Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year holidays are on the horizon, but some people don't see the light when it comes to this time of year.
"The catch 22 of a really challenging time depending on what your relationship is with other folks, so whether you have some family dynamic challenges," said Sam White, Lead Music Therapist, Note-Able Music Therapy Services. "Maybe it's a time of year that you've lost someone that was important to you."
White says to confide in people you trust, love, and feel comfortable opening up to.
She also says plan breaks for yourself, whether if you need to go to another room or take a walk.
if you're struggling with a loved one who is no longer here to celebrate, the National Alliance on Mental Illness Nevada says to celebrate the person, and the things they would have enjoyed, to honor their memory.
It's also important for others to practice patience with people who may be struggling.
"For those people who don't go through this, give leeway, give grace for people who have to do those kind of things and not judge them for what is going on," said Robin Reedy, Executive Director, NAMI Nevada.
One therapy service says facing the music, literally, can help you navigate a difficult holiday season.
"One of the coolest things about music it's one of the few stimuli that can access multiple points of your brain at once so it's accessing your auditory cortex, you're getting your memory stimulated," White said. "You're getting a bunch of different things that's coming up at once. Motor skills, things along those lines."
However, it's not as simple as listening to a happy song to make you feel better, White says there's a process.
"I'm not feeling my best I'm going to meet that need," White said. "I'm going to listen to that song that expresses that and then I'm going to shift to another song that might give me a positive memory towards whatever I'm feeling towards the holiday season."
It can also go further than just listening to the music.
"If you're a mover, if you're a dancer, the physical outlet of listening to music can be beneficial in that way too," White said. "From a nervous system standpoint music is something that can regulate us. Singing has actually been studied to be one of the best nervous system regulators because of our oxygen levels and how we use our voices to sing."
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please do not hesitate to call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
