It’s a commonly believed myth that the holiday season is associated with an increased rate of suicide. In fact, rates peak in the spring and fall and are lowest in December. However, the expectations, loneliness, and stresses associated with the holiday season are known to worsen existing mental health conditions. In one survey, 64% of respondents reported that the holidays exacerbate their mental illness.
Family demands, unmet expectations, memories of past holidays, unstructured time, and having to make many decisions play a large part. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is also a concern and is relatively common in the fall and winter.
Are you familiar with mental health conditions that may worsen or develop during the holiday season? Make sure you’re prepared to help patients at this time of year; test your knowledge with a quick quiz.
Medscape © 2020 WebMD, LLC
Any views expressed above are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: Stephen Soreff. Fast Five Quiz: Holidays and Mental Health – Medscape – Dec 14, 2020.
