Explore our ‘Guide to Managing Mental Health Through the Holidays’ to navigate a successful gathering season. Click through below to read what our leading therapists at The Mental Health Collective had to share.
A MENTAL HEALTH PLAN FOR FAMILY GATHERINGS
WRITTEN BY: DR. TONY MEINERS, PSYD
For some, family gatherings are anticipated with excitement. For others, they can bring about stress and emotional challenges. Whether it’s the pressure to meet expectations, unresolved conflicts, or simply the dynamics of diverse personalities coming together, these gatherings can sometimes take a toll on your mental well-being.
The holiday season is advertised as a time filled with joy, festivities, and quality with loved ones. However, it can also be a time of heightened stress and emotional overwhelm, particularly for those who have experienced trauma in their past. Understanding how ones body responds to holiday stress is the key to managing the holidays with success.
During the holidays, it is common for individuals to experience increased anxiety relating to stressors such as social obligations, financial strain, changes in typical routines, and increased expectations. For some, the holiday season can also intensify feelings of isolation and loneliness.