Aunque las festividades de fin de año son una de las épocas más felices, las personas con enfermedades mentales no lo ven de la misma manera.

Según la Asociación Estadounidense de Psiquiatría, el 31 % de los adultos dicen que esperan sentir más estrés en esta temporada de festividades en comparación con el año pasado. Esto podría conducir a sentimientos de depresión y ansiedad.

Los expertos encuentran que estar cerca de la familia durante las festividades puede presentar numerosos factores desencadenantes de un episodio psicológico.

La doctora Sharon McLennon-Wier, del Center for the Independence of the Disabled New York (Centro para la Independencia de los Discapacitados de Nueva York), describe cuáles podrían ser algunos factores desencadenantes.

"Algunos desencadenantes pueden ser demasiado alcohol, demasiado consumo de drogas durante las fiestas. Personas que dicen que no necesariamente tienen planes o no celebran, o dicen que les gusta estar solos durante las fiestas," explicó la entrevistada.

Señala que es importante preguntar si una persona no celebra las fiestas por motivos religiosos. McLennon-Wier agrega que las festividades también pueden ser un desencadenante para quienes padecen el Trastorno Afectivo Estacional, que según el Instituto Nacional de Salud Mental afecta a millones de estadounidenses.

Si bien la salud mental se ha vuelto menos estigmatizada en los últimos años, McLennon-Wier encuentra que hay muchas razones por las que las personas podrían no cuidar su salud, incluida la cultura, la falta de información general al respecto y la noción de que las personas son débiles si cuidan su salud mental.

"La gente necesita entender que muchas de nuestras emociones son indicativas de nuestro nivel de hormonas que controlan nuestro interacción y compromiso con las personas," añadió también McLennon-Wier.

Ella agrega que esto podría ser parte de un problema bioquímico que puede necesitar ser tratado con medicamentos. Según su experiencia, McLennon-Wier siente que las festividades hacen que las personas se cuestionen su autoestima o que no hayan alcanzado un logro profesional.

Otros desencadenantes que encuentra son los problemas financieros. Según una encuesta de 2021 realizada por la Asociación Estadounidense de Psiquiatría, pagar regalos en las fiestas fue una gran fuente de estrés para las personas.

Indiana families are preparing kids for back-to-school season, and mental-health experts say emotional readiness is just as important as school supplies.

Beth Trammell, a psychologist and professor at Indiana University East, said kids often carry anxiety into the new school year. She encouraged parents to help children identify those fears.

"We as parents or caregivers think, 'Don't worry, or don't stress.' Instead, we might want to say, 'OK, well, let's talk about what it is you're worried about. What is the worst thing you think could happen?' If we draw it out of them," she said, "it may give them space to kind of let that out."

Helping kids feel heard can reduce stress. But experts also urge balance, keeping mornings calm, easing into routines, and not overloading schedules the first few weeks.

Nicole Brady, chief medical officer at UnitedHealthcare, said mental-health support should remain a priority throughout the year.

"Though we want our kids to be involved in activities and be social," she said, "we have to watch their academic performance, their mood, those sleep patterns, and making sure that those are staying healthy."

Brady added that parents should talk regularly with kids, model healthy coping and seek help early if warning signs appear.


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After a legislative session which opened doors to expand mental health care services across Montana, a state commission said it is considering the Billings area to build the state's second forensic facility.

For people involved in Montana's justice system whom a judge has deemed not mentally fit for their own defense, there are 53 beds in the state's only forensic facility in Galen. The daily waitlist hovers at about 100 people.

Matt Kuntz, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Montana, said it is not meeting the immense need.

"It's just a really bad situation for the people that are in the jails, for the people that are caring for them, for the taxpayers," Kuntz outlined. "It just doesn't work for anybody."

At a recent commission meeting, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services Director Charlie Brereton said the state is identifying a location for a new facility. The department received nearly $27 million from the state in April to fund project planning.

Kuntz noted the Montana Legislature passed many bills this session centered on mental health care.

"We really were able to get big wins in access to outpatient care, access to crisis care and for people in need of forensic hospital," Kuntz explained. "Overall, it was really an amazing legislative session for Montanans with mental health conditions."

Other mental health legislation will boost school-based services, youth in residential care, the state's 988 crisis line and certified community behavioral health clinics.


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The California Parent and Youth Helpline is in serious jeopardy after Gov. Gavin Newsom cut it from the new state budget, saying the money was needed to support medical services.

Advocates said they are puzzled because the governor has championed the helpline for years, and lawmakers approved $3 million from a separate fund dedicated to mental health, which does not affect the deficit.

Lisa Pion-Berlin, president and CEO of the nonprofit Parents Anonymous, which runs the helpline, said it is still operating 24/7, for now.

"We're holding on for the next month or so," Pion-Berlin pointed out. "But we need the state to step up, or one of these well-off philanthropists who cares about having that immediate help for emotional support, which is so vital."

Advocates are hoping funding can be restored via a budget trailer bill in the next few weeks. People can call or text and reach the helpline's trained counselors at 877-427-2736. The free helpline has connected with more than 120,000 people since its inception five years ago, and the website CAParentYouthHelpline.org has reached a million more.

Pion-Berlin noted a study in the Journal of Technology in Human Services found a call to the helpline can quickly ease parents' suffering and feelings of isolation.

"The research said that 85% of the callers in less than 30 minutes feel more positive, more hopeful and able to address their issues," Pion-Berlin reported. "There is no other service or pill I know that can do that in 30 minutes or less."

Parents Anonymous also offers free weekly support groups to steer parents and kids through emotional crises of all kinds.