Mickey Bell: The Holidays Are Coming… and Some of Us Are Already Exhausted
The Holidays Are Coming… and Some of Us Are Already Exhausted
For most folks, the holiday season officially begins when the turkey leftovers hit the Tupperware. But for a growing number of people, the dread starts long before the first pumpkin spice latte hits their Instagram feed.
The lights go up, the ads start rolling, and suddenly everyone’s supposed to morph into Buddy the Elf—while half of us feel more like we’re duct-taping our sanity together with peppermint-scented masking tape.
Let’s talk about it.
Because while some people are shopping for matching pajamas and scheduling Christmas card photos with their golden doodles, others are quietly bracing for impact.
Why So Many People Dread the Holidays
For those battling depression, anxiety, or any form of mental illness, this time of year doesn’t always come wrapped in joy. It often comes wrapped in:
1. Emotional Overload
The holidays amplify every feeling—especially the ones we’ve been suppressing all year. Suddenly, we’re expected to smile, laugh, mingle, perform, and pretend everything is “fine” when maybe nothing feels fine.
2. Family Expectations
Some families are warm, loving, and supportive. Others… well, they bring a casserole and a comment about your weight, your job, your relationship status, or your parenting. Nothing quite says “holiday cheer” like Aunt Mildred asking, “So when are you getting your life together?”
3. Financial Pressure
Gift-giving, traveling, events, meals, decorations—joy seems to come with a receipt these days. And if money is already tight, December feels less like a celebration and more like a financial ambush.
4. Social Comparison
Nothing will rob your peace faster than scrolling through picture-perfect Christmas photos while your family is still arguing about who hid the scissors last year while wrapping gifts.
5. Grief and Loneliness
This is the time of year when empty chairs feel heavier. When memories outnumber moments. When the people who should be here… aren’t.
If This Is You — You’re Not Broken
Let me say that again:
You’re not broken. You’re not weak. You are not the problem.
Your brain is already fighting a battle the world can’t always see. The holidays just crank up the noise.
But there is hope—because dread doesn’t have to be your holiday tradition this year.
How to Actually Enjoy the Holidays (Even If You’re Struggling)
These aren’t magic cures. But they are practical tools you can start using now:
1. Set Boundaries Without Apologizing
“No” is a complete sentence.
“No, I can’t come.”
“No, I can’t host this year.”
“No, I don’t owe you a 32-step explanation.”
Protecting your mental health is more important than protecting someone’s seasonal expectations.
2. Create Your Version of the Holidays
If the traditional holiday doesn’t bring joy—change it.
- Celebrate small
- Change locations
- Skip the pressure-filled events
- Start a new tradition that brings peace, not panic
You’re allowed to rewrite your story.
3. Plan Rest Like It’s an Appointment
The season is busy. Your brain needs breathing room.
Schedule breaks the way other people schedule cookie swaps.
4. Stay Connected to Safe People
You don’t need a crowd.
You need a lifeline.
Find one or two people who get it—and lean in.
5. Ask for Help Before You Break
Therapy isn’t weakness. Medication isn’t shameful. Getting help isn’t admitting defeat—it’s refusing to surrender.
Your life is too valuable to battle alone.
A Holiday Reminder You Didn’t Know You Needed
If the holidays don’t feel magical this year, it’s okay.
If you’re carrying trauma, grief, exhaustion, or fear, it doesn’t mean you’re ungrateful—it means you’re human.
But your story isn’t over.
It’s possible to go into this season with realistic expectations, healthier boundaries, and a heart that chooses peace over perfection.
This year, don’t strive to impress anyone.
Strive to survive well—and maybe, for the first time in a long time, actually enjoy December instead of fearing it.
