Expert: mental health takes a toll during the holidays

PEORIA, Ill. – The holidays can be stressful enough for people battling mental illness, COVID-19 or not.

Dave Mingus, licensed in Behavioral Health with UnityPoint’s Unity Place, says in short, if you start to feel stressed or overwhelmed with tasks or holiday get-togethers, do something about it.

“If you find yourself feeling sad, anxious, or irritable, it’s important to pay attention to these emotions and not to ignore them,” said Mingus. “Rather than reacting to these feelings, try to identify thoughts that contribute to these emotions. How we think impacts how we feel; and, in turn, we respond.”

Mingus says common sense is first and foremost, so if a situation doesn’t seem right — especially as it relates to COVID-19 — it probably isn’t.

He suggests avoiding drinking alcohol; and keep a good balance with nutrition, sleep, and exercise, keeping your routine as normal as possible.

“We find that with depression and anxiety, we see so often that people self-medicate…with alcohol,” said Mingus. “That is the first step toward disaster.”