While it's no official disorder, the holiday blues is real and commonly triggered by loneliness, financial difficulties, previous negative holiday experiences and grief.
"For some, it could be experienced as overwhelming because it represents a conclusion or roundup of everything that was done during the year... Others may have lost loved ones or experienced some other loss during previous years festive seasons, and so the time of the year can be a painful reminder for them," Clinical Psychologist, Lerato Diale tells Parent24 of the anxiousness and stress that seems to creep up during this time.
But it's been no ordinary year, and we may just need to proceed with even more emotional caution than in previous years, as we prepare to celebrate the big days during a pandemic.
