Overview
- The Autonomous University of Querétaro’s psychology faculty warned that sadness and vulnerability often intensify during the holidays, citing risk from recent loss, breakups, unemployment or migration, and noting seasonal affective disorder mechanisms tied to serotonin and melatonin.
- UAQ highlighted symptoms such as low mood, loss of interest, sleep changes, persistent fatigue, carbohydrate cravings, poor concentration and guilt, urging people not to normalize isolation or dropped responsibilities and to seek professional help as anxiety and depression have grown since the pandemic.
- Psychiatrists and psychologists described common triggers including pressure for mandatory joy, end‑of‑year self‑assessments, economic and work strain, and comparisons with earlier life, with one expert stressing that year‑end sadness is a predictable response rather than a distinct syndrome.
- Clinicians advised watching for red flags like drastic mood shifts, social withdrawal, disrupted sleep or appetite, and expressions of hopelessness, and recommended open, nonjudgmental conversations alongside timely clinical support.
- Local reporting noted a December 25 suicide in San Luis Río Colorado, which renewed calls to closely monitor mental health during this emotionally sensitive period, particularly for older adults who benefit from presence, inclusion, respectful limits and planned rest.