Coping With Holiday Depression and Anxiety: Real Strategies for Christmas and Beyond

The holiday season can be one of the hardest times of year for those living with depression and anxiety. Expectations of joy and celebration often clash with grief, loneliness, and stress—especially in the aftermath of the pandemic.

In this episode, psychologist Dr. Maggie Mulqueen offers compassionate insights and actionable strategies for coping with holiday depression. She discusses the importance of releasing unrealistic expectations, embracing a both/and mindset (grief and gratitude can coexist), and finding purpose in small, meaningful actions.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, isolated, or weighed down this holiday season, this conversation is a reminder: you are not alone, and there are real ways to protect your mental health while honoring your truth.

Link to referenced article: https://www.drmaggiemulqueen.com/publications

Primary Topics Covered:

• Why depression and anxiety intensify during the holidays
• The impact of seasonal affective disorder and lingering pandemic stress
• Three groups of people struggling differently at Christmas
• The emotional weight of grief and “empty seats at the table”
• How to embrace a both/and mindset during difficult times
• The harm of toxic positivity and why minimizing doesn’t help
• Small acts of kindness and finding purpose to ease depression
• The role of uncertainty in worsening mental health struggles
• A hopeful holiday reflection: In the Time of Pandemic by Kitty O’Meara

Timestamps:

00:00 - Welcome and introduction to holiday struggles
 01:00 - Why depression and anxiety worsen during the holidays
 01:22 - Dr. Maggie Mulqueen shares pandemic and holiday insights
 02:14 - Why therapists are busiest November through March
 02:53 - Cancelled gatherings and emotional fallout
 03:11 - Three groups most impacted by holiday depression
 04:57 - Families “stuck” together and added stress
 05:56 - The weight of grief and missing loved ones
 06:31 - No single “right” way to celebrate holidays
 07:26 - Embracing both/and thinking for resilience
08:24 - Depression and the pressure to “be happy”
09:30 - Why purpose helps protect mental health
10:47 - Pandemic uncertainty and collective anxiety
12:13 - The harm of toxic positivity and not being heard
13:52 - Shame, silence, and holiday expectations
14:39 - Final takeaway: compassion and complexity
15:55 - Reading of In the Time of Pandemic by Kitty O’Meara
17:23 - Gratitude, hope, and the “great reset”
18:05 - Closing reflections and next week’s preview

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