'Psychologists' Holiday': What an Internet Meme Reveals About Mental Health at the End of the Year | Psychological health

“It's time for psychologists to take a break. It's every man for himself.” The phrase published by singer Clarissa Müller on the social network “X” was shared by at least 13 thousand people last month.

At the end of the year, the downtime for professionals such as psychologists and psychiatrists was labeled online as the “worst time of the year” and became a meme on many social media platforms.

“Seems like the psychologists' break comes exactly at a time when we need therapy the most,” one user said. Another profile even joked: “Naughty Beyoncé came to Brazil specifically during a psychologists break. She's not innocent.”

What do psychologists say?

As a general rule, the holiday season tends to be a period of greater emotional turmoil, psychologists interviewed by G1 confirmed.

“It is a period when we talk a lot about sensitive topics: family, losses, finances,” explains psychologist Tamiris Costa. “The weight of ending the cycle also comes through in this show, which is anxiety. We are very affected by this.”

Worsening symptoms of disorders such as anxiety and depression during the holiday season is so frequent that it has gained a common name: dyslexia. In an interview with the O Assunto podcast, Arthur Daniela, coordinator of the Habit and Lifestyle Change Program at the University of the South Pacific Institute of Psychiatry, said there is still no official diagnosis, despite the term.

Although symptoms of desembrite are common and generally harmless in most patients, psychiatrist Luana Ganzert reports that she has actually had to cut short her vacation to deal with more serious situations.

“In general, suicidal cases require more attention. I'm available on my cell phone in case of emergencies,” he says.

When the patient is not in danger, he or she is encouraged to “stay there” until the end of the rest period.

“The main guiding principle is that the patient does not lose sight of his independence, the path he has followed throughout the year, and the achievements over the months up to the present moment,” Tamiris highlights.