Not in a festive mood this holiday season? You’re not alone
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If you find yourself in a less than festive mood this holiday season, you are not alone.
In Wisconsin, the recent school shooting tragedy in Madison can compound feelings of loneliness and griefalready common this time of year.
© iStock - Olivier Le Moal
Mary Kay Battaglia, executive director of the Wisconsin chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said seeing others celebrating can also contribute to feelings of stress.
"You see everyone around you -- the commercials -- it's festive, right?" Battaglia observed. "Everyone else is festive and sometimes, you're not feeling as festive as what social media or the commercials you're seeing are telling you, you should feel."
NAMI reported three in five Americans feel the holidays negatively affect their mental health. Battaglia encouraged people to create what she calls a "mental health toolkit" filled with key supportive contacts, things bringing them joy and an action plan to use during the holidays.
Adults are encouraged to pay special attention to the young people in their lives this time of year. State data indicate about one-third of young Wisconsinites reported feelings of sadness and hopelessness nearly every day. Battaglia believes it is another sign local communities need to focus more on how to help people reconnect in meaningful ways.
"We've had social media take us to a place that allows us to think we're connecting, but we're not really. We're not connecting with people," Battaglia pointed out. "I think it's really important that youth feel connected in some way that's real and honest, and in person."
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, you can call 988 to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
