving can bring up for folks. We don’t choose the day; it happens to us. And there are often unrealistic expectations of glee amid a complex world. Some might go so far as to categorize those expectations as toxic positivity.
If you forecast a potentially emotionally challenging holiday, here are four things you can do to support or improve your mental wellness.
Tips: Feel, accept, give, and breathe
Feel. Recognize that having negative feelings—even big ones—on Thanksgiving does not mean you are wrong, weird, or failed the holiday. Holidays can push a demand for positivity too far. It’s not realistic.
Accept. You’d probably prefer that you felt differently or had a different situation. If you can accept your feelings instead of beating yourself up with shoulds (I should feel this or that), you'll probably be able to move through the day easier and better.
Give. If you had a friend who was sad, stressed, lonely, or whatever, what would you give them? A hug? Encouragement? Attunement? Compassion? Give that to yourself.
Breathe. If you notice you’re getting riled up emotionally, practice a long exhale immediately. Unless you have a reason that you should not do breathing exercises (for example, maybe something medical), they can be fab for chilling out the nervous system and other body responses to building emotions (for example, shoulders creeping up or stuck high by ears, heart beating faster).
Bottom line
Gratitude can improve well-being—as the research shows. I've seen that even performative or forced gratitude can be effective for some (the fake it ‘til you make it concept). If you are into celebrating and trying to be thankful, fantastic! A whole calendar day of it may give you a lot of positive benefits.
And if you are not into Thanksgiving, that’s okay, too. There are 364 other days of the year to see if gratitude benefits you, such as uplifting your mood, increasing overall well-being, and so on. For you, Thanksgiving may be more about offering grace to those around you and possibly practicing the four skills from this post: feeling, accepting, giving, and breathing.
Mental health apps offer easy, accessible support whenever you need it. 💙 #MentalHealthMatters #SelfCare
