Center Associate Director Rebecca Brendel, MD, JD, appeared on the New York Times and CBS News Philadelphia to discuss stress during the holiday season. Brendel is also the president of the American Psychiatric Association, which released a poll finding that 31% of Americans expect to feel stressed during the holidays this year.
Brendel suggests taking an honest look at one's holiday commitments, to prevent stress. "Look at which are the things we feel obligated to do, out of our relationships and familial commitments, and which are the things that we're really looking forward to. The rest of them might be optional—and we can even say 'no,'" she suggests, to some optional commitments.