It’s hard not to get swept up in the magic of the holiday season. The twinkling lights, the fun music and the sparkling snow (for those who live in cold places) can make you feel happy and optimistic. If you celebrate holidays, you get the chance to end the year with people you love.

However, the bright lights and festive decorations can sometimes feel like they’re a mask for mental health distress or challenges that we’re trying to avoid addressing. It can sometimes paint an unrealistic perception of your health and well-being. If you fall into the mental health traps that come from the distractions of the holiday season, that impact can follow you into the new year.

While a new year is meant to be a new beginning, that’s not always an easy mindset to adopt if you’re still holding on to lingering challenges from the holidays.

Here are four ways that your mental health can be affected if you romanticize the holiday season just a bit too much:

• Hyperfixation on lack of romantic relationships — Many holiday songs are about cuddling up with your partner in front of a warm fire or going on ice skating dates. However, not everyone is in a romantic relationship during the holiday season, and that’s OK. But if you focus too much on what you believe you may be missing out on during the holidays without a partner, you may go into the new year with severe feelings of loneliness, low self-esteem and resentment toward couples in your life.
• Envy of others — The holiday season feels special because it’s often one of the only times you get to see family and friends whom you may not have the time or resources to see otherwise. However, seeing people whom you don’t often visit can bring feelings of envy. It’s natural to feel a bit envious of other people. There will always be someone who has more money, a nicer house or a more fascinating job. And if you hear about people sharing their accomplishments, it can lead to envy that causes lasting self-doubt.
• Money anxiety — Finances are one of the most difficult stressors around the holidays. The festive season tends to cost a lot of money, especially for gifts and decorations. Even though we all try to remember that spending a lot of money isn’t required to enjoy the holidays, there can be pressure to go over your budget. Perhaps you’ve felt bad about what you were able to spend in the past, or you feel guilty for not buying your children their top gift choice. This can cause anxiety about being able to pay bills in January.
• Post-holiday blues — When you’re in a good mood for the majority of a holiday season, you hope the positive emotions will never end. However, when you put the holiday season on a high pedestal for providing cheer and celebration, it can be difficult to cope with “reality” in January. When your work schedule returns to normal and you no longer have the opportunities for quality time with your loved ones, your positive emotions can plummet. 

While the holiday season can be a wonderful and joyous time, it can also bring many mental health challenges that can’t be brushed under the rug. If you want to work toward making the most out of this new year, it’s important that you address how the high expectations of the holidays have affected your emotional and mental health. 

At Lightfully, we understand that, while the holiday season is often seen as “magical,” the mental health impact can last long after the calendar changes to January. That’s why we want to help you develop the insight and tools you need to have a fulfilling year. 

If the holiday season caused you overwhelming anxiety or depressive symptoms in the new year, our four levels of care are worth exploring. If you’re having trouble managing your symptoms on your own, or if they require a bit more intensive care beyond outpatient psychotherapy, you can try our:

• Residential Treatment Center
• Intensive Outpatient Program
• Virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (vIOP)
• Partial Hospitalization Program

You can also test our free online support group if you’re trying to dip your toe in mental health treatment for the first time.

Change is possible. When you’re ready to take the first step, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of you.