While popular culture leads us to believe the holidays are the happiest time of year, for many people it is the hardest. The holidays can be hard for many reasons and it’s different for everyone.
Knowing this time of year can be difficult, here are some tips for how you can support yourself, friends, family and colleagues who may be feeling this way.
Research from Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows that one in six adults experience loneliness.
It is important to point out that being 'lonely' is different to being 'alone' so you can still experience loneliness when you are surrounded by people. There are many common reasons why people feel lonely, especially over the holiday period - fragmented or estranged relationships, geographic distance between loved ones, the loss or separation from a loved one - the list goes on.
Like loneliness, there are many common reasons why people experience holiday stress.
Furthermore, stress levels can be heightened over the holiday period for all sorts of reasons - needing to meet end of year deadlines at work, having a jam-packed social calendar, managing family and friend dynamics, choosing gifts, having long to-do lists including cooking, baking, shopping, cleaning and entertaining.
Spending spikes over the holidays, making it an expensive time of year for most.
Many people may be feeling the pinch even more this year than before due to the rising cost-of-living, the impact of natural disasters or a change in circumstances. Research shows that financial wellbeing and mental health are closely linked. If you are worried about money this may be the reason why you're not feeling like yourself or could be why you're experiencing symptoms including depression and anxiety.
