Beat the Holiday Blues: Embracing Mental Wellness
By Team Therapy Smarts
This month, an old adage repeats throughout shopping malls, restaurants and public spaces across the nation — it’s “the most wonderful time of the year”. Studies also show, however, that the holiday season is considered to be the most stressful time of the year— the American Heart Association reports that 63% of Americans report that the holiday season is more stressful than tax season.
Consider the last holiday advertisement or movie that you’ve seen— more than likely, there was a smiling child involved, somewhere. When we think of this season, we often think of the children in our lives, the excitement they feel seeing the lights, playing in the snow or receiving a present. However, just as we experience myriad reactions to the holiday season, so too to our kids.
Below, we wanted to share a few strategies from our mental health program director, Ms. Delia, on the ways you can address holiday emotions with your child.
Enter the Holiday Blues
A blue Christmas isn’t restricted to Elvis Presley — the “holiday blues” are a very real phenomenon. It manifests as a feeling of sadness and doom often centered around the holiday season. There are many reasons that this condition may manifest itself in children and adolescents. A few of these reasons could include:
Changes in routine, such as attending a different daycare, seeing distant family members and increased focus on holiday celebrations and social events.
Financial stressors, or social anxiety about the comparison of holiday gifts and experiences.
Reinforced grief, sadness or loneliness surrounding the loss of a loved one.
Check out the video below from our mental health expert, Ms. Delia for tips on navigating the holiday with your little ones:
Symptoms of the “holiday blues” may appear to be similar to depression, however, the major difference is that this condition is temporary. It can be helpful to talk with your child about their feelings and use their responses to determine a root cause. Perhaps they are anxious about having distant family members staying in the home. It could be that they are sad that they will not see their friends who are traveling for the season.
In contrast, depression is more severe, and its symptoms linger longer than the holiday blues. A few signs of depression in children may include:
- Negative Moods: Children may feel increasingly sad, lonely or grouchy. This could manifest as increased episodes of crying, or more tantrums than usual.
- Aches and Pains: Some children may experience an increased number of stomachaches or other pains, keeping them from school and other activities.
- Self-Criticism: Experiencing depression can cause children to complain more often. They may downgrade themselves with statements like “I can’t” or “I don’t have any friends.”
- Lack of Energy or Effort: Whether at school, extracurriculars or around the house, depression can drain your child of his or her energy. Kids may seem tired, give up easily, or not try.
Whether these symptoms are new or have been lingering, the most important thing that you can do for your child is to be curious. Pay attention to their moods over this holiday season and beyond. If certain behaviors aren’t typical for your child, it may be worth setting up an appointment with their primary care doctor, in order to rule out any physical causes.
Mental health therapy can benefit all ages — and unlike with adult patients, children’s mental health therapy is not purely discussion-based. Many treatment options incorporate play into sessions, to allow the child to explore thoughts and feelings that they may be uncomfortable with or otherwise unable to express with words. Giving your child a safe space to discuss their emotions is the first, critical step to get them the help they need.