Contrary to conventional thinking, suicide rates actually fall during the holidays,; with December, followed November, and January in positions 12 through 10 for months lowest for suicides according to the Centers for Disease Control statistics.
That runs counter to common belief that those suffering through mental struggles face even greater issues come the holidays, either from a lack of family and friends, or from having recently lost a loved one.
But while suicide statistics are lower, that doesn’t equate to less feelings of overall depression and sadness for the demographics listed above.
In short? It’s awful to be alone at Christmas, and just as bad or worse to be experiencing that first Christmas without a loved one.
Check on your family members and friends. They need you now more than ever.
“They do, because this time of year, you have a couple of things different going on,” said John Antal, MSW, LISW-S, the clinical director of behavioral health at East Ohio Regional Hospital in Martins Ferry. “There are difficult anniversaries happening, with people who’ve lost loved ones this time of year.
“That’s a tragedy, but there’s also people for whom this is their first Christmas without a spouse. As people age and pass away, it can make this a very difficult time.
“Sometimes people forget that while this is a time of great joy and laughter for many, it can also be a time of great despair for some people.”
That’s why Antal said it’s important if you have any family or friends going through a similar situation, that you go and check on them.
It’s something you should practice periodically in general, but especially now when feelings of family and togetherness are supposed to be paramount.
“If you have family members who are alone, go and check on them, especially during the holidays,” Antal said. “They may be at risk, both their physical health and their mental well-being.
“It might be a good time to revive family traditions and break the lapse in time of seeing aging family members.”
The Pit of Social Media
A quick scroll through Facebook during the month of December and you will be bombarded with pictures of family gatherings, Christmas trees decorated and surrounded by a mountain of gifts, and numerous professions of how blessed one is.
In a time of shared camaraderie, this can be a great, uplifting thing to see when scrolling through you Facebook or Instagram feeds.
But that warm and fuzzy feeling can turn sour right quick for someone suffering the loss of a loved one or experiencing yet another Christmas alone.
When a once-a-year phone call on Christmas Eve is all an aging parent can look forward to, scrolling through one’s Facebook wall and seeing all those smiling, happy faces can further bring about a spiral of depressive thoughts.
“People don’t take that into account, social media,” Antal. “You have to think about how social media can affect the individual. As much as it brings people together, it can isolate people as well.
“You reflect back on your life and realize that, wow, this is magnifying the loneliness that is occurring in your life.”
Things to Look For
Antal noted that, whether a visit is taken during the holidays or during the rest of the year, there are things to look for that can be telltale indicators that something is amiss with an aging or alone family member.
“If you go visit, you can get a sense of how they are doing,” Antal said. “You’ll be able to notice subtle or explicit changes in physical or cognitive abilities. There are signs and symptoms you want to look out for, activities of daily living, grooming, things like that.”
When depression sets in, there are certain daily tasks that most take for granted that people suffering from major depression can’t be bothered to perform.
Activities like brushing one’s teeth, taking a shower, changing clothes—all these can be neglected somewhat or entirely. There’s no way for a close family member to know what’s going on unless they stop by to visit. It’s not information the sufferer will offer up willingly.
“Personal hygiene is more difficult to maintain as people age and, older adults, their sense of smell diminishes over time,” Antal said. “They may not be aware of odors in the house.
“Plus climbing, bending, lifting, some of those tasks necessary for cleaning can be difficult as a person ages.”
Other things to look out for include the contents, or lack thereof, of one’s refrigerator, excessive or lack of mileage put on one’s car, even opening and going through the mail.
“The holidays are a magical time, but we want to make sure our loved ones are taken care of,” Antal said. “Especially this time of year. It’s so cold out, its winter, and you want to make sure they are taken care of, both their health and happiness.”
