Dec 9, 2024

Holiday Blues & Challenges Over Winter Break

The holidays can be an emotionally challenging time for everyone. Many experience heightened anxiety and depression, known as the ‘holiday blues’ during this time of year. In a survey from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 64% of participants said that they are affected by the holiday blues which can result from added stress, family tension, unrealistic expectations of the season, financial pressures, memories of grief or loss that are triggered over the holiday, among others. Self-care is important in combating the holiday blues incuding:

Eat well
Get adequate rest
Exercise
Practice stress management
Turn to friends, family or a therapist for support if you need it

An additional challenge that college students can face this time of year is the set of stressors associated with returning home after experiencing the freedom of independent living. It is not uncommon that friction or strained family relationships can make going home more difficult for some students, while other students may not have a home to return to for the holidays, magnifying feelings of loss and sadness. Life on campus can be a place where some students are openly able to express their identities or tap into a support system of friends that doesn’t exist at home. Anxiety about finances and gift-giving are common concerns from students, and some students return home so that they can work to support their college education, leaving them overwhelmed from the lack of a break. It is not uncommon that students may be seeking support to cope with the challenges that develop during the holidays and over the break.

Increasingly, colleges and universities are offering mental health solutions for students whether they are on campus, home or traveling during a break. For some students, being able to connect with a counselor over the holidays is critical, whether that is an urgent conversation with a counselor to process a difficult situation or to access teletherapy from another state. Offering a program that supports students’ needs, wherever they may be geographically, can help problems from worsening over the holidays and relieve the pressure on the campus counseling system following the winter break. While counseling is critical for some students, others may be better suited to self-directed wellness programs, like mindfulness and meditation to relieve stress and improve sleep.

How Uwill Can Help
With Uwill, students can book an immediate teletherapy appointment with a licensed counselor based on needs and preferences at a time that works within a busy schedule, including nights, weekends, and school breaks. Registering with Uwill is fast and easy and students can even book their first appointment in less than five minutes. Students also have access to Urise, Uwill’s wellness component. Urise provides on-demand wellness programming to complement therapy, including videos from trauma-informed instructors covering a variety of topics from yoga and meditation to self-care and stress relief.

If you are looking for help:

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If you are looking to bring Uwill to your organization:

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About the Author

Amaura Kemmerer, LICSW, serves as Director, Clinical Affairs for Uwill, the nation’s fastest-growing mental health solution serving more than 3 million students at 300+ institutions. Amaura leads Uwill’s engagement efforts, providing consultation and support to campuses to maximize student interaction with the platform. She joined Uwill from the Christie Campus Health acquisition where she served as the Executive Vice President of Client Engagement. Previously, she spent fifteen years at Northeastern University overseeing college student wellness and prevention education. Her expertise in the landscape of mental health on college campuses brings valuable insight to Uwill campuses across the globe. Amaura is a national speaker and trainer on topics including research-based strategies to reduce high-risk college student substance use.

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