In crisis?Call or text 988 · Call 911 for immediate danger

See all crisis resources →
All resources

Seasonal · Holidays

The holidays and mental health

NAMI on the season that intensifies depression, grief, family conflict, and loneliness for many people — and what helps.

NAMI6 min read

NAMI's annual holiday mental health guidance is one of the better seasonal resources, covering the specific pressures (family, finances, alcohol, expectations, anniversary reactions, isolation) and the small adjustments that meaningfully help.

Most useful in mid-November rather than late December, when there is still time to set the expectations the season will otherwise set for you.

Open at NAMI

Mental Hum's library is a curated index of authoritative third-party resources. The summary above is our own framing; the full information lives at the source.

A note on this article

Mental Hum publishes general education, not medical advice. If something here reflects your own experience, please consider speaking to a clinician. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.