The cost of Christmas causing mental health concerns

*• More than 1 in 3 people say the cost of Christmas will negatively impact their mental health and wellbeing
• 38% of people expect to feel lonely some of the time over the Christmas and New Year’s Eve holiday period
• 1 in 5 older adults (50-64-year-olds) would prefer to spend Christmas alone
• 1 in 4 18–24-year-olds say seeing family for Christmas will negatively impact their mental health symptoms or wellbeing *

While the festive season is framed as a time of togetherness and joy, many people say it will instead be a time of mental health challenges and loneliness this year.

A Medibank survey revealed 46% of people aged 18-49-years-old say the cost of Christmas will negatively impact their mental health and wellbeing this holiday season, while young people (aged 18-24-years-old) are almost twice as likely as older Australians (aged 65+) to feel lonely over the Christmas holiday season.

Other factors young people expect to negatively impact their mental health and wellbeing include having friends who are more socially engaged (23%) and seeing other people’s social media posts (20%). Older Australians aged 65+ are much less likely to feel lonely or experience mental health issues over the period.

In the leadup to Christmas 2023, the number of people reaching out to the Medibank Mental Health Line in December dropped by 5%, which is consistent with seasonal trends for crisis services across Australia and many other countries. But on December 31, the service experienced a 40% increase in demand and we expect this year to be the same.

Medibank Chief Medical Officer Dr Andrew Wilson says many people feel the need to create the perfect Christmas holiday experience, which can lead to stress, disappointment, and a sense of inadequacy when reality doesn't match those expectations.

“The reality of difficult family dynamics for some people can contrast with our expectations of how we would like this period to be and this can result in people feeling a sense of loss of control or of helplessness,” Dr Wilson said.

With cost-of-living pressures being felt right across the community, it’s important to ensure that Christmas doesn’t become an experience that is stressful and not enjoyable.

Tips for self-care over the holiday period
Set your intentions: Write down a realistic concrete goal for yourself for the holiday period.

Actively manage expectations: Rather than comparing your situation with what might be seen as ideal, consider what a hopeful but realistic expectation of your own personal situation may look like.

Help with your budget: Set financial boundaries with cost and presents. For example, suggest reducing the dollar limit for Kris Kringle or making presents, rather than buying.

Practice mindfulness: Take a few minutes each day to focus on your breathing. This can help centre your mind and reduce stress. Write down three things you're grateful for each day – a simple practice that can shift your focus to the positive aspects of your life.

Use social media mindfully: Set time limits for use, engage actively with posts rather than passively scrolling, curate your feed to follow accounts that inspire and uplift, and unfollow those that make you feel bad about yourself, and turn off notifications.

Exercise when you can: Consider ways to exercise with others like parkrun. Many parkruns are running on Christmas Day or New Years Day. Check to see if your local parkrun is running: Special Events | parkrun Australia.

Stay connected: Reach out to people in your life you have a positive relationship with, even if it's just a phone call or video chat. Meaningful connections can help combat feelings of loneliness.

Self-care routine: Healthy routines (which are key to good health) can get derailed by the events of the holiday season. Pick a few key routines which are easiest to stick to over the holidays.

Looking out for others
Reach out: Check in on friends, family, and neighbours who might be lonely or isolated. Look beyond initial assumptions when thinking about who may be lonely. Reach out to those who may seem absent from social media, or who you know have difficult family relationships.

Volunteer: Helping others can provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Consider volunteering at a local charity or community event.

Offer support: If you know someone is struggling, offer your support and be there to listen. Sometimes, just knowing someone cares can be incredibly comforting.

Use social media mindfully: Consider posting some of the more real side of life, not just the highlights. This may have an enormous impact on those who find this time of year difficult.

Additional research findings
• 69% of people aged 65+ do not expect to experience any mental health issues over Christmas, compared to only 26% of 18-24-year-olds and 33% of 25-34-year-olds
• 67% of those aged over 65 said they didn’t expect to feel lonely over the Christmas and new year period, more than double that of 18-24-year-olds (30%)

About the research Research commissioned by Pure Profile on behalf of Medibank. Research was conducted in November 2024, among a sample of (n=1,139) Australians.