Get Healthy Carson City: Humdrum during the holidays?

For most people the holiday season is a fun time of the year filled with parties, celebrations and social gatherings with family and friends. For many people, it is a time filled with sadness, self-reflection, loneliness and anxiety.

Many factors contribute to the sadness people feel such as shorter days and less sunlight during the winter months. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the holidays can create more stress. This stress can trigger or exacerbate mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.

Feelings of isolation and loneliness also tend to be heightened during the holidays, especially for those who have recently lost a loved one or those who do not have a strong network of friends and family. Take time to reach out to those you know who have a difficult time during this time of the year. Send holiday cards or just write a quick letter letting them know you are thinking of them, and they are important to you. Share some treats by leaving them at their doorstep. Make a telephone call with a story of a memory you share with the person. These gestures can make a huge difference for a person struggling through the holidays.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health crisis, dial or text 988 and get connected to a trained crisis counselor 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Crisis counselors listen empathetically and without judgment. Your crisis counselor will work to ensure that you feel safe and help identify options and information about mental health services in your area.

For additional resources and information about healthy decisions or programs and services offered by Carson City Health and Human Services, check out our website at www.gethealthycarsoncity.org, follow us on X @CCHealthEd, “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cchhs, follow us Instagram @gethealthycarsoncity, call us at 775-887-2190, or visit us at 900 E. Long St., in Carson City.