37 Digital Resources to Help You Manage Your Mental Health During the Holidays
The holiday season brings a complicated mix of emotions. For some people, it is a time of warmth and celebration. For others, it is one of the most difficult stretches of the year, marked by grief, loneliness, financial pressure, family tension, and the relentless expectation to feel happy.
If you find yourself struggling this season, you are not alone. A recent American Psychiatric Association poll found that 41% of U.S. adults anticipated more holiday stress in 2025 than the year before. A separate 2025 survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults by LifeStance Health found that 57% find the holiday season stressful, and more than half report feeling lonely during it, even when surrounded by loved ones.
The resources below are organized by the challenges many people face this time of year. Whether you are navigating grief, managing depression or anxiety, coping with loneliness, or simply looking for tools to support your mental health through a difficult season, these 37 verified digital resources are here to help.If you are interested in speaking with a professional, visit our guide to mental health counseling careers to learn more about the people who provide this kind of support.
Jump to:
Grief | Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder | Anxiety and Stress | Isolation and Loneliness | Mental Illness | Mental Health Apps and Helplines
Grief
Grief does not pause for the holidays. For many people, the season intensifies loss, whether from the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or the absence of what once was. The resources below offer guidance for sitting with grief during a time of year that asks you to celebrate.
- How to Deal With Grief During the Holidays — Psychology Today. A clinician-authored guide to acknowledging and processing grief without suppressing it during the holiday season.
- Balancing Joy and Grief During the Holidays — Psychology Today. Explores how grief and happiness can coexist, and how to hold both without guilt.
- Why the Holidays Can Awaken Grief for Who We Used to Be — Psychology Today. Examines the less-discussed layer of holiday grief — mourning past versions of yourself and your life.
- How to Handle Holidays After a Death in the Family — Child Mind Institute. Practical advice for families navigating holidays following a loss, including how to talk with children about grief.
- Surviving the Holidays — GriefShare. A free annual program specifically designed to support people grieving a death during the holiday season, including a seminar series and support group locator.
- Coping With Grief and Loss — HelpGuide. A comprehensive, evidence-based overview of the grieving process, practical coping strategies, and when to seek professional help.
- How to Help Someone Who Is Grieving — HelpGuide. A guide for the people around those who are grieving — what to say, what not to say, and how to offer meaningful support, especially on difficult dates like holidays.
- The Stages of Grief — Healthline. A medically reviewed explainer on the stages of grief, how they manifest, and how to move through them at your own pace.
Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder
Depression can look different at the holidays, sometimes quieter, sometimes louder. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) adds another layer, arriving alongside shorter days and colder temperatures. The resources below help distinguish between holiday sadness, SAD, and clinical depression, and offer practical strategies for each.
- How To Handle Holiday Depression — Cleveland Clinic. A psychologist-authored article explaining the causes and symptoms of holiday depression and specific steps for managing it through the season.
- 4 Best Ways to Cope With Holiday Depression — Ochsner Health. A psychiatrist and behavioral health expert walks through evidence-based strategies for people who dread the holiday season rather than anticipate it.
- Depression vs. Seasonal Affective Disorder: What to Know — Healthline. A medically reviewed breakdown of the key differences between major depression and SAD — including symptoms, causes, and treatments for each.
- Coping With Depression — HelpGuide. A detailed guide to managing depression through lifestyle changes, connection, and professional support — relevant year-round but especially during high-pressure seasons.
- Depression Screening Tool — Mental Health America. A free, confidential, scientifically validated online screening tool to help you understand whether your symptoms align with depression and whether it may be time to seek support.
- Mental Health and the Holidays: 9 Tips for Self-Care — National Council on Aging. Focused on older adults, this article offers nine practical self-care strategies for protecting mental health during the holiday season, including managing grief, loneliness, and disrupted routines.
- How to Help Older Adults With the Holiday Blues — Medical News Today. A medically reviewed guide for families and caregivers supporting older adults who may be vulnerable to isolation and low mood during the holidays.
Anxiety and Stress
The logistical, financial, and social pressures of the holiday season are real, and for people already managing anxiety, they can feel overwhelming. These resources help you identify your triggers, set realistic expectations, and build a plan for getting through the season with your mental health intact.
- 6 Tips for Managing Holiday Stress — Healthline. A medically reviewed article covering the most common sources of holiday stress and practical strategies for managing them, from setting limits to protecting your time.
- 4 Simple Tips to Manage Holiday Stress — Healthline. Looks at the role of alone time, self-care, and gratitude in reducing holiday stress — backed by recent survey data and expert input.
- 5 Tips to Manage Your Mental Health During the Holidays — UC Davis Health. Written by a clinical neuropsychologist, this article offers concrete guidance on managing expectations, setting boundaries, practicing self-care, and connecting with the community during the holidays.
- Stress Management — HelpGuide. A thorough, evidence-based guide to understanding and reducing stress — covering both the causes of chronic stress and a wide range of proven coping strategies.
- Anxiety Screening Tool — Mental Health America. A free, confidential, clinically validated online screening tool for anxiety — a useful first step if you have been wondering whether what you are experiencing goes beyond ordinary holiday stress.
Isolation and Loneliness Resources During the Holidays
Loneliness can be one of the hardest experiences to admit during a season centered on togetherness. It can affect people who live alone and people surrounded by family alike. These resources help name the experience, understand its effects, and find pathways toward connection.
- Why Holiday Loneliness Hits So Hard, and What to Do About It — Psychology Today. A therapist examines why the holidays amplify loneliness — including the specific social and psychological mechanisms involved — and offers actionable steps toward relief.
- Feeling Lonely? You Are Not Alone: Tips and Resources for the Holiday Season — SAMHSA. A federal resource covering the link between loneliness and mental health risk, with tips for seeking support and helping others who may be isolated.
- 2025 Support During the Holidays Toolkit — SAMHSA. A downloadable toolkit with social media content, messaging guides, and mental health resources designed to help communities support one another during the holiday season.
- What to Know About Loneliness During the Holidays — WebMD. A medically reviewed article covering why holiday loneliness happens, its effects on physical and mental health, and practical prevention and coping strategies.
- Loneliness and Depression: Is There a Link? — Medical News Today. A research-backed exploration of the relationship between loneliness and depression — why they so often occur together and what can be done about both.
Mental Illness Resources During the Holidays
For people living with a diagnosed mental health condition, the holidays can be among the most challenging weeks of the year. These resources address the unique demands of managing mental illness during an intense social season, with guidance for both individuals and those who support them.
- How to Ease Holiday Stress — Cleveland Clinic. Expert-backed tips from Cleveland Clinic specialists on managing the multiple stressors of the holiday season, from family dynamics to financial pressure.
- Enjoy the Holidays More With Mindfulness — Child Mind Institute. Introduces mindfulness practices specifically for the holiday season and explains how they can reduce anxiety and improve your ability to stay present.
- 24 Ways to Make the Holidays Kid-Friendly and Stress-Free — Child Mind Institute. A family-focused resource with strategies for managing holiday expectations and protecting children’s mental health during what can be a chaotic season.
Mental Health Apps and Help Lines
If you or someone you know needs support right now, the following resources are available at no cost, around the clock.
Crisis Support and Helplines
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988 at any time to reach a trained crisis counselor. Free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor by text message. Available 24/7 at no cost.
- SAMHSA National Helpline — Call 1-800-662-4357 for free, confidential information and referrals for mental health and substance use disorders. Available 24/7 in English and Spanish.
- NAMI HelpLine — The National Alliance on Mental Illness offers a free peer-support service for anyone affected by mental illness, including family members and caregivers.
- HERO Warm Line — A peer support resource specifically for first responders, who face elevated mental health risks and unique stressors during the holiday season.
Mental Health Apps
- VA Mindfulness Coach — A free app from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offering guided mindfulness practices, an audio library of exercises, and tools for setting personal goals. Available to everyone, not only veterans.
- VA Mental Health Apps — A curated library of free, evidence-informed mobile apps from the VA covering mood tracking, stress management, sleep, PTSD, and more.
- Breathe2Relax — A free breathing exercise app developed by the National Center for Telehealth and Technology. Teaches diaphragmatic breathing techniques for managing stress, anxiety, and panic.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or feel that you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is also available by call or text at any time.
For more on what mental health professionals do and how they can help, visit our guide to mental health counseling careers.
Information last updated: April 2026