Overview
- Hospital Italiano’s psychiatry service reports about a 20% increase in consultations each December compared with the annual average, underscoring a recurrent seasonal surge in demand.
- Clinicians cite powerful social expectations, perfectionism, financial strain, family tensions and grief as key drivers, with early commercialization stretching stress weeks before the holidays.
- Psychologists note a physiological stress response—heightened adrenaline and cortisol—showing up as irritability, poor sleep, fatigue and concentration problems, and they advise sharing tasks and lowering expectations.
- Guidance from Hospital Italiano specialists emphasizes validating emotions, communicating limits, avoiding the rush to “close everything,” and flexing rituals to fit real capacities.
- Child-focused tips include preserving sleep, pacing gift opening, moderating sugar and preparing calm breaks, while new advice highlights coping with loneliness by keeping routines, contacting trusted people and seeking professional help if distress persists.