While many see the holiday season as a time for reflection, joy and spending time with family, it can also be a time of stress and sadness for others. Some of the reasons for that, according to Dr. Potter, include: • Stressful schedules. “If you’re in a large family, it can be incredibly stressful trying to balance different holiday obligations and coordinating schedules, especially if you have kids,” says Dr. Potter. • Putting pressure on yourself. If you’re the person organizing or hosting a holiday gathering, you’re probably putting a lot of pressure on yourself to live up to very high expectations you set for yourself. • Separation from loved ones. “If a family has experienced loss or are separated from a loved one, that can make the holidays a sad time,” Dr. Potter notes. • Loneliness. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one or if you don’t have a family to celebrate the holidays with, isolation can lead to loneliness, grief and depression at a time of year when so much emphasis is put on celebrating with others. • Family dynamics. Many people find the holidays stressful because of conflicts and feuds within their family. • Seasonal depression. The holidays coincide with the onset of winter when it gets dark earlier and temperatures plunge. As a result, seasonal depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) rise at the same time, sometimes impacting the holiday experience. “People who find themselves in these circumstances sometimes assume that everyone else is having a happy, stress-free holiday,” Dr. Potter notes. “And that can really make what they’re feeling that much more challenging."