It’s here! As November passes by, the holiday season is officially upon us! For many, this time of year brings cozy gatherings, festive decorations, and a chance to reconnect with loved ones. However, while the holidays can be joyful, they can also trigger stress, anxiety, and a whirlwind of emotions that can impact our mental health.
Whether it’s the pressure to make everything “perfect,” the strain of family dynamics, or financial worries, to say the holiday season can be overwhelming is an understatement. In fact, a survey by National Alliance on Mental Illness found that “64 percent of individuals living with a mental illness reported that their conditions worsened around the holidays.”
We know that if you’ve experienced loss, loneliness, or are struggling with your mental health, this time of year may feel particularly tough, which is why we’re dedicating this month’s newsletter to managing your mental health through the holiday season. Let’s start with the basics:
- Recognizing holiday stress: The holidays often bring high expectations. Whether it’s decorating, cooking, or finding the perfect gifts, we tend to set the bar high for ourselves—and that can lead to an increase in stress. It’s important to recognize that feeling overwhelmed is completely normal. Give yourself permission to not have everything perfectly figured out.
- Normalizing how you feel (However you feel!): Whether you feel joy, fatigue, overwhelm, sadness, a combination of these, or something else entirely, know that how you feel is normal and valid this holiday season. When we start from a place of judging our feelings, it can feel hard to care for ourselves or find a way forward.
One of the best ways to focus on our mental health and well-being at any time of year is to create a tactical plan with built-in support practices ahead of time. Here are just a few ways you can get started:
- Set boundaries: It’s important to go into the holiday season understanding (and acknowledging!) our limits and our capacity. Whether this means saying no to certain events or setting a budget for gifts, establishing boundaries is key to avoiding burnout. Need help? A guided journal exercise can help you see where you’re starting from. When you’re ready to set a boundary, this resource has helpful scripts that you can adapt into your own words.
- Stick to healthy routines: What habits and routines support you in your day-to-day life? While the busyness of the holiday season can make it hard to stick to routines, keeping some regular “non-negotiable” touchpoints like movement, sleep, journaling, or breathwork can help you feel more grounded.
- Allow yourself to feel: Above we talked about the importance of normalizing your feelings, but it’s so important we’re saying it again. You don’t have to be cheery all the time. It’s okay to acknowledge sadness, grief, or frustration. Talking about these feelings with a loved one or therapist can be incredibly healing, and who knows? You may just find that you’re not alone in not being able to maintain 24/7 holiday cheer.
- Create your own traditions: If old traditions are painful, we invite you to consider what might feel more supportive and joyful. Volunteer with an organization you care about, stay in with a good book, organize a clothing swap instead of buying new gifts, or whatever else calls to you. Where might you take something that no longer resonates and create something new?
- Take breaks from social media: It’s easy to compare your experience to others online. Remember that social media often presents a highlight reel. Taking a break can give you space to reconnect with what’s meaningful to you, (and allow you to skip the over-the-top holiday advertising!).
If you’re struggling this holiday season, know that you don’t have to go through it alone. Let’s Talk Tampa Bay is here to support you with resources and guidance. For immediate support, call or text 988 for the 24/7 suicide crisis hotline. To connect with local resources, explore our Find Services page. We’re here with a helping hand, and a gentle reminder that your mental well-being is important—this season and every season. Wishing you and your loved ones peace and self-compassion this holiday season.
With Gratitude,
Your Team at Let’s Talk Tampa Bay
