Families come together from miles around to share in celebrating traditions that have been passed from generation to generation. In reality, however, family reunions may not be so perfect or they may not occur at all. For whatever reason, many people often feel sad during the holidays. One Kansas State University faculty member explains why. Elaine Johannes, extension specialist in community mental health, said there is a difference between depression and the holiday blues that can often pop up around this time of year.
True depression is a mental disorder that has a chemical basis to it.
The holiday blues, on the other hand, can come from a variety of sources. People may start feeling the holiday blues, a little bit down or maybe even grief, remembering some things that changed throughout the year, some losses they had. Our society puts a lot of expectation around holiday time. This is supposed to be happy time, family time. This is supposed to be, especially at the end of the year, a time where we mark our successes from the previous year.