Navigating Year-End Anxiety

As the end of a year approaches, the season changes, we get ready to say goodbye to a year and a lot of feelings are brought up with it. As we reflect over the past year and anticipate the new one, we may experience feelings of excitement, anticipation, hope, stress, anxiety, dread and more. Many experience year-end anxiety as they feel the pressure of shifting to a new year, an experience that can be managed with a step by step approach.

Understanding Year-End Anxiety

When the year-end approaches we may be grappling with feelings such as these that could lead to year-end anxiety or New Year anxiety:

• Pressure to wrap up unfinished tasks
• Prepare for holidays in a hectic schedule
• Societal pressures of engaging in holiday activities
• Regretting unmet goals or unresolved challenges or experiences
• Concern and expectations about the future
• Apprehensions and anxiety about New Year
• Physical and emotional burnout from heightened work demands coupled with personal responsibilities

The Pressure of New Year Resolutions

Setting resolutions for New Year is a common and global practice, but for a lot of individuals it is a stressor contributing to anxiety. Unrealistic goals or overly ambitious goals can often lead to disappointment, an inability to realistically follow through and feed into a vicious cycle of stress.

It can helpful to break down a bigger goal into smaller ones, focus on one or two meaningful goals and celebrate every achievement. Recognize and acknowledge how far you have come, every step of the way and congratulate yourself for the amount of energy and effort it took on your part to do something for yourself.

Mental Health and Year-End Anxiety

When the year ends and New Year approaches, individuals can experience rumination or overthinking, negative thoughts about self, as it’s easy to think that no matter what you’ve accomplished, it’s not enough. There can be a heightened level of anxiety and low moods instead of recognizing your achievements and looking forward to the New Year.

For some individuals, near the year-end, the shorter days and colder weather can trigger symptoms of depression or worsen existing symptoms of depression, known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This is a major depressive disorder with seasonal pattern which can contribute to low moods, feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness during the holiday season or New Year.

According to research, symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder usually begin in late fall season and peak during the winter months, particularly at peak in November, January and February.

As per general trends, workplace stress also peaks during the year-end contributing to New-Year Anxiety due to increased demands and expectations often leading to exhausting and burnout in individuals. Moreover, such a stressful environment can worsen mental health and exacerbate mental health issues.

Strategies to Manage and Cope with Year-End Anxiety

• Acknowledge feelings: It can be helpful to understand and acknowledge that this is an intense time of the year that can bring up a lot of feelings and anxiety so as to be better prepared.
• Set realistic goals: Focus on small, achievable goals for New Year so as not to overwhelm yourself in this trying time.
• Practice Mindfulness: Breathing exercises, meditation and relaxation based activities will help you in reducing, managing stress and overcome any negative thoughts.
• Limit Social Media Time: Social media breeds negativity, hence, limiting your time and exposure to social media will help in mitigating feelings of anxiety, worthlessness, low moods or symptoms of depression, especially during year-end.
• Engage in Physical Activity: Regular physical activity and/or exercise can improve your mood and regulate your emotional state. It will also provide a sense of accomplishment.
• Seek Professional Help: It is important to remember that there are many resources out there to help you navigate the year-end anxiety. If at any time you feel extremely overwhelmed, anxious, stressed or negative, search for a mental health professional near me to gain the required support. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is helpful in addressing negative thoughts, anxiety and depression.
• Seek Social Support: This is a time to celebrate with friends and family, reach out and spend time with your loved ones to not only celebrate the New Year but to also share success and breed positivity and joy.

Remember when you reflect upon your journey throughout the year, do not dwell upon your regrets, but celebrate your achievements and lessons that have contributed to your growth and made you a better version of yourself. It is also not necessary to tie celebrations or happiness to achievement of goals; even being healthy, making connections, feeling gratitude are a good, if not better, way to end a year.

Every New Year is an opportunity for growth and should be taken as such. The year-end can drudge up an emotional whirlwind but can navigate the year-end anxiety and manage it by prioritizing your mental health, taking it one step at a time so as not to burden yourself and set realistic goals. Take your time of reflection as a way to learn something new about yourself and progress into a better, healthier version of yourself as you welcome the New Year.

Get through the year-end anxiety with resources from North America Behavioral Health Services!