Holiday Stress and Suicide
Contrary to the impression left by the iconic Christmas movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” suicide is not more common during the holidays. Organizations interested in mental wellness and suicide prevention can acknowledge the importance of managing heightened stress and anxiety related to these busy times without suggesting that suicides are more common.
It’s no secret that the holiday season – starting with Thanksgiving, rounding the corner to Christmas and wrapping up with New Years Eve –kicks our lives into an accelerated pace with more parties, shopping, decorating and Christmas card-writing, as well travel and family gatherings. These are special times -- that can sometimes lead to high expectations, but can also lead to crushing disappointments.
A recent poll by the American Psychological Association found that 25% of Americans felt extreme stress at some time during the holiday period. The National Association for Mental Illness reports its surveys found that 64% of the respondents with a mental illness felt their conditions worsened during the holidays.
While heightened anxiety and stress may be factors that threaten our mental wellness, suicide rates – contrary to what you might think – do not rise during the busy months of November, December, and January. Researchers who have studied media coverage of suicide say misguided coverage that implies suicide is more common during the holidays can negatively affect vulnerable people and induce imitative behavior.
It’s important to not to link the very real rise in anxiety and stress most of us feel at this busy time of the year with the myth that suicides are more likely to occur during this timeframe.
“Creating the false impression that suicide is more likely during the holidays than at other times of year can have adverse consequences for already-vulnerable individuals,” warns Dan Romer, research director for the Annenberg Public Policy Center. The organization reported recently that news organizations have gradually been getting the message: fewer articles were published last year mistakenly connecting the holidays and suicide trends.
“Although many stories during the pandemic concerned the increase in risk factors for suicide such as anxiety, social isolation, and unemployment, it was encouraging to see that few news media stories drew a seasonal connection to suicide,” Romer said.
In fact, according to CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, December has among the fewest suicides of any month, across all age and demographic groups. Instead, completed suicides peak in the spring and fall. A report by the health newsletter STAT reported that there was a “rebound effect” in January. Center for Disease Control (CDC) figures showed that from 1999 to 2013, the daily suicide average dipped from 90.2 in November to 85.5 in December and then rebounded to 91.9 in January.
April Foreman, a suicide researcher and executive committee member of the American Association of Suicidology and co-founder of Suicide Prevention and Social Media (SPSM), said the enduring popularity of the Christmas movie “It’s A Wonderful Life,” may have led to the stubborn association of holidays and heightened suicide. Foreman, in an article for Healthline, said the holiday season may act as a buffer to suicidal thoughts. In part, this is due to all the events and social gatherings that can insulate a person from suicidality, she believes.
“We have a good four to six weeks of inviting each other in, connecting. If we treated each other the same way we do over the holidays all year long, it would be very preventative,” Foreman said.
Here is our takeaway: Instead of focusing on suicide risks, provide positive messaging and concrete advice. Mental Health First Aid, a national nonprofit promoting training to avert or address mental health crises, offers five tips on taking care of yourself during the holidays:
Focus on what you can control. Control what you can to take care of your physical and mental health. If you are nervous about travel requirements, research them in advance so you feel more prepared. If you’re feeling stressed by the media, take a digital break for a few days.
Keep healthy habits. It’s important to keep healthy habits in place regardless of your holiday plans. Taking care of your physical health can help stabilize your mood, reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, and improve long-term mental wellbeing.
Make time for yourself. Spending time with family or friends, especially if you have not seen them in the last few years, can be overwhelming. If you need a moment to yourself, try sneaking away to a quiet room or going for an early morning walk.
Create new traditions. It may feel challenging to revert to holiday traditions from pre-pandemic times. That’s OK. Create new traditions that work for you.
Ask for help if you need it. If you are feeling especially sad, stressed, anxious or depressed, ask for help. Talk to someone you trust, a mental health professional or a primary care physician for guidance and support. Some good news in NH: in 2020, 6000 help-seeking calls came in via Lifeline to NH; a sign that people are reaching out and asking for help with the resources provided to them.