Managing the Holiday Blues
By Joseph Getch, CEO
HopeLink Behavioral Health, a mental health nonprofit serving Northern Virginia and beyond
Holidays bring joy as families come together to celebrate and the year ahead promises new opportunities and fresh starts. For some, the holidays aren’t as rosy and can be overwhelming. Holidays can cause stress and depression and a sense of isolation with the pressure of planning an event, financial burden, family conflicts, and grief associated with loss of loved ones.
In fact, nearly 90% of U.S. adults have concerns at the holiday season, according to a poll last year by the American Psychological Association. The same survey found that 41% of U.S. adults increases during the holidays compared to other times of the year and 43% said holiday stress interferes with enjoying the season.
Stress is a reality for all of us, but it is even more exacerbated for those with mental illness. We see this frequently at HopeLink Behavioral Health, a nonprofit serving those with mental illness and facing life crises. During the holidays, our crisis hotline and textline receives more calls, chats and texts about increased anxiety and overwhelming life stress.
Experiencing “holiday blues” may pass with the season, but it’s important to recognize signs of depression, including:
- Persistent sad, anxious, or empty mood
- Sleeping too much or too little, middle-of-the night or early morning waking
- Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased appetite and weight gain
- Irritability or restlessness
- Difficulty thinking, concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide
- Feeling inappropriate guilt, hopelessness, or worthlessness
If depression, anxiety, or other mental health challenges make the holidays unbearable, then finding help is important. Talk to your family physician or a mental health professional. Another option is calling or texting 988—the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline which is confidential and free of charge. If you call, text, or chat (https://chat.988lifeline.org), you will speak with a trained, empathetic professional who will:
- Listen and provide emotional support
- Assess for safety and risk of suicide
- Identify problem-solving skills
- Connect you to Mobile Crisis resources, if available
- Connect you live to other behavioral health resources
- Consult on how to support a loved one in crisis
- Schedule a follow-up call with you within 24 hours to see how you are doing
The holidays will come…and go. Allowing yourself to grieve, setting realistic goals for the holidays, and taking time each day to care for and celebrate yourself are important ways to make the holidays less stressful. Also know that there are resources that can help.
