The Holidays and your Mental Health During the COVID-19 Outbreak

December 18, 2020

The holiday season typically is a time of joyful celebrations with family and friends. Many people look forward to gathering together, exchanging gifts, and celebrating traditions. However, this holiday season, COVID-19 and physical distancing have added a new type of stress to the season.

Some things to keep in mind during this holiday season:

• Stay connected with loved ones and social networks via e-mail, social media, video conference, and telephone.
• Maintain holiday traditions by creating safe and healthy alternatives to established family traditions such as engaging in holiday decorating using social distancing options.
• Create new traditions within your immediate household, especially traditions that include children, such as engaging in family baking or cooking projects.
• Protect yourself and be supportive of others. Assisting others in a safe manner during the holidays can benefit the person receiving support as well as the helper.
• Help children find positive ways to express feelings of isolation during the holiday season through creative activities, such as playing and drawing, which can facilitate this process. Children feel relieved if they can express and communicate their feelings in a safe and supportive environment.
• During times of stress, it is common for children to seek more attachment and be more demanding on parents. If your children have concerns about how the COVID-19 pandemic will affect the holidays, address their concerns together to help ease their anxiety. Children will observe adults’ behaviors and emotions for cues on how to manage their own emotions during difficult times.
• Participate in healthy activities that you and your loved ones enjoy and find relaxing while staying safe. Exercise regularly, keep regular sleep routines, and eat healthy food.
• During the holidays, social isolation and stress can be triggers for substance use. Focus on maintaining sobriety during this challenging time by engaging in or continuing to engage in recovery meetings by signing into virtual AA and NA meetings hosted by Zoom at nyintergroup.org.

If you are struggling to manage mental health or sobriety during this holiday season reach out.

You are not alone!

For assistance contact MEND 395 Hudson Street, 5^th Floor, NY, NY 10014 212-366-7590 or MEND@NYCCBF.org.