And What You Can Do About It
As a therapist, I’ve seen how common anxiety becomes at this time of the year. The end of the year has a way of stirring emotions you thought you had tucked away. It brings reflection, comparison, fear of the unknown, and pressure to be “ready” for the new year all at once.
That restless, tensed, and overwhelming feeling you have noticed lately is most likely anxiety. It often intensifies during transitional periods, such as year-end and the start of a new year. Our minds like predictability, and when life feels uncertain or unfinished, anxiety steps in to fill the gaps.
Ada’s story
My dear friend Ada permitted me to share this story.
Towards the end of each year, Ada’s anxiety would spike. She experienced heart palpitations, constant overthinking, and a feeling of tightness in her chest. Peaceful sleep completely disappeared, and she battled insomnia for weeks, replaying everything she didn’t accomplish. The pressure of providing for her children weighed heavily on her, and the rising expenses made her feel like she was drowning. She became irritable, snapping at her kids over small things, not because she didn’t love them, but because she felt exhausted, stretched, and scared. Her savings were almost non-existent, and that alone triggered shame she didn’t know how to talk about.
Here are some reasons why you might be feeling more anxious right now:
1. You feel like you didn’t achieve “enough” this year
End-of-year reflection often turns into self-criticism. Instead of noticing what you actually did and being grateful for what you were able to achieve, your mind focuses on what you didn’t accomplish. This is very common amongst Nigerians. We often see self-criticism as a way to get ourselves to do better, but this also takes a toll on our mental health. This mental constant reminder to become the best version of ourselves also becomes a trigger for overthinking and anxiety.
2. You’re comparing yourself to people online or around you
Social media becomes extra loud in December with promotions, vacations, engagements, and new houses and cars. Again, Nigerians are never quiet about these things. They must be outside, they must obleee, they must have a detty December. These recent and fast-rising trends have now become other people’s source of anxiety. It’s easy to look at other people’s highlights and feel like your life is standing still, even when that’s not true.
3. Financial pressure increases
Expenses rise, children’s needs, gifts, holiday spending, family obligations, bills, and the expectations of January. This financial stress alone can trigger restlessness, irritability, and physical anxiety symptoms.
4. Fear of the unknown as a new year approaches
The new year forces you to think about the future, and sometimes the future feels unclear. Your mind starts asking questions you don’t yet have answers to: Will things get better? Will I achieve my goals? Am I ready for what’s coming?
5. You’re mentally exhausted from everything you carried this year
The gigantic workload, to house chores, to emotional and financial responsibilities. To the numerous times you should have rested but had to keep working and showing up. It is understandable if you are simply tired and burnt out. And when the body is tired, your anxiety isn’t.
6. You feel pressure to change your life immediately
New year deadlines make you feel like you must reset your life quickly, new goals, new habits, new achievements. These things take time; they don’t happen immediately.
7. You haven’t fully acknowledged the emotional weight you’ve been carrying
Sometimes anxiety shows up because you haven’t stopped to process heartbreak, disappointment, stress, or grief from earlier in the year. These unprocessed emotions don’t disappear; they show up as tension, irritability, sleepless nights, and overthinking. Anxiety might also show up because this is the period you get to reconnect with family and friends
So what can you do to reduce this end-of-year anxiety?
Here are gentle steps you can start with:
1. Slow down and breathe. You don’t need to fix your entire life before the end of the year. It is a gradual process.
2. Focus on what you survived, not just what you achieved. Making it to the end of the year is a victory, especially after everything you’ve faced.
3. Unfollow or mute sources of pressure. If you know that watching these trends online will trigger your anxiety or mount unnecessary pressure on you, simply log out. It is easier to do that than to deal with the anxiety it comes with. You don’t have to consume content that makes you feel inadequate.
4. Create small goals instead of overwhelming resolutions. Break the new year into manageable steps. Write down small, realistic goals and take steps towards achieving them.
5. Talk to someone you trust. You don’t have to carry your anxiety alone. Sharing your thoughts helps lighten the mental load. Another way to go about this is to make friends. Reach out to people, your circle, and reminisce on the good old times. It feels good, I promise.
6. Practice grounding techniques. I know I have written about this a lot. But these techniques help. Journaling, breathing exercises, and other forms of exercise help calm your nervous system.
7. Consider speaking with a licensed therapist.
To conclude the story, therapy helped Ada find her footing again. She learned how to manage her thoughts, regulate her emotions, and rebuild her confidence. Over time, her sleep improved, her irritability reduced, and she no longer felt ashamed of her struggles. You deserve that same support, a safe space to unpack everything you’re feeling and learn healthier ways to cope.
If this season feels heavy for you, please remember, there is nothing wrong with you. A lot of people feel anxious around this time, even those who look like they have it together. Be gentle with yourself. You are allowed to grow slowly, heal gradually, and enter the new year at your own pace.
And if your anxiety is affecting your sleep, your mood, or your daily life, please reach out to a licensed therapist.
