For many families, the holiday season is a time of togetherness and traditions. But it can also be a time of stress and emotional strain, no matter a person’s age. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five American adults experience mental illness each year, and one in six American youth.
Caring for one’s mental health is a priority at any time, but with the busyness of the holidays, it’s especially important. Several local mental health experts weighed in on practices you and your family can follow to restore a bit of calm to a hectic holiday season.
Bloom Health Center’s Dr. Michael Chon, who opened an office in Village at Leesburg this October, said that personal awareness is key. While the holidays are a time of joy for some of Chon’s patients, they can also trigger mental health issues, he said.
“Always ask yourself, what are my stressors?” Chon said.
Employing the most child and youth psychiatrists for a private group in the region, Bloom is covered by nearly all insurance policies to reduce financial barriers to high-quality care, Chon said. Bloom also uses a care team model approach, where patients can get help and screenings from in-network nurse practitioners, psychiatrists and therapists. Chon sees patients in person and virtually, as needed.
Katrina Cole, president of Friends of Loudoun Mental Health, empathizes with the joys and stresses of the holiday season. A lifelong Loudoun resident, Cole joined the local nonprofit because she wanted to positively impact those struggling with mental illness.
“Don’t be afraid to ask someone if they’re okay,” Cole said.
Friends of Loudoun Mental Health offers assistance programs through Loudoun County Mental Health Services, a suicide loss support group, and Friends Being Friends, a social group for volunteers and those with long-term mental illness. Cole said that the nonprofit is always looking for board members and volunteers for upcoming events, like the annual walk around Raflo Park in May.
Here are a few tips from Chon, Cole, and Bloom Chief Medical Officer Dr. Neel Nene about how to boost your and your children’s mental health during the holiday season:
- Keep family traditions. Doing the same activities every holiday season isn’t just a fun way to make memories—it’s vital for mental health. Chon encourages families to practice traditions and cultivate gratitude. Set aside time to talk with each of your children one-on-one, and schedule family meals where everyone puts aside the phone. “If the kids ever do have any issues, they can feel comfortable discussing it because they know their parents actually listen,” Chon said.
- Practice self-care. Maintaining a healthy body contributes to a healthy mind, Cole said, especially for single parents or primary caregivers. Eating a clean diet, avoiding depressing media, and spending five minutes a day in meditation or deep breathing can relieve symptoms of depression or anxiety. “The airlines have it right,” Cole said. “Put your own mask on before you put others’ on.”
- Take notice of changes in personality or behavior. “Mental illness is just like a physical medical condition,” Chon said. “It’s always better to catch it early.” According to NAMI, half of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, so parents should never ignore red flags. Is your child sleeping in abnormally late? Is your teen wearing uncharacteristically baggy or long-sleeved clothing? Are they acting irritable? In young people, depression often presents as anger issues more than sadness, Chon said. And if your child does speak up, listen and don’t minimize anything they share.
- Reach out. For anyone struggling with mental illness, it’s vital to realize that you’re not alone. Cole and Chon both endorse volunteering as a way to get outside your own problems and serve others. For teens in the county school system, Cole recommends joining one of the 28 chapters of Sources of Strength, a program created by the Ryan Bartel Foundation. “The program helps kids build resiliency, come back from low feelings,” she said. Both Chon and Cole emphasized the importance of seeking professional therapy, as well. “It doesn’t matter what county you’re from or how much money you’ve got, depression affects us all,” Chon said.
- Prepare for post-holiday depression. According to NAMI, 64 percent of survey respondents said they experienced the holiday blues, or temporary feelings of anxiety or depression during or after the holidays. Dr. Neel Nene said that it’s important to prepare for these feelings ahead of time. Get into a positive routine of exercise, engage in pleasurable activities, or sign up for therapy now so you’ll have an easier transition into 2023.
While some holiday stressors are outside our control, parents who model self-care and positive mental health practices help their kids establish similar habits, Chon said. By choosing mindfulness and togetherness now, you and your family can turn the holidays from a hectic hustle into a season of fond memories.