We often have huge expectations for the holidays. We imagine our friends and family assembling to share a scrumptious meal, to trade presents and to generally get along. And yet, the holidays seldom play out the way we envision. For many, the season instead fosters feelings of sadness and stress.
These feelings, alongside fatigue, frustration and anxiety, are all signs of the “holiday blues” — a temporary malaise that troubles millions of individuals each year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. For them, even simple activities can become tiresome. Sometimes, they see changes to their appetite and sleep schedule or struggle to appreciate activities they previously found fun.
If these symptoms seem reminiscent of other heavy-hitting mental health issues, including depression and anxiety, there's a pretty good reason. According to NAMI, 64 percent of people already diagnosed with a mental illness say that the holidays exacerbated their symptoms. Let's get into why.
