There’s no need to suffer in silence during the holidays or any time of the year, but holiday seasons of recent years have provided more reasons for being glum.

Whether it’s COVID-19 — which has caused isolation and economic woes for many — or loneliness or the type of stress typically involved in the holiday season, the past few years haven’t been easy.

And now with the highly transmissible omicron variant, some might decide to avoid seeing family or stay out of public places out of an abundance of caution.

Studies by the National Alliance on Mental Health show that even during a normal year, about 64% of people with a mental illness find the holidays depressing.

The Eagle spoke this week with Joe Mahoney, executive director of the Ellen O’Brien Gaiser Addiction Center, which offers treatment for alcohol and substance abuse disorders.

He said the way the holiday season is often portrayed — a happy time spent with friends and family — can often exacerbate existing melancholy for those struggling with depression, anxiety or other issues.

These feelings can push those who struggle with substance abuse toward making the wrong choice.

“We know society at large presents (the holidays) as the happiest times; that’s not the case for most people, whether they are struggling with grief and loss, job loss, there are people struggling, and seeing (those) portrayals kind of aggravates that stress,” Mahoney said.

One such person — a Butler resident named Shadoe, who is a client of the Grapevine Center, a nonprofit that helps those with mental illness — said he was among those who struggle especially during the holidays.

He said that addiction led him to burn bridges and push those close to him away and, as a result, he doesn’t have many people to turn to at this time of year. There are a variety of services available in your community, from holiday meals at the Grapevine Center (there’s one on New Year’s Day) to a 12 Days of Recovery program through Butler’s SUCCEED (culminating Dec. 31) that encourages creating new traditions and a buddy system to keep participants accountable and provides materials to attendees for activities aimed at keeping them clean.

We’re glad that Butler County has a variety of great services for those struggling with addiction or mental health issues. They are highly valuable at the holiday season or any time of year.

For those who need a little help this holiday season, please don’t be hesitant to ask for it.

— NCD