The holiday season, commonly depicted in the media as a period of happiness and family reunions, turns out for many individuals to be the source of significant anxiety.
The Perfectionism Trap: The ‘Hallmark Effect’
A huge source of holiday-related stress is the need to provide a “perfect” holiday experience. The high standards created by American culture, thanks in large part to images from movies like Hallmark’s, are impossible to live up to. Such movies typically feature wholesome family gatherings, with perfectly decorated homes and flawlessly executed celebrations. A “Hallmark Effect” thus emerges, in which a person typically comes to feel that their holiday season must live up to what has been portrayed in these movies. These individuals are thus under pressure to deliver “perfectly” wrapped presents, ideally conduct holiday dinners, and maintain a constant happy disposition. Such individuals can quickly turn their holiday season from a fun occasion into a source of significant stress.
Financial Strain
The Christmas holidays are linked with substantial economic outlays. There is pressure to buy holiday gifts for the entire family, decorate homes, and engage in holiday activities. Many people end up overspending these holidays. It contributes to debt and subsequent economic anxieties that go well beyond the holiday season. The commercialization of Christmas and Hanukkah is driving this factor. Advertisements persuade consumers to spend even more. It reinforces the idea that the value of the gift is proportional to the level of love or generosity. It has created a vicious circle of overspending and economic anxieties. It has been observed in certain studies that a link exists between holiday expenditures and successively higher levels of stress and anxiety.
Family and Social Dynamics
Family functions, which are so looked forward to during the holiday season, can actually be stressful for some people. The holiday season is when family members meet. If they are incompatible in terms of their personalities, issues, and what they expect from each other, this creates stress and thereby pushes their level of anxiety higher. Some families experience stress and drama due to conflicts, criticism, and complex relationships among family members. The stress of coping with these relationships during the holiday season is extremely high. There is also the stress of attending holiday social parties, when people are expected to be sociable and outgoing. Therefore, social anxiety can result in the holiday season as well.
“Obligation” Overload
The holiday season also comes with its share of responsibilities. Between social gatherings, holiday cards, and holiday events, the number of things to do in the holiday season is quite long. This is known as an overload of obligations. This overload of commitments may lead to holiday-related stress or holiday-related anxiety. This is because people who may have problems with time management or who tend to take on more than they can handle may feel the effects. The holiday season is also known to have people say yes to more than they can actually handle. This is because people feel obligated to others, and this may lead to the holiday season being associated with negative emotions. Setting boundaries is important for managing an overload of obligations.
Boundary Dissolution: Regression and Resurfacing Anxieties
Holidays with family in proximity tend to lead to a breakdown of personal physical boundaries. In other words, the emotional and psychological walls people build around themselves can melt or erode. This can lead to what clinicians refer to as “regression”, in which people adopt (or revert to) behaviors and cognitions they used earlier in life, usually in childhood or adolescence. During this regression, old fears and unresolved conflicts may resurface—making the holiday season especially difficult. An adult child, for instance, can return to the role of the peacemaker in their family, or to the role of the scapegoat or the failure. These roles probably touched off underlying issues of inadequacy, resentment, and anxiety that they’d buried for years. Personal space and the pressures of intense family relationships can be additional factors that make it even harder to figure out oneself or manage feelings.
Arbor Wellness Mental Healthcare: A Haven for Holiday Anxiety
For those feeling the effects of the spike in holiday anxiety, Arbor Wellness is a haven and the solution to this problem. Winner of various categories at the Best of Las Vegas 2025, Arbor Wellness is known for delivering the best solutions to people concerned about their mental health, especially during the holiday season.
Clinical Expertise
Arbor Wellness is proud to have skilled professionals who are capable of dealing with anxiety issues and other mental health concerns. At Arbor Wellness, mental health professionals are trained in techniques like cognitive behavior therapy and mindfulness therapy to help one cope with anxiety.
PMHNPs of Arbor Mental Wellness: Filling the Gap
The role of the PMHNPs at Arbor Wellness is instrumental in filling the gap when a patient receives a medical diagnosis but lacks the support that comes with it. PMHNPs are advanced practice registered nurses who provide both medical and psychiatric services. They’re qualified to evaluate, diagnose, and treat anxiety disorders. Arbor Wellness’ PMHNPs can also provide medication, offering a well-rounded solution to care. This knowledge helps us gain a deeper understanding of the links between mental and physical health, enabling our patients to access holistic, integrated care.
Individualized Treatment Plans
Arbor Wellness believes that holiday-related anxiety may be experienced in varying degrees by individual patients. Remarkably, the clinic offers specialized treatment tailored to your needs. These therapies may range from a personal talking therapy session to medication or a combination of both. The therapists at Arbor Wellness partner with patients to identify triggers, learn new coping skills, and build resilience.
The holiday season, although often referred to with a degree of nostalgia and longing, can also be a very anxious time of year. Some of the reasons are usually due to perfectionism, financial stress, challenging family dynamics, and a sense of obligation. But addressing the psychological prompts for this problem will be the first order of managing holiday anxiety. Arbor Wellness provides a supportive and therapeutic atmosphere that can prove beneficial to those seeking assistance during the holiday season. The clinic has the expertise and resources, including professional psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners, to help individuals enjoy the holiday season with less stress and more joy. If holiday stress is an issue for you, give Arbor Wellness a call. Their team and experts are here to support you—and provide the resources you need to manage your holiday anxiety effectively and start feeling good about the holidays.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regression_(psychology)
https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2006/12/holiday-stress.pdf
https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2023/11/holiday-season-stress
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https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-big-reframe/202212/how-handle-holiday-stress
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