For millions of Americans, Thanksgiving Day brings to mind joyous visions of being among loved ones, turkey dinner with all of the fixings, the Macy’s parade, and a trifecta game lineup of NFL football. But it can also be a trying time for most, including those who otherwise revel in the festivities. Research shows that more than 70% of the population feel stressed out about the arrival of Thanksgiving. Given that you’re searching for insight into Thanksgiving mental health, odds favor you being among this majority. And whether your stress is mild or you experience stronger emotions and anxiety, you are looking for ways to better manage these negative feelings. Kindbridge is here to help with a half-dozen tips to surviving and thriving the first round of the Holiday season.
6 Powerful Tips to Protecting Your Mental Health this Thanksgiving of 2024
I. Embrace Gratitude
One of the most helpful tips is right there in the name of the holiday. Being thankful for the things that are good in life isn’t just something we’re supposed feel because the day calls for it. As it turns out, there is science behind being grateful that can lead to mental health improvements.
UCLA reports on the findings of 70 studies that unveil an association between higher levels of gratitude and lower levels of depression. The same report indicates that reaffirming gratitude for 15-minutes a day, five days a week, can enhance mental wellness and potentially promote a lasting change in perspective. Meanwhile, another meta-analysis of 64 randomized clinical trials demonstrated that patients who underwent gratitude interventions experienced fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression while simultaneously experiencing more positive moods and emotions. Gratitude interventions are a series of short activities that will help you develop a sense of gratitude and appreciation for the positive aspects of your life. Examples include maintaining a gratitude journal and writing letters of appreciation to be delivered to friends, family, neighbors, and even coworkers who make a positive difference in your life. The latter ties in perfectly with the Thanksgiving holiday. You can prepare these letters leading up to the main event and present them on the day, or whenever you’re most comfortable in doing so. Other interventions include gratitude meditation in addition to doling out compliments and heartfelt thank-yous every single time the opportunity presents itself.
II. Consume to Enjoy, Not Cope
Thanksgiving is ripe with guilty pleasures. And while we would never attempt dissuade a generally healthy person from indulging in extra gravy, one more slice of pumpkin pie, and a heavy pour of Pinot Noir, be sure that you’re not doing so to cope with feelings of anxiety and stress.
Overeating and alcohol misuse are unhealthy coping mechanisms that those who suffer from Thanksgiving stress and anxiety need to be very mindful of. Consume festive food and drink with loved ones out of merriment, but never to bury negative feelings. The same goes with other activities that you may be drawn to during Thanksgiving, such as gambling on the day’s sports schedule. Problem gambling is known to cooccur with anxiety and stress, so if you’re feeling either, go outside and play football with the gang instead of betting on it from your phone.
III. Be Mindful of What Triggers You During Thanksgiving
There are certain situations and people that trigger your negative feelings during this time of the year. Be mindful of them as you enter Thanksgiving and the days that bookend it. By recognizing the potential for these triggers in advance of them occurring, you can practice coping skills and be prepared to employ them as soon as a given trigger is presented. Reframing thoughts and learning techniques like progressive muscle relaxation, diaphragmatic breathing, and parasympathetic breathing are examples of learned coping skills that a professional can help guide you through (more on this below).
While you probably know all too well what your Thanksgiving mental health triggers are, we have laid out a few common ones that may serve as a reminder of what to prepare for:
- Travel related events such as flight delays and accommodation issues
- Excessive crowds in grocery stores and shopping centers
- Interactions and disagreements with certain family members and in-laws (more on this below)
- Issues that may occur when playing host for Thanksgiving (overcooked food, not enough food, etc.)
IV. Set Boundaries
To avoid anxiety and stress inducing interactions and disagreements with family members, in-laws, and other guests who may be in attendance at Thanksgiving gatherings, consider setting boundaries regarding certain topics of discussion. Politics is the most contentious of topics for this Thanksgiving of 2024. While the POTUS, Senate, and House of Representatives will have been decided by the time Thanksgiving rolls around, election anxiety remains in the aftermath and differing opinions will be as strong than ever.
Send out a kindly written email or text thread to all who will be gathering together this Thanksgiving, asking that everyone agree to avoid discussing issues that have pushed buttons amongst those of you in the past. In addition to politics, these typically involve religion and sociocultural issues. When writing the email/text thread, be sure to communicate in a lighthearted manner, concluding with an inside joke. This may include reference to how certain NFL teams are also excluded from mention when gathered around the table for turkey or tofu.
V. Exercise (and outdoors)
Lethargy and fatigue can be a cause and a symptom of Thanksgiving anxiety. To help stave it off, incorporate (or increase) exercise into the days leading into Thanksgiving. This is not about burning those calories that you’re sure to consume (although that’s a beneficial side effect) as it is actually rooted in mental wellness. Exercise triggers a positive brain-body response via a healthy release of dopamine, and when taken outdoors will be accompanied by an increase in serotonin levels which is “feel good” neurotransmitter that can assist in mitigating anxiety and stress.
VI. Get Online Support Heading Into Thanksgiving
In our tips above we called upon you to practice gratitude interventions, become more mindful, and learn healthy coping skills. While these can be done to some extent on one’s own with additional research, a DIY approach won’t come anywhere as close to being effective when compared to what will be learned through professional counseling. Further, therapy may be considered mission critical to managing Thanksgiving mental health for people who have experienced past trauma on or around the holiday. A counselor will also serve as someone to talk to and lean on for those who are alone during Thanksgiving while their friends, coworkers, and classmates (as applicable) are visiting with their own families.
Book your first session as soon as you finish reading this, and continue with counseling in the days leading up to Thanksgiving through to the remainder of the Holiday season. Reach out via the contacts provided below to get started.
Concerned About Your Mental Health this Thanksgiving?
CALL +1 (877) 426-4258
OR
Email [email protected]
