Tend to your mental health over the holidays; address isolation, loneliness, grief

Six Steps from St. Jude psychologists

The team of psychologists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have years of experience helping families deal with unthinkable grief and anxiety either around the death of a child or a recent diagnosis of a catastrophic illness. For the over 80% of children who survive childhood cancer, many face chronic illnesses for the rest of their lives. This creates challenges for families having to navigate tough conversations about health requirements, and other relevant experiences many Americans are facing this year.

“‘Pandemic fatigue’ has set in, and the holidays are already a time of year where many people experience increased mental and emotional challenges such as depression, anxiety and grief,” said…

How to cope with pandemic loneliness this holiday season

The holiday season can be a joyous, but many suffer from depression during this time of year. A number of factors can contribute to the “blues” during the holidays, including social isolation, grief and financial strain.

This year, you may also experience feelings of depression and loneliness due to the pandemic.

“People are grieving for similar reasons: loss of family members, jobs, relationships, friendships and physical touch. Everyone is suffering,” said Dr. Asim Shah, psychiatrist at Baylor College of Medicine. “Holiday blues will affect a lot of people this year, including those who haven’t suffered from it before.”