Loneliness at Christmas: You Are Not Alone

Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational and supportive purposes only and does not replace professional medical or mental health advice. If you are experiencing persistent low mood, distress, or thoughts of self-harm, please seek support from a qualified healthcare professional or contact local support services immediately.

www.samaritans.org

🔊 Listen to Post

Finding Hope, Comfort, and New Beginnings During the Holiday Season

Christmas and the holiday season can be one of the most emotionally complex times of the year. While the world around us seems wrapped in lights, laughter, and togetherness, many people quietly struggle with feelings of loneliness, sadness, or emotional exhaustion. If that’s you, please know this first and foremost: you are not alone.

I am writing this from personal experience. I, too, have moments where the holidays feel heavy rather than joyful. And that is okay.

Loneliness does not mean you have failed. Feeling low does not mean you are weak. It simply means you are human.

When the Holiday Blues Appear

The “holiday blues” can affect anyone, for many different reasons:

• Loss of loved ones
• Estranged or difficult family relationships
• Financial pressure
• Health challenges
• Living alone or feeling misunderstood
• Depression that exists year-round but feels amplified at Christmas

Depression is not always caused by loneliness alone. Sometimes it stems from exhaustion, trauma, stress, or a sense of uncertainty about the future. These feelings can lead to sad or intrusive thoughts, but thoughts are not facts, and most importantly, they are temporary.

Even when it doesn’t feel like it, this season will pass.

What Helps Me Get Through the Holidays

When things feel overwhelming, I keep myself busy by writing. Writing helps me process emotions, make sense of thoughts, and feel productive during times when motivation is low. It gives structure to my days and reminds me that my voice still matters.

If writing isn’t your thing, there are many other gentle ways to cope.

Practical Ways to Get Through the Holiday Season

Here are some ideas that may help you navigate this time more kindly:

1. Learn Something New

If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll do that one day,” why not start now?
Learning a new skill, writing, digital design, photography, coding, cooking, art, or even a new language, can give you something to focus on and carry into the New Year.

What you begin now could become a source of confidence, income, or joy later.

2. Create Instead of Consuming

Creativity can be incredibly healing. Try:

• Journaling
• Drawing or painting
• Crafting
• Blogging
• Starting a small online project

Creativity turns pain into purpose.

3. Keep a Gentle Routine

You don’t need a perfect schedule, just something grounding.
A morning tea, a short walk, an hour of focused activity, or an evening wind-down ritual can help create stability when emotions feel unpredictable.

4. Limit Comparisons

Social media often shows a polished version of Christmas. Remember: many people posting smiling photos are struggling behind the scenes, too. You are not “behind” or missing out, you are simply on your own path.

One Door Closing, Another Opening

If this year has been hard, remind yourself of this:
Every ending creates space for a new beginning.

A closed door does not mean the end of opportunity, it often means redirection. Sometimes we only see the value of change in hindsight. Even if you are struggling now, that does not define your future.

Better days do come. New opportunities do arise. And growth often starts quietly, during the hardest seasons.

You Matter More Than You Know

If you are reading this and feeling low, please know:

• Your feelings are valid
• This moment does not define your life
• You are not a burden
• You are not alone

There are people who care, even if you haven’t met them yet.

End Note: A Holiday Message to Our Readers 🎄✨

The holidays are particularly difficult for me because they stir memories of trauma I would erase in an instant if I could. If there were a magic wand that allowed me to forget everything I have lived through, I would use it without hesitation. But over time, I have come to understand something profound: my trauma, painful as it is, has become my driving force. It is what pushes me to make my life worth living. I am now in my second year of studying law, building a consulting and marketing agency in Wales, and laying the foundations for a charity focused on disability and entrepreneurship. I do not smoke, drink alcohol, or take drugs; my dopamine comes from writing, creating, and publishing articles. In many ways, this is my therapy.

I try not to dwell on my past because it holds memories that still hurt deeply. Instead, I keep myself busy, because there is always something to do when you are running a business and building a future with purpose. I am grateful that I can spend the holidays with my daughter, as I have no other family in the UK, and that alone gives me countless reasons to get up every morning. I sometimes reflect that if I had this knowledge four decades ago, my life may have taken a different path, because it was after a traumatic breakup and a toxic relationship that my mental health struggles truly began. Yet I have learned to channel those thoughts and memories into something positive by teaching others that no matter how dark things feel, there is always hope for us all.

To all our readers and subscribers: Happy Holidays.

May this season, however quiet or difficult, be a time of reflection, creativity, and gentle hope. The New Year brings fresh possibilities, new skills to learn, new ideas to explore, and new paths to walk. Even small steps taken now can lead to a brighter, more empowered future.

From us to you: be kind to yourself. Better days are ahead.

Renata & Zena

(Share this with whoever may need it, and remember to check with the elderly neighbours.)