Colorado’s Behavioral Health Administration is emphasizing that mental health support is available during the holiday season, when stress and emotional challenges often spike significantly. According to Dr. Kelly Causey, deputy commissioner with Colorado’s Behavioral Health Administration, feelings of loneliness, grief, financial strain, and family conflict commonly emerge during the holidays despite the season’s festive atmosphere and cultural expectations of happiness.
Normalizing Holiday Emotions
“Holidays are certainly festive, joyous, happy, but can bring up a lot of other emotions,” Causey said, noting that it is normal and acceptable to experience sadness even when others around you seem happy. “It’s okay to feel sad, even when other people are happy.” This message combats the common misconception that everyone should feel uniformly positive during the holidays. The state points to the 988 Mental Health Lifeline as a primary resource, offering free, confidential support available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Callers can reach the service by calling or texting 988, or using the live chat function without any cost or judgment.
Usage and Access
According to state data, Coloradans called or texted 988 for support over 94,000 times in the previous year, plus thousands of additional chats—representing a 15% increase from the year before. This growth demonstrates increasing awareness and willingness to seek help. When people reach out, they connect with real people who can assist in multiple languages. “You will have somebody that answers that call and that chat and that text, and they can do it in lots of different languages,” Causey explained. The service remains operational throughout the holiday period and beyond, ensuring no one need struggle in isolation.
Additional Resources
The state offers additional resources beyond crisis intervention for comprehensive support. Colorado LIFTS connects individuals and families to mental health, substance use and crisis support statewide. Health First Colorado provides Medicaid-eligible members behavioral health services at no cost. I Matter Colorado offers free therapy for youth 18 and under, with services available in English and Spanish, ensuring young people can access support. Lift The Label is a campaign to reduce stigma around addiction and connect people to evidence-based treatment services.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/feeling-overwhelmed-holiday-colorado-help-988-mental-health-lifeline/