FEELING STRESSED OR SAD ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS? YOU’RE NOT ALONE. A 2021 survey (1) found that 60% of Americans feel the holidays have a negative impact on their mental health, including higher levels of stress, depression and anxiety, as well as increased substance abuse. For people affected by mental illness, the holiday season can be especially challenging. One study (2) by National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) found that 64% of people with mental illness said the holidays make their conditions worse.