Happier
H
olidays
T
he holidays are a time of family gatherings, long-held traditions and counting one’s blessings. It’s also a time for depression, anxiety and stress for millions of people all across the country. Between media depictions of the “perfect” holiday gathering and nostalgic memories distorted by time, we’re constantly bombarded with images and expectations that are all but impossible to attain. This not only creates stress all on its own, but those feelings can be made worse by the belief that everyone else has things well under control and is enjoying an anxiety-free holiday. “I want to emphasize that it is OK to 6 | ARKANSAS FLAVOR • WINTER 2022
not be OK during the holiday season,” wrote Patrick McElwaine, psychologist, for psychologytoday.com. “I know it appears that everyone is having a jolly and merry time during the holidays. The truth is that some people are mentally, emotionally and physically struggling during this time. You are not alone.” Statistics bear this out. A recent American Psychological Association survey on the so-called “holiday blues” showed that while the majority of people surveyed reported feelings of happiness, love and high spirits over the holidays, those emotions often came with a helping of fatigue, stress, irritability and sadness. In fact, 38% of people surveyed said
stress levels increased during the holiday season with the top stressors being lack of time, lack of money, commercialism, the pressures of gift-giving and family gatherings. And according to a study by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 64% of people with a diagnosed mental health condition said the holidays worsened those conditions. Ken Clark, founder and practice director of Little Rock-based Chenal Family Therapy, said holiday stress often stems from the pressures people put on themselves to be perfect in every aspect, from gifts to turkey. “In the end, the holidays and all the gift-giving are about communicating to people how precious they are to us,” he
