holidays and anxiety Tag

Navigating the Holidays with Anxiety

When you picture the holidays, what do you picture? Do you think about gentle snowfall on a quiet morning? Or gathering with friends and family to exchange gifts? How about holiday traditions you have with others, like baking, religious rituals, or movie marathons?   Or - are the holidays more anxiety-inducing for you? Do you picture tight budgeting to buy presents? Do you think about crowds as you brave stores to buy gifts for others? Or do you think about hosting your family who inevitably will fight with each other during their stay?   If your picture of the holidays sounds closer to the latter than the former, you’re not alone. In fact, 69% of Americans feel stressed out during the holidays. Almost half of Americans - 45% - report they’d rather skip the holidays altogether.   For those with anxiety, navigating the holidays can feel even more stressful. Anxious thoughts can be stirred up by...