Holidays. Celebrations. School breaks. Vacations… Depending on your situation, the end of the calendar year can bring up lots of different emotions, and for some people, can be a difficult time to navigate. On this page, Kids Help Phone explores a variety of thoughts, feelings and experiences folks across Canada may have during the end-of-year season. Then, we share ways you can connect for support for your mental health during the holidays.
If you need support right now, Kids Help Phone’s free, multilingual and confidential e-mental health services are open across Canada 24/7. If you’re in immediate danger, emergency / community services are available across Canada, too.
What factors might contribute to struggles with mental health during the holidays?
During the end-of-year holiday season, you may be trying to cope with a range of thoughts, feelings and experiences that can affect your mental health and well-being, including (and not limited to):
- stress and anxiety
- grief (e.g. over someone / something you’ve lost, memories of past holiday seasons that may differ from the way things are this year, etc.)
- loneliness and isolation
- social anxiety (e.g. feeling extremely uncomfortable at social gatherings, etc.)
- an increase in disordered eating thoughts, feelings and / or behaviours
- depression
- thoughts of suicide
- financial stress
- family, partner and / or peer relationship stress and / or conflict
- substance use (e.g. increased substance use, substance use to cope with difficult emotions, etc.)
- changes to daily routines
- different amounts of time spent at home / work and / or with friends, family members, community members, etc.
- other people’s expectations of how you should act during the holidays (e.g. you may feel like you’re upsetting others if you’re not “happy” or enjoying particular festivities, etc.)
What might be helpful to keep in mind if I want support for my mental health during the holidays?
You don’t have to carry your feelings on your own.
There’s always a space to let them out at Kids Help Phone.
If you’re finding it difficult to cope with your thoughts, feelings and / or experiences this time of year, you can keep the following ideas in mind. They may help you identify what supports are available to you as you try to prioritize your mental health during the holidays.
You can get 24/7 support, even during the holidays
No matter what you’re navigating, you don’t have to go through things on your own. Many virtual and in-person programs, services and resources across Canada (e.g. Kids Help Phone, shelters, helplines, community centres, etc.) are open every day and night of the year (even on weekends and holidays).
It’s OK to ask for help for whatever’s on your mind
The end-of-year holiday season can be a happy time of year for some people. It can also be a difficult time of year for some folks. And that’s OK — whatever you’re thinking and feeling is valid, and you’re not alone. For example, since January 2020, Kids Help Phone has had over 17 million interactions with people in Canada. And top concerns include anxiety / stress, relationships, depression, suicide and isolation.
There are ways to manage your feelings in the moment and before, during and after you connect for support
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your emotions, you can try taking slow, deep breaths to help calm your mind and body. Calming your breathing may also help you communicate more clearly if / when you’re ready to ask for help. Muscle relaxation and / or other relaxation techniques may help bring about feelings of calm as well. You can practise calm breathing using Kids Help Phone’s Breathing Balloon tool. You can also try Anxiety Canada’s tension and release exercise.
Letting it out can make a difference
It can be helpful to communicate how you’re feeling, cry and / or let your feelings out in ways that feel best for you. If you’re not ready to connect with others for support, you can try Kids Help Phone’s feelings chart and / or the Feel Out Loud Community Creator Space (where young people can explore / share creative content) for more ways to give your feelings a place to go.
I’m struggling to manage my mental health during the holidays — how can I get support from Kids Help Phone?
For youth:
- Text 686868 to connect with a trained, volunteer crisis responder
- Call 1-800-668-6868 (using a landline, cellphone or VoIP service on a computer) or go to KidsHelpPhone.ca to contact a professional counsellor
- You can also access our professional phone counselling service in over 100 languages with the help of trained interpreters
- Use Resources Around Me to search for programs and services available nearest your location
For adults:
- Text 741741 to connect with a trained, volunteer crisis responder
Where can I find more resources to help me navigate my mental health during the holidays?
If you or someone you know is experiencing feelings such as stress, loneliness, grief, depression or any other emotions during the holidays, you can tap on the following cards to discover self-guided mental health and wellness resources.
The end-of-year holiday season can bring up different emotions for different people. No matter what you’re experiencing, there are ways to get support and let your feelings out. For free, confidential, 24/7 and multilingual e-mental health support, you can contact Kids Help Phone. You can also connect with someone you trust for help (e.g. a parent / caregiver, family / community member, Elder, teacher, etc.). And if you need help right now, you can contact the emergency / community services nearest your area.
