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The holidays are supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. For a lot of families, they are also the most stressful. Packed schedules, family tension, disrupted routines, financial pressure, and the gap between the season's expectations and real life can weigh heavily, especially on young people who are already struggling.
If your teen seems more anxious, withdrawn, or on edge as the holidays approach, that reaction is common and it is real. The American Psychological Association has found that a large share of adults report increased stress during the holiday season, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that many people living with a mental health condition feel the holidays make their condition worse. Young people are not immune to that pattern.
This guide explains why the holidays are hard on mental health, how to manage the stress, and how online mental health therapy keeps support going through the season. At Mount Behavioral Health, we provide care through telehealth for ages 9 to 21 across all five boroughs of NYC.
The holidays put pressure on the exact things that keep young people steady. Understanding why can help families respond with compassion rather than frustration.
Routines fall apart during school breaks and travel, disrupting the sleep, structure, and predictability that help teens regulate their emotions. Social and family dynamics intensify, since extended gatherings, old tensions, and the pressure to appear happy can be exhausting for a young person who is struggling. Expectations also collide with reality, as the images of perfect holidays everywhere online set a bar that real life rarely meets. For some families, the season also spotlights loss or change, such as an empty seat at the table or a recent divorce. Finally, in New York City the holidays fall during the darkest weeks of the year, and reduced daylight can lower mood on its own.
Some seasonal stress is normal. It becomes a concern when it lasts, intensifies, or starts interfering with daily life. Watch for signs like these during the holiday weeks.
• Increased irritability, tearfulness, or anger that seems out of proportion.
• Withdrawing from family gatherings, friends, or activities they usually enjoy.
• Noticeable changes in sleep or appetite beyond the usual holiday disruption.
• Expressions of loneliness, hopelessness, or feeling like a burden.
• Physical complaints like headaches or stomachaches with no clear cause.
• Any talk of self harm or not wanting to be here, which calls for immediate help.
One rough evening at a family dinner is not a crisis. A pattern of these signs, or any mention of self harm, is a signal to reach out for support.
Families can do a great deal to protect a young person's wellbeing through the season. These evidence informed strategies help lower the temperature without draining all the joy out of the holidays.
• Protect the basics. Sleep, regular meals, and some physical activity are the foundation of emotional regulation, so keep bedtimes and mealtimes reasonably consistent even during break.
• Set realistic expectations. Give your family permission to opt out of some traditions, since saying no to an over packed schedule protects everyone's wellbeing.
• Build in downtime. Schedule quiet, low pressure time between events so a stressed nervous system can reset.
• Keep communication open. Let your teen know it is okay not to feel merry, and listen without trying to fix or minimize.
• Watch the comparison trap. Gently limit scrolling through everyone else's perfect holidays, and remind your teen that social media is a highlight reel, not real life.
One of the quiet risks of the holiday season is that support disappears exactly when it is needed most. School counselors are off, routines break, and in person appointments are hard to keep amid travel and closures. For a teen who relies on regular sessions, that gap can be destabilizing.
Online mental health therapy keeps support going through the season. Because sessions happen over a secure video connection, your teen can meet with their therapist from home, from a relative's house, or from wherever the holidays take you, with no commute and far more scheduling flexibility. That continuity matters, because consistency is what keeps progress from unraveling during a hard stretch. Research has shown that virtual mental health services can be just as effective as in person sessions for many young people.
At Mount Behavioral Health, our clinicians provide virtual mental health services for adolescents ages 9 to 21 across Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island. We accept most major insurance plans, including Medicaid, and we keep care available through the holiday weeks.
Holiday stress is rarely just a teen's problem, since it moves through a whole household. When parents are stretched thin, everyone feels it, and a young person often absorbs more of that tension than we realize.
Modeling healthy coping is one of the most powerful things a parent can do. When you set boundaries, take breaks, and talk openly about your own stress in age appropriate ways, you teach your teen that managing hard feelings is normal and possible. It also helps to lower the bar for what a good holiday looks like, because connection matters far more than perfection. A calm, low key season where everyone feels safe and supported is worth more than an elaborate one that leaves the whole family frayed.
Many New York State insurance plans, including Medicaid, cover telehealth mental health services, and our team can help you verify your benefits so cost does not stand in the way of care during the holidays. It is especially important to know crisis resources during a season when regular support may be paused. NYC 988 (call or text 988) offers 24/7 support, and the Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741) is available nationwide. For education and family support, national organizations like the National Alliance on Mental Illness are a reliable resource.
The holidays can be joyful and hard at the same time, and for a young person who is already struggling, the season can intensify what they are carrying. With realistic expectations, protected routines, open communication, and support that stays available, families can move through the holidays with their wellbeing intact.
At Mount Behavioral Health, we provide compassionate, evidence based online mental health therapy for families across all five boroughs of New York City. Our telehealth model keeps youth counseling services online convenient and available through the busiest weeks of the year, so your teen can get the support they need without missing a beat.
• If the holidays are weighing on your teen, we invite you to reach out, since support is available through the season.
• Scheduling a consultation is easy through our online booking options.
• Our team can also help verify your insurance, making the process as straightforward as possible.
For immediate crisis support, please remember these vital resources:
NYC 988: Call or text 988
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call or text 988
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
Call us at 718-400-0545 or visit mountbh.org to schedule a session.
1. Why does my teen seem more anxious or down during the holidays?
The holidays disrupt many of the things that keep young people steady, including sleep, routine, and predictability, while adding social pressure, family tension, and the gap between perfect holiday expectations and real life. Reduced daylight during the winter months can lower mood on its own, too. For a teen already managing anxiety or depression, all of this can intensify symptoms. It is a common and understandable reaction, and it is one that support can genuinely ease.
2. How can I help my teen manage holiday stress at home?
Focus on protecting the basics, including consistent sleep, regular meals, and some physical activity, and set realistic expectations by giving your family permission to skip some traditions. Build in quiet downtime between events, keep communication open without pressure to feel merry, and gently limit comparison driven scrolling. Modeling your own healthy coping matters, too. If stress deepens into something that lasts or interferes with daily life, reaching out to a professional is the right next step.
3. Can my teen keep up therapy over the holidays if we are traveling?
Yes. That is one of the biggest advantages of online mental health therapy. Because sessions happen over a secure video connection, your teen can meet with their therapist from home, from a relative's house, or from wherever the holidays take you, with no commute and flexible scheduling. Keeping sessions consistent through the season helps protect the progress your teen has made and provides steady support during a stressful stretch.
4. Is online therapy effective, or should we wait until after the holidays for in person care?
There is no need to wait. Research indicates that virtual mental health services can be just as effective as in person sessions for many young people, particularly for anxiety and depression, and telehealth is often easier to start when a concern feels pressing. If the holidays surface a new worry about your teen, you can connect with a licensed clinician quickly rather than waiting for the new year. Our therapists deliver evidence based care through a secure, HIPAA compliant platform.
5. When should holiday stress prompt professional help?
Reach out when the stress lasts beyond a rough day or two, feels intense, or starts interfering with your teen's sleep, relationships, or ability to function. Persistent sadness, withdrawal, hopelessness, or expressions of being a burden all warrant a professional conversation. If there is any mention of self harm or not wanting to be here, seek help immediately by calling or texting 988. Acting early is always better than waiting to see if it passes.
