KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Thanksgiving traditionally brings people together, but that can come with stress.
Mental health experts say it's natural for the holidays to cause feelings of anxiety.
The holiday season is usually advertised as the happiest time of the year. But for many people, the holidays can cause sadness, stress and grief for a variety of reasons. They may be mourning the loss of a loved one, or feel stress due to losing a job, or anything else.
Studies have shown that trying to prepare the perfect holiday meal or have the best decorations can create a lot of stress. Just trying to be perfect during this time of year can cause people to burn out.
It is important to take care of yourself over the holidays. Not everyone can be in the holiday spirit, and not everyone has to be. If people need it, they can simply choose to stay home for the holidays.
Even if you enjoy being alone if feelings of depression or sadness arise—it's okay to seek help.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-273-8255. People can also reach out to the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. through 5 p.m., at 865-584-9125.
A list of mental health resources is also available here. Any of the phone numbers and links on that page will lead you to people who want to help.