During the holiday season, some adults in the U.S. may feel stress instead of holiday cheer.
Dr. Nicole Saint Clair, Executive Medical Director of Regence BlueShield, says the festive season is not necessarily festive for everyone. “The holiday season can be fun but it can be super stressful and I think it can be stressful in two different ways, there are some people for who it’s not fun.”
The holiday season can be stressful, whether it’s holiday shopping or getting ready to host a large group of family and friends.
A survey by the American Psychological Association says two out of five people feel the holiday pressure. Dr. Saint Clair says that sometimes bad experiences or memories can fuel bad feelings at this time of year, “Sometimes (people) can feel forgotten and not really have a space to say hey I’m not full of holiday cheer right now.”
She says there is a normal uptick in stress in the weeks leading up to the end-of-year holidays. People can battle it with regular rest, exercise, and being aware of how much alcohol they drink.
Dr. Saint Clair says sometimes stress can be a sign of something bigger than holiday blues, “persistent feelings of hopelessness, or persistent feelings of guilt or inadequacy, and having difficulty sleeping, having difficulty completing work. These are the times where it’s maybe crossing over from I’m moody, I’m in a down mood to I’m actually having a clinical depression.”
Adding to the stress this year is the fact that the holiday season is a bit shorter this year. Thanksgiving came later, which makes it feel like all the other holidays are earlier.
If bad feelings go beyond stress, Dr. Saint Clair says there are options for help, “Many employer insurance plans offer something that’s called EAP, Employee Assistance Program, this is something that’s usually available to all employees and their families for free and it offers multiple visits with a behavioral health or mental health therapist.”