INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — For many people, holiday festivities can cause major anxiety. New research from the American Psychiatric Association finds people in the United States are stressed about money, political conversations, and family dynamics this holiday season.

A new poll from the APA found that 44% of U.S. adults are most excited about seeing family and friends during the holidays. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always help with stress. 

The report found that more than half of Americans are worried about affording holiday gifts, 1 in 4 are concerned about discussing politics, and about one-third are worried about challenging family dynamics.

Rawle Andrews, Jr. is the executive director of the American Psychiatric Association Foundation and spoke with News 8 about how to navigate and perhaps overcome these emotions.     

“Some of our doctors have understood that there’s a seasonal affective disorder. You know, it gets darker a little earlier. The pocketbook issues are front and center, worrying about whether I ‘can find the right gift or am I going to have the perfect holiday season?’ These are all of the things that are really causing added stress to our year-end effort. And you know, that’s almost one in three Americans who are facing the stress starting with the pocketbook.” Andrews said.

The Mental Health Care Works Campaign raises awareness about the signs and symptoms of mental health disorders and encourages people to take the first step to getting help. They also want people to recognize holiday stress and isolated anxiety versus something more serious.

• Click here for resources from the Mental Health Care Works campaign

“If holiday stress becomes everyday stress, you feel hopeless all the time, you feel restless all the time, you’re easily irritated — these are some signs and symptoms that it might not just be holiday blues,” Andrews said.

Andrews suggests people utilize resources such as the 988 Crisis Hotline. 

“People should feel free to call and text and you can talk to a counselor confidentially about what you think is going on. But the reality of it is we do have to be kinder to ourselves so that we can be kinder to others. Don’t try to be perfect. It’s not going to be perfect. If you have work, you have a family unit, let’s be in this together and check on each other. Even the folks who seem like they always have it all together,” Andrews said.

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

• 988 Crisis Hotline
• Be Well Indiana
• Indiana Suicide Prevention
• Indiana Department of Child Services’ Children’s Mental Health Initiative
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255
• More resources