By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Staff Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com
Amid the holiday cheer, many Americans are juggling financial stress or navigating grief, whether from the loss of loved ones, strained relationships or broader social and communal challenges. And, the uncertainty and divisiveness of the current sociopolitical environmental climate have likely only exacerbated those feelings.
An online survey of 1,023 U.S. adults by LifeStance Health found 51 percent of people reported feeling lonely during the holidays, even when with loved ones, and 57 percent said they find the holiday season stressful. The survey was conducted Oct. 16-21 and published Nov. 5. LifeStance Health is a mental healthcare company.
A study by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) found around 48 percent of respondents were struggling with grief or missing loved ones. This study was derived from an APA Healthy Minds Poll conducted Nov. 4-5 with 2,203 U.S. adults.
“Grief and stress can often intensify during the holidays because this season is constantly portrayed as a time of togetherness, love and family,” said Ashley Edwards, a mental health coach. “When your real life doesn’t match that image because of loss, strained relationships, financial stress or simply being in a different place than you hoped, the contrast can feel painful and isolating.”
Mental health experts emphasize that grief during the holidays is normal and encourage self-care, seeking support, and using coping strategies to manage emotional strain.
“Representation of the full human experience matters,” Edwards said. “If the way you celebrate or don’t celebrate looks different from others, it doesn’t mean something is wrong with you.”
For grief in particular, psychotherapist Domenique Harrison challenges the notion that it must be faced alone.
“We believe we cannot process the depths of sorrow with others, but when done with flexibility, care and intention, grieving in community can be some of the most liberating actions we can take,” she said.
Harrison noted people experience grief for many reasons during the holidays, including the loss of safety and future possibilities caused by racism, affecting them emotionally, mentally and physically.
“We are also navigating seasonal depression, adjusting to seasonal changes, environmental disasters related to global warming and the loss of daylight or sunlight, which can lead us to withdraw from the outside world, intensifying feelings of isolation,” she said.
“It is very important to understand these experiences and intentionally seek ways to stay connected with friends and family explore opportunities to be vulnerable with people we trust,” added Harrison.
She recommended tools for managing mental health during the holidays, including adult coloring books, meditation apps, childhood board games or computer games, self-help books on grief, and getting at least 30 minutes of sunlight or “under the sky time.”
Harrison also uses Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) tapping.
“Tapping is one of my favorite practices to connect with our minds and bodies, but it also leads to immediate regulation and helps reduce anxiety and depression symptoms,” she said.
Edwards encourages seeking mental health support.
“If you have everyday support in place now, that means if or when you go through rough seasons, you’re not starting from scratch,” he said. “That said, when you experience feelings and emotions that overwhelm your ability to cope, that’s a sign to seek additional support.”
For Black families in particular, Edwards emphasized giving space to process emotions.
“It’s hard to process joy when we don’t give space to process pain,” he said. “My hope for our communities is that we resist the urge to invalidate someone’s feelings or experiences, even when we don’t agree or when generational differences shape how we see the world. Emotional wellbeing starts with being heard through healthy communication.”
