BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas — A lot of people believe that the holiday season sees the highest depression and suicide rates but that's just not true. According to data from the CDC and Brazos Valley Coalition on Suicide Prevention President Doug Vance.
"Typically suicide ideation increases during the warmer months, for whatever reason that's been historically to be true," Vance said. "There's a myth that suicide increases during the holiday season that's not actually true."
While there is no evidence of an increase in mental health problems around the holiday it is perfectly normal to not feel 100% this holiday season especially if you're celebrating the holiday for the first time without a loved one.
"It can be a very difficult time for people especially if they're experiencing loss, loss of a loved one," Vance said. "You know the holidays can bring those memories to the forefront that can be difficult to deal with."
It's important to reach out to friends and family. Take some time at the dinner table or somewhere more private to talk about how they are feeling.
"You definitely want to reach out to people you haven't spoken to in a while to family members, friends. The holiday season is a great opportunity to go check on somebody," Vance said. "Reach out there are all kinds of ways to do it now."
If a loved one isn't comfortable talking with you, there are certain signs that you can pick up on that might indicate they are struggling.
"If there's irritability, fatigue, any sign of anxiety or being overly stressed, those are things to pay attention to," Vance said. "If it's suicide ideation, there are things people say like talking about wishing they weren't anymore, talking about being a burden on others."