THE HOLIDAYS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE A TIME OF JOY, BUT FOR MANY PEOPLE, THEY'RE A TIME OF SADNESS AND STRESS.

If you're dreading the holiday season because you're worried about your past trauma being triggered, you're not alone. Triggers can come in many forms such as songs, family rituals, scents, sights, and memories. Then there is always the pressure to conform to societal and familial expectations that says, “it is the most wonderful time of the year”.

In a survey by NAMI, “approximately 75% of overall respondents reported that the holidays contribute to feeling sad or dissatisfied and 68% financially strained. 66% have experienced have loneliness, 63% too much pressure and 57% unrealistic expectations. 55% found themselves remembering happier times in the past contrasting with the present, while 50% were unable to be with loved ones.”