The holiday season can bring connection and rest, but for many Australians it can also bring loneliness, family pressure, grief, and disrupted routines, just as many usual support services close for the break. A little planning, knowing who’s open and checking in on others, can make the season easier.
Here are the key points:
- Feeling low or lonely at Christmas is common and nothing to be ashamed of.
- Many services close or run reduced hours, but 24/7 help is always available.
- The days after Christmas can be harder than the day itself.
- Summer heat can affect mental health, especially in Adelaide.
- Planning before the break matters most if you are already receiving care.
Why the Holiday Season Can Be Hard on Mental Health
The end-of-year break changes almost everything at once. Your routine shifts, expectations rise, and you may spend more time with family than usual. Old tensions can come back. Alcohol is often around. Grief can feel louder, money can feel tighter, and the clinics and services you rely on may be closed.
None of this means you are doing the holidays wrong. It means the season asks a lot of people. Knowing what to expect is the first step to feeling more prepared.
Feeling Lonely at Christmas: You're Not the Only One
Loneliness at Christmas is very common. It can happen when you are on your own, but it can also happen in a room full of people; you can feel deserted. Feeling lonely is not a personal failing. It’s a human response to wanting more connection than you currently have.
According to Ending Loneliness Together, almost 1 in 3 Australian adults feel lonely. About 40% of people who live alone feel lonely, and about 1 in 4 people who live with a partner do too. Many people keep it to themselves, with nearly 3 in 5 lonely people not talking about it. Many people keep loneliness to themselves, which is part of why stigma stops Australians from seeking help when they need it most.
Spending Christmas Alone: Making a Plan for the Day
Spending Christmas alone can be peaceful for some people and painful for others. Either way, a loose plan helps the day feel less empty.
- Plan something for each part of the day, such as a walk, a good meal, a film, or a call
- Look for community Christmas lunches, or volunteer on the day
- Schedule calls with family or friends in other cities or overseas
- It’s okay to treat it as an ordinary day
Grief at Christmas
The first Christmas after a loss can be very hard. An empty chair, family traditions, or an anniversary can bring everything back. There is no right way to get through it.
Some people find comfort in a small ritual like lighting a candle or cooking a favourite dish. It also helps to tell others what you need and to say no to things that feel like too much. Approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy ACT can help people make room for painful feelings like grief while still doing what matters to them. If grief stays intense or stops you from getting through the day, talk to your GP or a psychologist.
Managing Family Stress and Silly Season Pressure
Family time can be warm and difficult at the same time. A few small decisions made early can take pressure off. Agree on how long you will stay, decide which topics to avoid, and have a way to step out if things get tense.
Set expectations early
Let people know your plans and limits before the day
Plan an exit
A walk around the block or your own transport gives you a break
Have a script ready
I’d rather not talk about that today, but how was your trip? Works well.
Go easy on the alcohol
It can lift your mood briefly, but it often worsens anxiety, sleep, and conflict. Plan some alcohol-free days.
If dread about family events lasts well beyond holidays, help for ongoing anxiety may be worth seeking.
If family conflict ever becomes unsafe, call 1800RESPECT (24/7) or 000.
On money: it’s okay to set a spending limit and to give less. Your presence matters more than the price tag.
Holiday Mental Health Checklist If You're Already Receiving Care
If you already see a GP, psychologist, or psychiatrist, a little preparation before the break can protect the progress you have made. Here is a simple checklist.
- Check that your medication supply will last, and ask your GP or pharmacist about scripts before the break
- Book your last appointment before the break and your first one after it
- Ask your clinicians about telehealth if you are travelling. If you’re away, ask whether your sessions can switch between telehealth and in-clinic mental health appointments so your care isn’t interrupted
- Write down your early warning signs and what helps
- Save 24/7 numbers in your phone
- Tell one trusted person how they can help
- Keep sleep, meals, and movement as regular as can be
Please do not stop or change your medication without consulting with a psychiatrist first.
Mental Health Support Over Christmas: What's Open in Australia
Crisis lines stay open 24/7 over Christmas, but many clinics and some phone services close or reduce their hours. It helps to know the numbers before you need them.
Available 24/7 nationally:
- Lifeline: 13 11 14, or text 0477 131 114
- Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
- Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
- 13YARN (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people): 13 92 76
- Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
- 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
- Emergency: 000
The Medicare Mental Health line (1800 595 212) runs on weekdays only and is closed on public holidays. For after-hours GPs and pharmacies, use the healthdirect Service Finder.
Mental Health Support in Adelaide and South Australia Over the Holidays
- SA Mental Health Triage Service: 13 14 65, 24/7.
- Urgent Mental Health Care Centre (Adelaide city): open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You don’t need a referral, an appointment or a Medicare card.
Hours can change, so please confirm before you rely on them.
Summer Heat and Mental Health in Australia
Our holidays fall in the middle of summer, and heat can affect sleep, irritability, and mood. Research from Adelaide found that hospital admissions for mental and behavioural disorders rose by about 7% during heatwaves.
A few practical steps can help:
- Keep your home cool and stay hydrated
- Plan activities for the cooler parts of the day
- Check on older or isolated people
- Some medicines can affect how your body handles heat. Ask your pharmacist or doctor if this applies to you
The New Year Blues: Why After Christmas Can Feel Harder
The weeks after Christmas can feel flat or heavy, and that’s more common than people expect. Lifeline reports more calls after Christmas than before it. The build-up is over, work is coming back, and the new year, new me pressure can feel like one more thing to live up to.
It’s a myth that Christmas is the most dangerous time. The weeks after the holiday can actually be harder to manage, so keep checking in and remember you are not alone.
Try to plan something to look forward to in January and book your follow-up care. Return to the everyday strategies for anxiety and depression that help you already, as routines restart.
How to Check In on Someone Over the Holidays
Some people find this season harder than they let on. Think about people who live alone, were recently bereaved or separated, are new to Australia, are older relatives, or have gone quiet.
Be specific
“Want to come for lunch on the 27th?” is easier to say yes to than “Let me know if you need anything.”
Ask directly
“How are you really going?” gives someone permission to be honest.
Listen without fixing
You don’t need the perfect words. Just be there with them during this tough time.
If someone talks about feeling hopeless, withdraws, or starts giving things away, stay with them and call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 000.
When Holiday Stress Is More Than the Blues
It may be time to see a GP or mental health professional if you notice any of these:
- Low mood or anxiety lasting more than 2 weeks
- Not sleeping or eating well
- Not coping with daily life
- Relying on alcohol to get through
- Thoughts of self-harm
Support does not stop when the holidays end. If these feelings continue into the new year, psychological support for stress and loneliness can help you understand and manage them. For more complex or long-standing symptoms, a psychiatrist can review diagnosis and treatment.
If you’d like to talk things through with someone, the psychologists and psychiatrists at Elyséa HEALTH are here throughout the year, including after the break. There’s no need to have it all figured out first. Reaching out when it feels right for you is enough.
Holiday Season Mental Health FAQs
Why do I feel sad at Christmas?
Christmas can stir up grief, loneliness, family tension, and pressure to feel happy. Routines change and usual supports close. Feeling sad does not mean something is wrong with you. If low mood lasts more than two weeks or affects daily life, speak to your GP.
Is it normal to feel lonely at Christmas even with family around?
Yes. Loneliness is about feeling understood, and not about being alone. Ending Loneliness Together found that 1 in 4 people living with a partner feel lonely. You can feel disconnected in a full room, especially during grief or conflict.
What mental health services are open over Christmas in Australia?
Crisis lines like Lifeline (13 11 14) and the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467) are open 24/7. Many clinics close or reduce hours. In South Australia, the Mental Health Triage Service (13 14 65) is open 24/7. In an emergency, call 000.
How can I cope with spending Christmas alone?
Plan the day with a walk, a meal, a film and a call. Look for community lunches or volunteering. Schedule calls with people far away. It’s also okay to treat it like any other day. Save a support number just in case.
How do I deal with family conflict at Christmas?
Set expectations early, agree on time limits, and plan an exit, like a walk or your own transport. Avoid sensitive topics where you can. Go easy on alcohol. If conflict becomes unsafe, contact 1800RESPECT (24/7) or call 000.
Can hot weather affect mental health?
Yes. Heat can affect sleep, irritability and mood. Adelaide research found mental and behavioural hospital admissions rose about 7& during heatwaves. Keep cool, stay hydrated and plan activities for cooler times. Some medicines affect heat tolerance, so ask your pharmacist or doctor.
Why do I feel worse after Christmas?
The build-up has ended, work is returning, and money worries can surface. The new-year, new-me pressure adds to it. Lifeline reports more calls after Christmas than before. Plan something to look forward to in January, and book follow-up care.
How can I support a friend who is struggling over the holidays?
Reach out with a specific invitation, like lunch on a set day, and ask, “How are you really going?” Listen without rushing to fix things. If they talk about hopelessness, stay with them and call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 000.
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Information published on the Elyséa HEALTH website, including articles, blogs, and educational resources, is provided solely for general health information and wellbeing education. It does not constitute medical or psychiatric advice and is not a substitute for personalised assessment, diagnosis, or treatment by a qualified Australian healthcare professional. Accessing this website does not establish a clinician-patient relationship with this website or any of its practitioners.
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Remember, this website is not for any emergency or crisis service. If you are in immediate danger, call 000.
Mental health crisis and support services in Australia include:
SA Mental Health Triage Service (24/7): 13 14 65
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
Open Arms Veterans & Families Counselling: 1800 011 046
13YARN (First Nations support): 13 92 76
By using this website, you understand that the information is general and may change without notice.
