For some the holiday season is wrapping up, for others, it’s just beginning, and there are others still for whom it hasn’t yet begun. Because of this, December is often a month of reflection and holiday celebration. As enjoyable and indulgent as it can be, it can also stir up mental health concerns from added financial stress, coordinating time off, and familial relationships. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reported that 64% of people with mental illness reported that holidays made their conditions worse.

“For many people the holiday season is not always the most wonderful time of the year,” said NAMI medical director Ken Duckworth (in an interview before the pandemic).

NAMI also reports that the COVID-19 pandemic has made maintaining mental health even more challenging in recent years. In order to better cope with this uniquely stressful holiday period, here is a list of resources that can help make this December more manageable.

  1. Stress, depression and the holidays: Tips for coping
  2. McLean’s Guide to Managing Mental Health Around the Holidays
  3. Maintaining Mental health During the Holiday Season (And a Pandemic)
  4. 5 Things to Do When the Holidays Aren’t Exactly Uplifting
  5. How to Protect Your Mental Health During the Stressful Holiday Season