The holidays are supposed to feel bright. For a lot of people, they don’t. Maybe this is the first holiday season without a parent, a spouse or a close friend. Maybe the calendar is full, money is tight, and family time comes with old tension. Or maybe you notice the same low mood creeping in every year as the days get shorter.
If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. In a 2024 American Psychiatric Association poll, 28% of adults said they felt more holiday stress than the year before. Grieving a loss or missing someone was one of the top reasons, named by almost half of people surveyed.
This post looks at holiday grief, stress and the holiday blues, how to tell when they may point to holiday depression, and where ketamine therapy fits in for people who haven’t found relief with other treatments.
Holiday grief, stress and the holiday blues
These three often show up together, but they aren’t the same thing.
Holiday grief. Loss can feel sharper during the holidays. Traditions, an empty chair at the table or a favorite song can bring memories back all at once. Grief is a normal response to loss, not an illness. For some people, though, it settles into something heavier that doesn’t lift.
Holiday stress. Travel, spending, hosting, year-end deadlines and family dynamics all pile up between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Short bursts of stress are normal. Weeks of poor sleep, constant worry and feeling on edge can wear down your mood and your health.
The holiday blues. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) describes the holiday blues as short-term feelings of sadness, tiredness, tension or loneliness tied to the season. They often fade once the holidays pass. People who already live with depression or anxiety tend to feel the strain more. In a National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) survey, 64% of people with a mental health condition said the holidays made it worse.
When holiday depression may be something more
Some seasonal low moods are more than the blues. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that typically recur on a yearly basis. For most people with SAD, symptoms start in late fall or early winter and ease in the spring, lasting about four to five months a year.
Signs worth paying attention to include:
Feeling sad, empty or hopeless most days
Losing interest in things you used to enjoy
Sleeping much more or much less than usual
Changes in appetite or weight
Low energy or trouble focusing
Pulling away from friends and family
Worry or anxiety that makes it hard to get through the day
If these signs last two weeks or more, or make it hard to work, sleep, or take care of yourself, it’s a good idea to talk with a medical professional. That’s true whether the symptoms started with a loss, with stress or with the change in season.
What is ketamine therapy?
Ketamine has been used as an anesthetic for decades. At much lower doses, researchers have studied it as a treatment for depression since the early 2000s.
Most common antidepressants act on serotonin and can take several weeks to help. Ketamine works differently. It primarily acts on glutamate, a chemical messenger involved in how brain cells connect and adapt. Research suggests this may be why patients frequently notice changes in mood sooner, sometimes within days.
In 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved esketamine (Spravato), a nasal spray form of ketamine, for adults with treatment-resistant depression. Treatment-resistant depression generally means symptoms haven’t improved enough after trying at least two antidepressants. Ketamine infusions for depression are prescribed off-label, which means that no pharmaceutical company has spent the money to fund the clinical trials needed in order to obtain an indication for the treatment of depression. It is unlikely this will ever happen since intravenous ketamine is a generic drug and the company would not be able to recoup that investment. Health Insurance companies then use the lack of an FDA indication as an excuse to not provide coverage despite overwhelming evidence of the drug’s safety and efficacy.
Ketamine for seasonal depression and anxiety: who may benefit
Ketamine is not a first step for the holiday blues, and it doesn’t replace the natural process of grieving. However, It may be worth discussing with a knowledgeable provider if you:
Have depression that hasn’t improved with medication or therapy
Notice depression or anxiety returning or getting worse every fall and winter
Have side effects from antidepressants that make them hard to stay on
Feel that grief has turned into lasting depression that affects daily life
Researchers are also studying ketamine for anxiety, though that research is still developing. A medical evaluation helps determine whether ketamine is a safe fit for you.
What to expect at Charleston Ketamine Center
Charleston Ketamine Center is the most experienced center in the southeast. Here treatment starts with a free consultation with one of our providers to review your health history and answer all your questions. If ketamine is a good fit, a typical plan includes a series of sessions over a few weeks.
Each session takes place in a calm, monitored setting where staff personalize your dose, based on your response monitor your vit and how you’re feeling. Many people feel relaxed or a little detached during treatment. These effects usually fade within an hour or two after the session ends. You’ll need someone to drive you home.
Risks and considerations
As with any treatment, ketamine can cause side effects. These may include:
Feeling detached or “outside yourself” during treatment
Nausea or dizziness
Blood pressure increase but only during the treatment session
Drowsiness
Ketamine may not be right for people with certain heart conditions, uncontrolled high blood pressure, a history of psychosis or some substance use concerns. Share your full health history with your provider so they can help you decide.
Small steps that help this season
Treatment is one piece of the picture. These habits can also help:
Keep a regular sleep and meal schedule
Moderate physical activity such as a 30-minute walk everyday
Get outside in daylight, especially in the morning
Set limits on spending, events and commitments
Make room for grief: light a candle, share a story or start a new tradition
Stay connected, even with a short call or text
Go easy on alcohol, which can make low mood worse
When to talk to a medical professional
Reach out if your mood has been low for two weeks or more, if grief feels stuck, or if stress and anxiety are getting in the way of daily life. You don’t have to wait until things get worse to ask for help.
If you are having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or call 911. Help is available any time, day or night.
Taking the next step
Holiday grief, stress and the holiday blues are common. Seasonal depression that lingers deserves real care. If other treatments haven’t brought relief, ketamine therapy may be an option to explore. Call 843-480-2273 or go tohttps://charlestonketaminecenter.com/contact/ to schedule a free consultation and learn whether it’s right for you.
This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Talk with your provider about your own health and treatment options.